New coupe is home but there is one little problem...

[SteveT]

Picked up my new ‘06 coupe late yesterday. Been without a Viper for a few months and really am glad to have the new coupe, even after what I am about to post…

On the way home I would hear a rattle from the back passenger side whenever I hit a bump in the road. It sounded like the rear hatch was loose. I stopped and adjusted the screw in bumpers and it seemed to help.

Took it out this morning and the noise was still there. Sounded like something was loose in the fender well area.
I checked the battery thinking it might be loose, nope. I took the surround off around the tail light and nothing loose in there. I then put the car up on the lift and took the cover of the bottom, nothing loose that I could see. Then I looked up into the rear suspension and poked around on the emergency brake caliper, thinking it might be rattling, uh uh.

Looked up a little further and found the problem. The bolts that hold the upper a frame on had apparently never been tightened! The front one still had the nut on the very end of the threads and the rear bolt had lost the nut(or it was never there). I could remove the one nut with my fingers. It has no marks on it at all. Looks like it never had a wrench on it. It appears to be a compression nut (not the correct name probably but it would only screw on for a few turns and then the threads on the end seem to "compress") and the threads on both bolts are clean.

So here I am with 77 miles on the odometer and I have to either have it flat bedded back to the dealer or just pick up a new nut and fix it myself. Do you guys think there is any reason to hassle with taking it back to the dealer? Does not look like there is any alignment issues, looks like the lower arms are adjusted but the uppers are fixed. Anyone happen to know the torque setting for the rear upper A arm bolts?

06 Blue/Silver Coupe
05 Yellow SRT10 (gone)
03 Red SRT10 (gone)
02 Graphite GTS (gone)
97 Red GTS (gone)
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Our other cars: 2006 XLR-V / 2006 S55 Silver / 2006 SSR Red 6spd / 2006 Mini CooperS BRG / 2005 Ford GT Silver / 2005 SL65 Pewter / 2005 G55 Graphite / 2004 Gallardo Yellow / 2004 NSX Black / 2002 Candy Red Prowler + 2001 Orange Prowler + 2001 Silver Prowler + 1999 Yellow Prowler / 2002 35th Anniversary Camaro SS Convertible / 1970 Black Chevy SWB Pick up / 1970 Camaro SS350 / 1969 Garnet Red Camaro SS 350 / 1969 Chevelle SS 396 / 1969 Impala SS 427 / 1968 Chevy Step Side Truck L98/700r4 / 1967 Hugger Orange Camaro 400 / 1966 GTO / 1955 Yellow Chevrolet Truck / 1934 Ford Sedan / 1930 Ford Hiboy Coupe 302 5spd

 

[SylvanSRT]

i would def check alignment and have a dealer/ vipertech make sure you did not do any damage

 

[PaViper]

Question for you, I have had a similar noise in mine from the right rear. Had it in to the dealer twice now and they could find nothing. Is something I can see without dropping the belly plate, I will definately check in the morning

 

[DEVILDOG]

i would def check alignment and have a dealer/ vipertech make sure you did not do any damage

Ditto. Also, hopefully the dealer will report back to DC so they can trace it back to the factory and wake up the appropriate worker so no one else has the problem. Would hate to think what could happen at high speeds. Congrats on your new Coupe. Are you going to the next Club meeting in May? Would like to see the blue/silver!

 

[Camfab]

Spring Issue 2006 VIPER Magazine

At CAAP, They're Committed to
"GETTING IT RIGHT"


Mistakes happen, but there is NO excuse for your experience. Had you not been mechanically astute you may have been seriously injured, or injured/killed another.

 

[SteveT]

PaViper - No need to drop the belly plate. The top of the a arm is about even with the top of the rear tire, easy to see if you have a lift. Not sure but you might be able to see the area looking thru the wheel.

I have a picture that I posted in my gallery, not sure if this will work.

