[tipsss]

I had Tein springs installed and had an alignment done about a month ago now. I did my own oil change today and noticed this.

The bolt on the passenger side does not protrude out like it does on the driver side. There do seem to be scratch marks on the empty hole and I'm certain that the suspension layout is symmetrical for both sides.

Did the mechanic who installed the springs mess up and is this a safety hazard?

 

[LatinCT2]

It looks like the top hat is not in the right orientation. You're not hearing any weird noises?

 

[LAF]

As you can see that is an alignment pin. It orients the top hat on the shock tower.

Where the heck is yours? That is what belongs in that hole just like the other side you have pictured. I do not see how it could be under the shock tower as your bolts have pretty much the same amount of thread showing on each side/picture.

I have no clue how that came off?

I would think the installer owes you a new top hat and install?

I can not see how an alignment person would break that peg off. It had to be in the install.

 

[LAF]

After looking at it more that top hat is not centered in the shock tower at all. Look at the other with the pin it is centered in the hole. The one with no pin is not centered.

Also can not figure out why all the scratches and marks on one side and not the other.

As far as unsafe, not sure, but I would not run it long that way.

You do need to get it back to the installer. Buy a OE shock top hat and get it to him. I mean make him reimburse you for it but take it with you so you can have it done while you wait. Do not get a Moog or other brand, get OE Honda top hat.

 

[yellenod]

You need to ask the installer if he removed it. If he didn't then the alignment showed removed the pin. Once removed, this allows the top hat to have greater adjustment for alignment.

With the scratches in the paint, it looks like it was removed after installation of the to hat. The alignment shop may have removed the pin to get the camber back to proper specs. I'm not saying this is the correct way to achieve proper alignment, but getting more adjustment room can be had by removing the pin.

Technically, it is installed correctly. It just seems off visually. Look at your alignment sheet and it will tell you if you within factory specs. If you look at the nuts holding the top hat in, you can see where the original placement was in relation to where it is now.

You need confirmation to put your mind at ease. Start making those calls.

 

[HKSJoo]

its an alignment/camber pin guide. its purpose was for the asseblmy line, it can be removed with no ill effect. if the alignment shop removed it, it was probably to get the alignment back into spec, no big deal. i have removed both my front guides. it just looks a little off cause its missing on the passenger side. and if you wanted to remove the other one, all you have to do is get a long screw driver and punch it out from under, or get a nut that fits on the threads and tighten it down until it shears off.

 

[LAF]

Good information but I see no reason why it was removed?

My front was not out very much at all on my drop.

Alignment was very easy with little movement of the top hat.

Good to know but I wonder of all the people who have dropped their cars, who has either of these pins removed?

 

[cournot]

McPherson front loses camber when the car is lowered. Those pins are guide pins for factory installation but are removed to adjust camber, as this platform has camber adjusted by shifting the top mount left and right.

It's possible that one side had to be removed to adjust camber but the other was within spec. I'd check your alignment.

 

[tipsss]

Thanks all for the help.

Looking back at my alignment printout, that side was the only side out of factory spec and in need of adjustment.

I'll probably stop by the shop today just to confirm but this all makes sense now.

 

[LAF]

Thanks all for the help.

Looking back at my alignment printout, that side was the only side out of factory spec and in need of adjustment.

I'll probably stop by the shop today just to confirm but this all makes sense now.

Let us know what they say please.

 

[LAF]

McPherson front loses camber when the car is lowered. Those pins are guide pins for factory installation but are removed to adjust camber, as this platform has camber adjusted by shifting the top mount left and right.

It's possible that one side had to be removed to adjust camber but the other was within spec. I'd check your alignment.

I have no idea at what point of lowering that you need to remove those pins?

Since I had mine out and in, I never gave a thought after seeing the amount of movement there for adjustment.

So it is pretty normal to knock that off?

Like I said mine was in the green, but put to spec. with no movement of the top hat at all.

And I was just here last Thursday for my second alignment in as many months.

Wanted to check after all the braces were on and such.

Left front, right rear were out, and again the front was put to spec with no top hat adjustment.

I am just surprised as I never heard or have seen this adjustment method before and my last car was lowered and McPherson Strut.

On all the forums I have used it is the first I have seen this.

Pretty cool I learned something again!

 

[HKSJoo]

I have no idea at what point of lowering that you need to remove those pins?

Since I had mine out and in, I never gave a thought after seeing the amount of movement there for adjustment.

So it is pretty normal to knock that off?

Like I said mine was in the green, but put to spec. with no movement of the top hat at all.

And I was just here last Thursday for my second alignment in as many months.

Wanted to check after all the braces were on and such.

Left front, right rear were out, and again the front was put to spec with no top hat adjustment.

I am just surprised as I never heard or have seen this adjustment method before and my last car was lowered and McPherson Strut.

On all the forums I have used it is the first I have seen this.

Pretty cool I learned something again!

those pins are for adjusting camber. +/-.5*

normal to knock off? no. is it easy to take off? yes

my front end camber is within spec too even after lowering more than 2", but i want that much more camber to clear tires, so i took those off and set it to max neg camber.

most other mcpherson struts use camber bolts at the bottom of the strut, where it attaches to the spindle/axle/lower assembly area to adjust camber. like i said b4 these accord don't have a lot of camber adjustment, +/-.5* and that is still within factory spec. factory camber spec range is +/-1*. mcpherson is not super sensitive to gain - camber from lowering, like double wishbone is.

 

[tipsss]

Was able to stop by the alignment shop earlier this week. They were able to confirm what HKSJoo and courtnot have said.

The pin that is "missing" is a pin that is meant to be removed when alignment of suspension is necessary. It is just essentially a guide for the factory to they know they put in the strut tower in right. No safety hazard.