Check your Nuts!
07-20-2009, 10:20 PM
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Check your Nuts! All season I've been hearing a "bang" sound when launching and also between the 1 to 2 shift. However there was never any bang when on course in second until yesterday. The "bang" sound was loud enough to make me think that I broke the rear end, but the car still moved under it's own power no problem.
Further investigation between runs revealed that the torque arm to pumpkin nuts/bolts were loose. They were actually no more than finger tight. I'll be honest I probably haven't checked them in over 5 years so shame on me.
Well tonight I "fixed em good" with some blue loctite and 97 ft lbs of torque (per the GM service manual).
Further investigation between runs revealed that the torque arm to pumpkin nuts/bolts were loose. They were actually no more than finger tight. I'll be honest I probably haven't checked them in over 5 years so shame on me.
Well tonight I "fixed em good" with some blue loctite and 97 ft lbs of torque (per the GM service manual).
07-21-2009, 08:24 AM
#6
I would look at the torque arm for damaged holes or elongation.
If you are driving your car at events on a regular basis, you should add nut-n-bolting to your periodic maitencance list.
A 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18 and 21mm are the only wrenches you need. Put the car on stands and ly down on a creeper and spend 5 minutes putting a wrench on every fastner you come to.
Don't forget to check the trans crossmember and the car side mount. It's very common to see stress cracks and fractures there.
If you are driving your car at events on a regular basis, you should add nut-n-bolting to your periodic maitencance list.
A 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18 and 21mm are the only wrenches you need. Put the car on stands and ly down on a creeper and spend 5 minutes putting a wrench on every fastner you come to.
Don't forget to check the trans crossmember and the car side mount. It's very common to see stress cracks and fractures there.
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07-21-2009, 09:21 AM
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I would look at the torque arm for damaged holes or elongation.
If you are driving your car at events on a regular basis, you should add nut-n-bolting to your periodic maitencance list.
A 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18 and 21mm are the only wrenches you need. Put the car on stands and ly down on a creeper and spend 5 minutes putting a wrench on every fastner you come to.
Don't forget to check the trans crossmember and the car side mount. It's very common to see stress cracks and fractures there.
If you are driving your car at events on a regular basis, you should add nut-n-bolting to your periodic maitencance list.
A 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18 and 21mm are the only wrenches you need. Put the car on stands and ly down on a creeper and spend 5 minutes putting a wrench on every fastner you come to.
Don't forget to check the trans crossmember and the car side mount. It's very common to see stress cracks and fractures there.
I went over the mount with a fine tooth comb and saw no evidence of stress cracking, hole elongation or even bending. Weird, I expected to see all sorts of damage, I guess I got real real lucky this time...
07-25-2009, 06:21 AM
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I was going to swap the factory Tq arm for an aftermarket on my '93 road race car, but I could NOT get the nuts to come loose, so I gave up, and left the stock one in place! 
(I tried with a long breaker bar first, then with an impact, and no luck!! ..... hopefully they don't suddenly come loose anytime soon? 
).
(I tried with a long breaker bar first, then with an impact, and no luck!! ..... hopefully they don't suddenly come loose anytime soon? ).
07-26-2009, 09:10 PM
#10
good call on this....I installed a prothane tq arm bushing a few months back and I didnt use loc tite. Come to think of it I didnt torque it down to specs either.
Well I had to dis assemble this weekend to change the clutch and sure enough the nuts on the tq arm were loose.
After we were done assembling I made sure to torque it and loc tite. thanks for the tip!
Well I had to dis assemble this weekend to change the clutch and sure enough the nuts on the tq arm were loose.
After we were done assembling I made sure to torque it and loc tite. thanks for the tip!
07-26-2009, 10:01 PM
#12
Mine is drivein me crazy...I can't get the damn nuts to stay tight. I used red loctite and 130 pounds on my BMR torque arm and it still give me a thump. I actually thought about putting some spot welds on the torque arm mount to the rear. I'm getting ready to get under it again and retorque and loctite. I'm really getting irritated though.
Any chance the holes on my rear are warped a bit causing some slop?
Any chance the holes on my rear are warped a bit causing some slop?
07-26-2009, 10:31 PM
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Mine is drivein me crazy...I can't get the damn nuts to stay tight. I used red loctite and 130 pounds on my BMR torque arm and it still give me a thump. I actually thought about putting some spot welds on the torque arm mount to the rear. I'm getting ready to get under it again and retorque and loctite. I'm really getting irritated though.
Any chance the holes on my rear are warped a bit causing some slop?
Any chance the holes on my rear are warped a bit causing some slop?
I'm not sure if you re-used stock hardware. I used a new hardware kit when installing my UMI TA.
07-27-2009, 12:22 AM
#19