Clock spring broke due to improper alignment

I had an issue with Firestone after an alignment. I am in the process with there claims specialist.

My question is

After the alignment my truck would only turn 1 1/4 rotation to the left, and 2 1/4 rotation to the right. Can this cause the clockspring to break due to oversteering one direction?

Does anyone know anybody that works at a autoshop or a mechanic at a Toyota dealership that can write up up a diagnostic without paying 130 dollars? I need it to send to Firestone.

All I am doing is trying to get them to pay me for labor and parts.

I have a quote of the labor.
$344 for clockspring, $240 for labor, $100 for alignment. Totals out to $759 after tax.

I replaced the clockspring myself and the old one was definitely broken since it free spun both directions without any tension.

Is there anyway someone could write me up a diagnostic mentioning the clockspring was broken due to improper alignment?

This would help me out tremendously.

 

Yes turning the steering wheel to many times One Direction or the other can damage the clock spring but you wouldn’t be able to do that from an alignment. When doing an alignment the adjustments to caster camber and toe are relatively small and are done from the front suspension as I’m sure you know. There isn’t anywhere near enough adjustment to create the problem that you were describing in order to do that you would have to disconnect the steering column from the rack turn the steering wheel a rotation and then reconnect it. Was any other work done that had anything to do with the steering or suspension?

 

I redid the whole suspension uca all the way down to LCA. The light never came on prior to the shop.. after the alignment the steering wheel didn't have equal rotations.
When I brought it to the alignment shop that I normally go to made it so I had equal rotation and every box was green.

 

Betting the steering wheel wasnt straight, removed the steering wheel and reinstalled straight because he was to lazy to readjust toe.

 

It definitely wasnt. Then when I brought it back after the traction control popped on is when he straightened the steering wheel. He took it for a test drive. Said it's not turning on anymore but the SRS light is on now..

 

Not sure what happened. But there is no way you lost one entire revolution of the steering wheel from a toe adjustment. If you really think it happened at firestone, then they did something they’re not telling to cover their asses. One thing are there equal number of threads showing on each tie rod or at least very close to equal?

 

Not one bit. Left side barely had any threads showing. Right side had a good 2" of threads showing.

 

If it’s still that way, the alignment needs to be completely redone. They should be even or within a couple threads of being even

 

Yeah I brought it to my alignment shop I usually go to. They fixed it and asked where I got it done. Told em Firestone and the guy said that explains it..

Only reason I went to Firestone was because I just finished up doin my suspension and it was Sunday...

 

Why doesn’t your alignment shop write up the ticket saying cause of broken clock spring.

 

How did your regular shop fix it?

 

I'll call them tomorrow, I didn't even think to have them write that on the sheet.

They aligned it properly. Had equal amount of turns each direction.

 

Rack wasn't centered, the tie rods only have so many turns, do you have pics of the tie rod ends and the threads showing?

You won't win this one. You did the work, not them.

 

Isn't that the point of an alignment centering the steering rack? The second shop I brought it to fixed it instantly.

 

I'm pretty sure it was you that did the damage. If you had both TR's out, it's easy to turn the wheel too far and stress the ribbon cable.

Clock springs are easy to replace and not that expensive.

You can't win this one. They know you had the front end apart.

 

But the airbag light wasn't on til the second time he supposidely fixed it..

 

You need to get a shop to document it and give you a parts list with labor. I went through this with cv axles and it was a pain

 

You get to join that elite club. Most of us here are card carrying members.

We work on stuff only cause more damage in the end. It happens and is nothing to be ashamed of. I know I've fucked up my own stuff that cost more that $700.

All educations are costly. Some are painful, some are embarrassing, some cost money and some are all three.

 

The clock spring doesn't actually act a spring or hold the wheel centered, its merely an electrical connection. IE a wire wrapped in a circle so the wheel can rotate about a fixed shaft yet still have an electrical connection.

 

I couldn't tell. Have you have you not had a new ribbon cable (clock spring) installed. I'm showing them for around $50 on Amazon.