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Today I wanted to mount my new KYB gas-a-just shocks in the rear. For the lower mounting point they provide a bolt (double sided), one washer, two lock washers and two nuts. I put the shorter side of the bolt through the mounting hole on the axle and then put a lock washer and the nut on it. On the other, longer side I put the shock, then the washer, the lock washer and the nut. In my manual it says to torque the nut to 90 Nm. I tried to do so and started at the nut on the backside (to attach to the axle). This worked very well but on the other side I tried and tried but I wasn't able to tighten it to the specs. When I looked at it I saw that the lock washer was spread a lot and even after removing the nut, the lock washer remained spread. I could also see some metal flakes on the washer and the nut. I decided to torque it again because I didn't know what to do. Now also the rubber part of the shock looks a lot squeezed together and the lock washer seems to nearly come off from under the nut.
Could someone who also installed KYB shocks please tell me what I did wrong and whether I can still use the shock or I should get a new one (new ones)? Or maybe I only need a new washer, lock washer and nut. Was I only supposed to torque the rear nut to so much Nm? And how do I know how much I should tighten the front nut?
I have attached four pictures. The first two show the "good" side (at least I think it's okay but I appreciate your opinion) and the second two show the bad side.
Thanks for any help!
Last edited by Thomas Stahel; 06-05-2015 at 03:49 PM.
The bottom photo looks like a lock washer is under the larger lock washer ?
A lock washer does not have any space between each cut side. Its just bent so when you tighten it down the two cut ends will almost touch.
I don't understand why there's a large gap with that washer from the start as in the first photo.
No, there is only one lock washer. There's a normal washer (the larger one ) and then between the washer and the nut there is a lock washer which in picture 3 and 4 is spread so much that it looks as if it could jump off from under the nut any moment.
Pictures 1 and 2 show the other shock. Here it seems that the lock washer fits better and doesn't spread too much. Maybe the lock washers (or at least one of them) was bad quality.
Anyway, I guess I torqued too much on the side which holds the shock directly against the rubber part. The old shock was only torqued on the axle with one nut. But I have no torque specs for the other side. Do you think I've damaged the rubber or can I just buy a new lock washer?
Really, you can probably just remove the lock washer and use a pair of channel lock pliers to squeeze it together again. Rubbers new so it's most likely fine. I didn't use any specs when I replaced my shocks. I just tightened things down till it felt right
To to hardware store, buy new lock washers. Re-install.
The lock washer is there to keep tension on the assembly and prevent the nut from backing off.
You could also use some blue loctite on it to help with that. Just a dab should work. Once it cures it will keep the nut in place like a lock washer would.
@Eltesh: Ply the washer back together... hm... but as it is absolutely flat now there won't be any tension on it, even if I ply it back together, and I think the over-spreading has also weakened the material, no?
@Thirdgeen89GTA: Okay, but I guess you can loosen a loctite secured nut with a wrench if ever necessary?
@Ron U.S.M.C: Okay, I think that's the way to go. Did you do that for both sides? I mean for the nut on the axle side as well? Because actually there should be 90 Nm torque on it. It's also a bigger nut and lock washer. In a youtube video by Klowny (he's also here on the forum), he uses an impact wrench on the axle side, so this was probably at least 90 Nm and the lock washer must have taken that without a problem. Unfortunately in the video you can't see him doing the other side completely, he only shows and mentions to be sure that the other side is also tight. But then again what you say I guess that's what he actually did, also what you can see in the video, just hand-tightened the other side. Guess I was confused by the service manual's torque specs and thought it had to be on both sides.
Generally speaking or asking: Should the lock washer be able to hold 90 Nm actually? I think the problem is the rubber only, because somehow the lock washer gets shifted a lot while torqueing it down because of the rubber being squeezed and being soft and elastic. And the other thing... if the lock washer is tightened until it is flat and not too much, is it normal that a small gap shows between the two ends of the washer or should they almost be touching each other?
Yeah, probably so. Just get new washers. I tend to take the quick way and would do it, but no sense in cheaping out. A new washer will give you peace of mind and not be damaged.
06-05-2015, 03:44 PM
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