Front LCA questions..Update; Tires rubbing now?
03-26-2012, 07:28 PM
#1
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Front LCA questions..Update; Tires rubbing now? Had a bad ball joint on my car and I decided I would try to rejuvenate my tired suspension. New sway bar bushings/end links, all new ball joints, control arm bushings.etc
Now to my question. Does the suspension have to be loaded to tighten the front lower control arms bushing bolts? Also, anybody got a GM manual with torque specs for the ball joints, and the bolts that bolt through shock and into lower control arm, and the actual lower control arms bolts themselves? Can't think of anything else. This one side has been worse than installing LT's. Still got another to go. jeese.....
Now to my question. Does the suspension have to be loaded to tighten the front lower control arms bushing bolts? Also, anybody got a GM manual with torque specs for the ball joints, and the bolts that bolt through shock and into lower control arm, and the actual lower control arms bolts themselves? Can't think of anything else. This one side has been worse than installing LT's. Still got another to go. jeese.....
Last edited by LS1WS6dreamer; 03-31-2012 at 01:50 PM.
03-26-2012, 07:52 PM
#2
General rule is all suspension components should be tightened with the suspension loaded.
Lower balljoint nut 81 ft lb
Upper balljoint nut 39 ft lb
Upper shock nut 32 ft lb
upper shock mount bolts 37 ft lb
Lower shock bolts/nuts 49 ft lb
Front lower control arms, front bolts/nuts 74 ft lb
Front lower control arms, rear bolts/nuts 85 ft lb
From my Haynes manual.
Lower balljoint nut 81 ft lb
Upper balljoint nut 39 ft lb
Upper shock nut 32 ft lb
upper shock mount bolts 37 ft lb
Lower shock bolts/nuts 49 ft lb
Front lower control arms, front bolts/nuts 74 ft lb
Front lower control arms, rear bolts/nuts 85 ft lb
From my Haynes manual.
03-26-2012, 07:58 PM
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awesome info I appreciate it. I was guessing it needed to be loaded as i started to tighten them. I knew the rear LCA"S did. Figured i would call it a day and finish it up tommorow when i knew for sure.
Is it possible to get a wrench on the top of the rear bolt on the front LCA? I am guessing the little tab is not meant for keeping the bolt in place while tightening. I am having a hard time getting a wrench on it.
Is it possible to get a wrench on the top of the rear bolt on the front LCA? I am guessing the little tab is not meant for keeping the bolt in place while tightening. I am having a hard time getting a wrench on it.
03-26-2012, 08:05 PM
#4
I'm not sure, I never had my LCAs off on my 98 and I don't have my 99 yet to go out and look.
You're going to need to get it aligned after all this work to the front end so I wouldn't be too concerned about the exact torque specs on the LCA bolts. Make sure they are tight of course so you can drive to the shop but other than that.. eh.
I have a torque wrench but to be quite honest I tend to use the german torque spec more often
You're going to need to get it aligned after all this work to the front end so I wouldn't be too concerned about the exact torque specs on the LCA bolts. Make sure they are tight of course so you can drive to the shop but other than that.. eh.
I have a torque wrench but to be quite honest I tend to use the german torque spec more often
03-26-2012, 08:38 PM
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yeah i just bought two Nitto 555"s for the front. after I get the other side completed its going straight to the shop. So they will end up messing with all the control arm bolts to realign it anyways? Is this the only thing they normally use. Guess they use the tie rod too?
03-26-2012, 08:58 PM
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good info. should i be overly concerned with suspension being loaded while tightening end links, sway bar bushings or anything else? I know you said good rule of thumb is having it loaded. I imagine there are some parts that are gonna be hard to tighten with everything torn apart. I am trying to get as prepared as possible. I am having horrible LS1 withdrawls. V6 and pickup truck aint cuttin it. lol
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03-26-2012, 09:32 PM
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sorry cant edit my post on this mobile version of ls1tech. installuniveristy.comclaims that the sway bar "D" bushing should be mounted with slits towards rear. However, they are putting in different bushings. I am using Moog pieces. The ones on my car have the slits faced towards front. Doesn"t the front swaybar push towards the rear? Thats what it looks like acording to the way it wore. Just confused on why you would want slits towards rear
03-27-2012, 07:36 AM
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I'm not sure, I never had my LCAs off on my 98 and I don't have my 99 yet to go out and look.
