My GM manual says the lower two front strut bolts need to be torques to 202 ft/lbs. Now how on earth do you do this? I have yet to see a torque wrench go that high. Do you have to use air tools or can you use hand tools? I was thinking of doing it on my own but if I need air tools then I will have to wait till I get some. It seems to me you just tighten them as hard as possible and that's it.

 

I torqued 'em to the max my torque wrench would go- 150 ft/lbs. Then I let the impact wrench tighten 'em up for a bit past that. See more info here: https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=187050

 

Yeah I am thinking I will need some air tools I want to get a nice Craftsman Professional compressor and go to work. I am thinking if you take your car to a shop they don't care about torque numbers. If I didn't make a fuss at a shop they would not care about lug nut torque either. I usually end up torquing those again later if a shop messes with them.

 

Yep, 203 ft-lbs. Just tighten the hell out of them and use some LocTite. I borrowed a 250 ft-lb wrench to do mine:

 

Loc-tite? Didn't think of that one! (Damn)

 

Miller: I like the painted LCA and spindle.

 

That was intended for Josh just in case he couldn't get 203# of torque. I was able to get there with the wrench I had so I used Molykote Anti-Seize compound instead. I use it everywhere.


Thanks josh. That's POR-15, by the way. That stuff is great on a suspension. I also coated the rearend, swaybars, and recently my Spohn SFCs in the stuff. It's VERY good and will prevent rust. I should have removed the K member and painted that too while I was in there.


Ed

 

What is POR-15? Do you need to prep the surface first? Where do you get something like MolyKote?

 

The Molykote I got from the Navy... It's just a good brand of anti-seize compound.

www.por-15.com

There is a bit of prepping involved but it's easy.

Ed

 

Does any one know if ya can rent 250 lb/ft torque wrenchs at like a pep boys or something cuz I dont have enough money to spend on one!

Thanks

Kevin

 

I THINK so...you'd have to check with your local store.


Ed

 

I wonder if you can set your impact wrench to the torque and tighten them that way.

 

203ftlbs means give it everything you've got with a medium length breaker bar.

 

You could always use the torque values we used on the submarine I was on a few years back: One ft-lb and two ft-lb...that was it.

"1ft-lb" was to stand on the wrench with one foot, "2" was use both feet, you get the idea, just don't give yourself a hernia..


Ed