ReplicaR ! I have a question! :-)
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justinschmidt1
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Basically, 13-16 ft lbs is like a turn past hand tight
OnyxCobra said:
If we want to nitpick torque specs, you use the one the aftermarket manufacturer provided. I was saying the OEM torque spec is irrelevant as soon as you switch to an aftermarket endlink - the material is different, the length is different, the bushing is different, the fastener is different.
Anyone who works on cars professionally will tell you that 90% of torque specs are bullshit. You need fasteners to be tight enough to never back out but not too tight that it pulls threads out. Unless you're dealing with internal motor stuff, once you get good enough with an impact gun you rarely have issues. A customer got into a debate with the tech next to me when the customer said he did not see him use a torque wrench on his lug nuts. The Ford OEM spec was 100 ft/lbs and for the sake of argument the tech let the customer use his torque wrench - he had the impact gun within 5 ft/lbs on each of the 20 lugs.
justinschmidt1
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I used a strap and my penis to torque my spark plugs to 13.3 ft lbs yesterday, im nice like that
95PGTTech, i used to tighten my endlinks to just where the bushing began to become fat.
After reading my Service manual and noticing the torque spec i went and re-tightened my endlinks...and they needed to be tightened ALOT.
The first thing i did when i bought my Ford Service Manual was torque everything in my suspension to spec using the Ford and MM Specs. Noticed the car felt tighter and i lost a Clunk that was pissing me.
After reading my Service manual and noticing the torque spec i went and re-tightened my endlinks...and they needed to be tightened ALOT.
The first thing i did when i bought my Ford Service Manual was torque everything in my suspension to spec using the Ford and MM Specs. Noticed the car felt tighter and i lost a Clunk that was pissing me.
95PGTTech said:
Point Being i did what you do. I used to Tighten things down till they were tight. I thought that was OK....But just like everything there is a Wrong way and a Right Way. I Wanted to see if the "Right Way" truly made a difference. From my experience it has. I noticed with the suspension torqued to spec the car feels fresh and i have Greater Front end Response.
In the Ford Repair Manual also states that when you torque down the endinks for the swaybar that the control arm is supposed to be at ride height. This way you get proper torque for the ride height.
My point is that you can do Things your way, and i will do things the Way the Manufacture states...or the "Right Way"
And what I'm saying is you clearly didn't tighten them until they were tight. I'm talking with an impact gun, not with my hand. If you're going to try and "wing it" as we call it, you have to do it correctly. If you don't know what you're doing, then you're going to screw up whether you're using a wrench, an impact gun, or a torque wrench. If you had a clunk, you didn't do what I said - tighten until it's not loose and not going to back out, but not so tight it pulls threads out - a clunk means it was loose, whether you could "feel" it or not with your ratchet/socket.
Everything in the suspension always needs to be tightened at ride height - again, common automotive knowledge.
You hinted on my point though when you said MM and Ford spec - you put aftermarket parts on the car, you need to follow the aftermarket torque spec if you're going to use one at all.
Everything in the suspension always needs to be tightened at ride height - again, common automotive knowledge.
You hinted on my point though when you said MM and Ford spec - you put aftermarket parts on the car, you need to follow the aftermarket torque spec if you're going to use one at all.
justinschmidt1
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I always thought you were supposed to torque them jawns down with the suspension loaded
correct. all suspension should be torqued at ride height.
for most guys, that means putting the car on the ground or putting the car on jack stands and then jacking the wheel/spindle up to ride height.
for those of us fortunate enough to have a lift, it's easy enough to put a screw jack under the LCA with the car in the air, or drive it onto the alignment rack. if you're doing an alignment on the car anyway, I find it easy enough just to do most suspension jobs start/finish on the rack since the rack has two axlejacks, it'll get the wheels 6" up or so there isn't much more you need than that.
for most guys, that means putting the car on the ground or putting the car on jack stands and then jacking the wheel/spindle up to ride height.
for those of us fortunate enough to have a lift, it's easy enough to put a screw jack under the LCA with the car in the air, or drive it onto the alignment rack. if you're doing an alignment on the car anyway, I find it easy enough just to do most suspension jobs start/finish on the rack since the rack has two axlejacks, it'll get the wheels 6" up or so there isn't much more you need than that.
OnyxCobra
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hmm tightening the end links w/ the lower control arm at normal ride height is a good point and one that i didn't think about. I should go back and redo it.
OP
OP
justinschmidt1 said:
AAAAAHHAHAHAHHAH!! sig.
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OnyxCobra said:
me too... its gunna be a **************!!!! to tighten all my shizzy at ride height! lol.
OnyxCobra
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Just jack the control arm up until the spring is compressed, then it'll be at "ride height"
OnyxCobra
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hmmm just seems like it would be a bigger pain in the ass if the wheel was on there. I have two jacks so i could support both control arms at the same time if i was so inclined.
When i install the endlinks i do it with the wheels off, on jack stands. I use a Floor jack to compress the Springs and the A-arm to ride height. I do one side at a time...After i have them on I go back and tighten each side to torque Spec.
I just put new endlinks on last month. Cheap and Awesome. Snagged them right before stangsuspension closed there doors
I just put new endlinks on last month. Cheap and Awesome. Snagged them right before stangsuspension closed there doors
GDTrumbo
Well-Known Member
My auto mechanics instructor had a good rule-of-thumb here. Whatever the free height thickness of the strut bushing is.... tighten it to an installed height of about half that with the weight of the car on it. You want it tight but you don't want premature wear either.
The man was very good at his trade.
GT
The man was very good at his trade.
GT
