just want to make sure Im doing this right. Is it ok to torque everything EXCEPT the upper/lower control arms while the car is in the air? I'm using polygraphite bushings, if that matters. I have torqued the upper/lower ball joints,shocks upper/lower bolts,inner/outer tie rods and adjusting sleeves.idler and pitman arm while the car was on jack stands. only thing left is the upper/lower control arms and I plan to put the car back on the ground before I torque those. I havnt installed the sway bar yet (1&1/4 ordered) should this be installed and torqued with suspension on the ground ? thanks

Torquing the balls joints with the suspension hanging down is how I do it (and all the manuals I've read for that matter).

I usually torque the sway bar frame mounted bushing bolts when the car is on the ground. Not sure if it matters all that much though. A lot of people have problems getting the end links to fit correctly while the suspension is relaxed.

Hope that helps!

Everything except the control arms and stabilizer link is OK. The BJ's and Tie Rods/Center Link are a taper seat stud, and the nut really just swedges the taper, and holds the thing in place. The taper handles the "fit or torque", not the nut.

Very similar to a taper collet on a Bridgeport mill or drill press. Once set, they're stuck. It takes force to knock it loose.

Do not torque castellated nuts that will be receiving a cotter key. They are not intended to have a torque spec. As John D says the taper takes care of the fitment. the nuts are intended to be only as tight as it takes to line up the nut castellation with the hole in the BJ stud.

Im having a problem getting enough thread on my lower ball joint to put the cotter pin through? if i did it on the ground, would the weight of the car give me enough thread? i tried putting the jack under the joint to push it up, it did not work. I bought new GW lowers. any suggestions?

Frank

Frank, I had the same problem, I used a jack and then i just fiddled around with the hub assembly and put some muscle into it, and used some big hammers.

Originally posted by charbilly2001:
Do not torque castellated nuts that will be receiving a cotter key. They are not intended to have a torque spec. thats interesting, why do all the service manuals have torque listings for things like ball joints,tie rod ends,etc. :confused: to be honest, I've never torqued these before on any vehicles but thought I would go "by the book" on the velle.

I'm thinking that they publish a torque spec. to give a number for the "record". On a taper seat shaft, I've always gone by the feel method. Put it together, and tighten the nut....just tighten it, no breaker bar with a 3' cheater pipe on it. Then crack it loose, and tighten it again. If the cotter key hole doesn't line up, always tighten it more, never loosen.

On a taper seat shaft, once it's seated, over torqueing will only accomplish one thing - Stretching the bolt threads or stripping the nut. A proper torque will establish enough "stretch" in the fastener to give a pre-load that prevents loosening.