[image]http://gallery.viperclub.org/showphoto.php/photo/26289/sort/1/cat/500/page/1[/image]

DEVILDOG - I have been trying to make it to Viper club meeting for 4 years and never have. When/where is it? I think it used to be at Papas BBQ. Checked the map and can't find "Venomville" must be a cool place to live


Camfab - CAAP "GETTING IT RIGHT" I was thinking the same thing!

 

[DodgeViper01]

Give Chuck Tator a call. He might know what the problem is. Good luck and enjoy that new coupe!

 

[SRTRICKY]

I don't know much about your issue with the Viper but damn you have some INSANE cars!!

 

[Flexx91]

PaViper - No need to drop the belly plate. The top of the a arm is about even with the top of the rear tire, easy to see if you have a lift. Not sure but you might be able to see the area looking thru the wheel.

I have a picture that I posted in my gallery, not sure if this will work.

[image]http://gallery.viperclub.org/showphoto.php/photo/26289/sort/1/cat/500/page/1[/image]

DEVILDOG - I have been trying to make it to Viper club meeting for 4 years and never have. When/where is it? I think it used to be at Papas BBQ. Checked the map and can't find "Venomville" must be a cool place to live



Camfab - CAAP "GETTING IT RIGHT" I was thinking the same thing!

Definitely agree. Totally unacceptable and contradicts the article in the most recent issue of Viper magazine. Should be taken to the dealership for repair and reported back to CAAP.

 

[RainMaker]

Steve,

You can have the Viper towed back to the dealer at THEIR expense because you are still covered under warranty. You might have to pay for it first and have them reimburse you later.

However, have the Vipertech look over it because there might be some other issues and even though you know what you are doing, it might void the warranty.

 

[Warfang]

This remind me of a CAAP story I heard about a small batch of Viper engines in the early GEN2's that had a tiny oil leak... turns out one guy in CAAP was tightening bolts in the wrong order, causing some gasket from sealing jussst right. They actually narrowed it down to the specific guy, and I assume he got a refresher course.

I guess it's easier to do that with a small production-run car. It would be cool/funny if they find who screwed this one up, and he personally sends an apology.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Definitly tow it back and get the car really checked over by a Viper tech. The car shouldve been checked over before you were allowed to by it. Not only did CAAP screwup, but the dealership is partly to blame as well.

 

[SteveT]

I am not sure that the normal inspection at the dealer would have uncovered this. The car drove fine and the only indication was the sound it made on sharp bumps. Road test on a normal street more than likely would not have produced the sound.

Well, after a couple of phone calls with the Service manager and the Viper tech, they agreed to have me fix the bolts.

I spent several hours this afternoon checking the rest of the suspension and all seems in order. I prefer this to them towing it in and after going over the car I feel comfortable driving it in. I will be taking the Viper in for them to go double check it. They have forwarded the info on the situation and the pictures on to DC and they told me that someone would be contacting me.

 

[DEVILDOG]

I am not sure that the normal inspection at the dealer would have uncovered this. The car drove fine and the only indication was the sound it made on sharp bumps. Road test on a n ormal street more than likely would not have produced the sound.


Well, after a couple of phone calls with the Service manager and the Viper tech, they agreed to have me fix the bolts.

I spent several hours this afternoon checking the rest of the suspension and all seems in order. I prefer this to them towing it in and after going over the car I feel comfortable driving it in. I will be taking the Viper in for them to go double check it. They have forwarded the info on the situation and the pictures on to DC and they told me that someone would be contacting me.

Steve, glad you're getting this resolved and reported back to CAAP. Our meetings are on the 2nd Saturday of every month at 5pm - 7pm at Pappa's BBQ. Here's the club link http://www.northtexasviperclub.com/ . Hope to see you there!

 

[Viperfreak2]

Some production facilities use the install / verify system. One person tightens the bolts, then somewhere downstream someone else re-torques them and puts a paint stripe on the threads. I guess Conner Ave. doesn't do this.