The castle nuts on the center link (holds the idler arm, and pitman arm to center link), the book says 40ft-lbs. But the nut is to far down to catch the cotter pin when I torqued it to 40ft-lbs...

Also when I try to torque the nuts that hold the center link to the tie rods, the nut and bolt just spin together.. But I can't feel anything spining on the back side of it...

 

Are you replacing new parts or just putting the old stuff back together? If you need to take some room up, I'd insert a washer between the nuts and the parts and that should do the trick. If they won't tighten up and line up with the hole for the cotter key, I suspect the parts are worn too much and should be replaced. But it should only be tightened to 40# per spec.

You won't feel or see anything spinning on the back side of those parts, the stud portion doesn't come all the way through. They are seated in the part just above the grease fitting on the bottom.


Ed

 

I put on a new idler arm and center link. Both are Moog parts.

 

so how do i hold the stud while torquing the nut?

 

heres the best pic i could get..

 

If you mean that when you try to tighten the nut, the whole stud is turning, you can back the nut off a couple threads, then hit it with an 3/8s air impact gun on semi low setting. the stud is tappered so that once it starts to get tight, it sits in the hole, and will keep it from spinning. So you hit it with the gun real fast, which will spin the nut down really quick, and set the stud in the hole. You can then torque it down by hand. If the hole doesnt line up in the castle nut, go tighter, then stick the pin through. good luck.