How to torque spindle bolts w/o brakes installed

[Alex]

It's amazing how many uses one can find for 2x4s :stunned:

Not only that, but when you're finished torquing your spindle nuts (250ft-lbs, double nutted with blue loctite and a cotter pin; sorry Fran, 120 just seemed a bit too low for my peace of mind for a 1'' bolt....figured since max torque for them is like 1100ft-lbs, 250 was okay for peace of mind), you can use them to make an engine stand as well :drunk:

 

[EGLITOM]

Alex,

I don´t think any standard bolt torque values are relevant in this application.
The torque you apply defines the preload on your wheelbearings.
In old times a rule was to fasten the nut as much as possible and than loosen it by a quarter to half turn.
This rule is not up to date with todays installation standards
But if Fran recommands 120 lbs as the correct bearing preload i would follow it. I do.
To double check you could look into the recomandation of Chevy for the Corvette ( Thats where the bearing construction comes from).

Just my 2 cents

TOM

 

[Alex]

The corvette does use 118 (i triple checked after talking because it just seemed so gosh darn low to me), but I dunno, that just didn't give me much peace of mind - most spindle nut assemblies I'm familiar with (which admittingly is few and far between) are torqued to 250+ft-lbs (using nuts of similar size - ~1'', although this guy is m24 fine thread). (i pulled up several when i was researching them)

Since I usually go in increments for larger values (i.e., do 100, then 150, then 200, etc...), with that size nut I can do 100 with 2 fingers on my torque wrench....I did 240 with just my left hand without straining much, so if I were aiming for 'as tight as possible' I'd probably be able to go to atleast 400......which I why I looooooooove when I'm given torque values (as opposed to 'as tight as you can make it'), but as I said above, sometimes, even values right form Chevy, just make me a bit leery.

 

[Randy V]

Alex,

I don´t think any standard bolt torque values are relevant in this application.
The torque you apply defines the preload on your wheelbearings.
In old times a rule was to fasten the nut as much as possible and than loosen it by a quarter to half turn.
This rule is not up to date with todays installation standards
But if Fran recommands 120 lbs as the correct bearing preload i would follow it. I do.
To double check you could look into the recomandation of Chevy for the Corvette ( Thats where the bearing construction comes from).

Just my 2 cents

TOM

I can't add anything to what Tom said here other than my full support.

 

[Doc Kaler]

From the 2008 Y-Car Service Manual Vol 3:

Lower Control arm Ball Joint Stud Mount - 22 ft-lbs, then 180 degrees
Lower Control Arm Cam Bolt Nut, Front - 107 ft-lbs
Lower Control Arm Cam Bolt Nut, Rear - 70 ft-lbs
Outer Tie Rod End Stud Nut - three steps to 45 ft-lbs
Rear Cross Member Mounting Nut - 81 ft-lbs
Rear Tie Rod Jam Nut - 48 ft-lbs
Shock Absorber Lower Mounting bolt - 107 ft-lbs
Shock Absorber Upper Mounting Bolt - 22 ft-lbs
Stabilizer Shaft Insulator Clamp bolt - 74 ft-lbs
Stabilizer Shaft Insulating Clamp Nut - 70 ft-lbs
Stabilizer Shaft Link Nuts - 53 ft-lbs
Transverse Spring Mounting Bracket Bolts - 45 ft-lbs
Upper Control Arm Ball Joint Stud Nut - 15 ft-lbs, then 195 degrees
Upper Control Arm Mounting Bolt - 81 ft-lbs
Upper control Arm Mounting Bolts with RPO FE4 (Z06) - 48 ft-lbs
Wheel Hub Mounting Bolts - 96 ft-lbs

My 2001 Viper Manual has similar values.

 

[Doc Kaler]

And from Vol 1, 7-163:

Tighten the drive axle spindle nut to 205 N-m (151 lb-ft)

 

[Alex]

Whelp, you guys win :laugh:

Fran was kind enough to call me and tell me I'd destroy my bearings in 2 or 3miles if I drove around like that.

So out they go and back in at 118........apparently I shouldn't try to second guess the guy who built the car :idea:

 

[Mark]

Speaking of stub-axle nuts, make sure the nuts are installed, and tight before you roll the car around...

 

[Alex]

Ahhh, I think Fran was conspiring with the loctite to teach me a lesson - it took me almost 2hrs to remove all 4 nuts, clean the nuts and spindle, and re-install them. Oh well, lesson learned, hopefully I didn't hurt my bearings too too much (atleast the rear was up in the air; it never went back down on the ground after I did it last night)

Probably would have been easier with an impact gun and not a breaker bar, but, eh, I don't think you want to see what would happen if you gave me an impact :lipsrsealed::lipsrsealed::lipsrsealed:

Speaking of stub-axle nuts, make sure the nuts are installed, and tight before you roll the car around...

Speaking from experience? :lipsrsealed:

 

[Paul Osborn]

...atleast the rear was up in the air; it never went back down on the ground after I did it last night...

Speaking from experience? :lipsrsealed:

Turnabout is fair play :thumbsup:

 

[Alex]

Turnabout is fair play :thumbsup:

haha