You're going to need to get it aligned after all this work to the front end so I wouldn't be too concerned about the exact torque specs on the LCA bolts. Make sure they are tight of course so you can drive to the shop but other than that.. eh.
I have a torque wrench but to be quite honest I tend to use the german torque spec more often
You're going to need to get it aligned after all this work to the front end so I wouldn't be too concerned about the exact torque specs on the LCA bolts. Make sure they are tight of course so you can drive to the shop but other than that.. eh.
I have a torque wrench but to be quite honest I tend to use the german torque spec more often
not a good idea, because if the align tech checks all the setting for the align AND perhapes he/she only needs to readjust some of the setting and some of the setting are set correct AND he/she does not need to move some of the part to reach a good complete align , IN this case the bolts which YOU did not tighten correctly are still not tighten correctly and you are driving a car with loose parts which will move changing the align/ fall off causeing you to wreck your car/break your neck/hurt some one/ AND I may be the poor person getting hit....Please tighten all bolts.....
just ask me how I know...I did align for 30 + years
Johnny
03-27-2012, 10:41 PM
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done with drivers side. got lca off on passenger side. Glad I sucked it up and did this side too. Both ball joints were busted open. Feeling good that I am doing all this. Just wish i coulda installed some Billsteins while I was at it. Between the tires, all bushings and ball joints I just couldn"t afford it. Hope to be completed by tommorow and will get alignment the next day. After that i"ve got new rear sway bar bushings and end links to install. Thanks for everyones help on getting this done.
03-27-2012, 10:53 PM
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03-29-2012, 05:49 PM
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Just a little update. Got everything put back together. Did drive it up the road just to see whether i wanted to take interstate or HWY to get it aligned. Steering wheel is crooked, but it doesn't pull or anything. Does start to feel not aligned at 70mph or above. Should be fine doing 65-70 the way up there which is only about 15mins away.
Everything i"ve done to my car suspension wise has had a great return. The car rides significantly better and just feels so much tighter when going down the road. I've got the bushings and endlinks for the rear and maybe this summer i will install a set of Billsteins. I didn"t expect the new ball joints and control arm bushings, endlink, and sway bar bushings to make that big of a difference. Man was i wrong.
I see a lot of threads where people are bitching about the shocks on these cars. I know they suck, but I would say replace what I did and you will notice a difference. For reference my car does have over 150,000 miles on it and I did put brand new Nitto 555s on at the same time. So I am sure the tires helped. Sorry for the essay post.
Everything i"ve done to my car suspension wise has had a great return. The car rides significantly better and just feels so much tighter when going down the road. I've got the bushings and endlinks for the rear and maybe this summer i will install a set of Billsteins. I didn"t expect the new ball joints and control arm bushings, endlink, and sway bar bushings to make that big of a difference. Man was i wrong.
I see a lot of threads where people are bitching about the shocks on these cars. I know they suck, but I would say replace what I did and you will notice a difference. For reference my car does have over 150,000 miles on it and I did put brand new Nitto 555s on at the same time. So I am sure the tires helped. Sorry for the essay post.
Last edited by LS1WS6dreamer; 03-29-2012 at 06:00 PM.
03-29-2012, 07:15 PM
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Tie rods need adjustment if your steering wheel is crooked. Generally speaking, caster will affect pull, high speed stability, and return to center - camber will affect pull and tire wear. Replacing worn shocks and bushings on these cars makes a HUGE difference. Good luck getting a torque wrench on the upper control arms with the suspension loaded :-P
03-29-2012, 08:47 PM
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The torque wrench is a pia to use on lots of the stuff. I didn't do the upper bushings. I am going to swap them when i do shocks. I was thinking about a intake upgrade next, but now im leaning towards a set of Billsteins.
03-31-2012, 01:54 PM
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Is this amount of tire rubbing normal? I do not remember the Kumhos rubbing, but these Nittos seem to have way more tread. The wheels are from oewheels and they are all 17" C5DD. All the same width. I am running 275/40/17 Nitto 555s on the front. Maybe I should find a way to pull the plastic inner fender away from the tire??
03-31-2012, 05:37 PM
#19
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I've got OE wheels with spacers and I get rubbing from time to time. I don't worry about it. It's only plastic. I bet it would be a big pita to adjust the plastic so it didn't rub.