Front swaybar link - tool question

[Frank S]

I was the one who swapped-in a GT front bar on my V6 convertible. I even replaced the "single use" locknuts on the brackets and links. No problems for a few thousand miles and a couple of autocross events.

I was not the one who installed the D-Spec struts. After a couple hundred miles and one autocross, the strut ends of the sway bar links were loose, and clunked at most road imperfections.

When I swapped sway bars I used a long box-end wrench on the big nut and a small one on the link's threaded stem to tighten the link connections to the bar and strut. Worked good, and I just wondered in passing: How do you get a torque reading in this situation? As I said, it lasted OK for a couple thousand miles.

I learned somewhere that box-end wrenches are ordinarily manufactured in lengths that make it likely that a person of normal strength can apply appropriate torque for the nut size, with a firm pull.

I believe it's true, within limits, but what tools would one use to apply exact torque on the link while ensuring that the threaded stem does not twist the boot at all, as specified in the manual?

I hope the solution is easy, cheap, and convenient!

 

[jlisle01]

I have no idea what tool you would use for that, although, I'm sure there is one. I'm also sure it won't be cheap or convenient; specialty tools never are. I can tell you that I had the same problems with my Steeda bars until I broke down and used some blue lock-tight. Easy, cheap, and convenient.

 

[Frank S]

I have no idea what tool you would use for that, although, I'm sure there is one. I'm also sure it won't be cheap or convenient; specialty tools never are. I can tell you that I had the same problems with my Steeda bars until I broke down and used some blue lock-tight. Easy, cheap, and convenient.

Thank you.

Last time I used LocTite blue was twenty-something years ago, and I just found the tube right where I left it. In them days Best By dates were non-existent. 'Spose it's still good?

I'm going to the stealership tomorrow and buy some new nuts. I'll ask around there. Maybe a grizzled old mechanic has a secret technique he will share. Maybe there are no grizzled old mechanics any more. We'll see.

Thanks again.

 

[kooldawg6]

Maybe a grizzled old mechanic has a secret technique he will share. Maybe there are no grizzled old mechanics any more. We'll see.

Unless you know them personaly, good luck even getting into the shop area without getting security called after you They will more than likely make you schedule an appt for them to look at your car which costs $$$. Perhaps you could sit out in the lot and wait for a mechanic to walk out on break or leaving to ask him

 

[bigcat]

try a crows foot on the end of your torque wrench.

 

[jay07]

Crows foot on the torque wrench is how I did mine, you just have to remember to adjust the torque setting slightly to compensate for the extra length (mine was about 1 inch longer on a ~10 inch throw, so I just subtracted 10%). I think that nut calls for 85 or 86 lb-ft, I forget without looking in the shop manual, and I think I hit it with about 78 with the crows foot.

Hasn't come loose yet but it hasn't been all that many miles yet.

 

[Frank S]

Thank you, bigcat and jay07. A "crowfoot" looks like a decent proposition.

kooldawg6, I don't know what I was thinking; I'd forgotten how well fortified those service areas are. I still don't know if there are any grizzled old mechanics at work there, but they do sell expensive nuts!

 

[jay07]

BTW, you will need 18mm, it's an odd size and can be a little hard to find. I know Craftsman sells a pack that contains 18mm, and Harbor Freight has a flare nut version that would also work in 18mm, but I had to order mine and therefore had to wait for shipping.

 

[Frank S]

Hard to believe how fast time moves as you start running out of it. More than a month since the last note in this thread.

Now, I need some more advice. I hope you-all don't mind.

I have the crowfoot set from Craftsman. The question becomes, how long is the arm from the original lug center to the force point in the bar of my "clicker" old-but-good Craftsman torque wrench. I can't isolate the click, and the wrench is 18" from lug center to handle tip, 13" from lug to the (relaxed) adjustment ring. Hand-grip center is 15" from the lug center.

Intuition says from grip to lug, plus the ¾ inch extension of the crow foot.

Any more authoritative ideas?

Thanks again for your thoughts.

 

[jay07]

That's what I used, it should be close enough, there is a torque range on the bolts and I know my torque wrench is off by a good 5%+ at times. When I did mine, I figured that I was applying my force roughly 10 inches out and the crowsfoot was adding another inch, so I figured it was adding about 10% more torque than I had dialed in.

 

[Frank S]

Thanks again, Jay. I guess there's nothing for it but to put a wrench on a nut and crank away.