The 1988 service manual doesn't mention the torque specs for the control arm bushing nuts...

I have been working on cars for 20 years... most people (including myself) would just tighten them down and be done with it.

Problem with that is... Too tight and it will result in restriction of control arm movement. Too loose and the nuts will come loose and the control arm will slop around.

This is my hobby car, and I try to do everything as nice as possible.

Anyone know the proper specs?

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 11-19-2004).]

I found for the upper control arm to crossmember pivot bolts are 66 Ft-lbs., the lowers are 52 Ft-lbs. These figures are from the Haynes manual and it says they are applicable to the '88 models.

The control arm shaft to crossmember bolts you refer to are these if I'm not mistaken...

Those are the ones used for alignment and to remove the control arm. The factory 88 service manual states 52 ft lbs for the upper, and 37ft lbs for the lower.

Are we on the same page as far as correct terminology?

Which ones are you referring to?

I'm looking for the specs for the first picture.

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 11-19-2004).]

bump her

If I remember correctly, there are shoulders on the UCA shaft that will only allow the nuts to go on so far. Seems like the bushing sleeves float on the shaft, so cranking down on the nuts until they are tight shouldn't hurt anything. That's what I did, anyway. Didn't seem to bind anything up.

If you want to be more scientific about it, compare the sizes of the lower and upper nuts. (Sorry, I don't remember. Been a couple of years since I replaced my bushings.)
If they are the same size, the specs ought to be about the same.

The torque spec for the bolts that go through the cross shaft and into the paddle nuts is 52 ft-lbs, PLUS ONE QUARTER TURN. I was never able to find the torque specs for the pivot nuts on the end, but 66 ft lbs is right about where I put mine. If you are using rubber bushings, you want it tight to the point that the inner sleeve cannot move. Make sure you do this when the control arm is held level. I would crank them down until they hit the shoulders unless it is getting redictulous. You do not want the bushings or control arms pivoting on the shaft, you want the rubber inside to twist. If you are using poly, I would just crank them down a good bit...I dunno about going to the stops, but 66 ft-lbs sounds good. A little binding is fine with poly...it is still less than the resistance of the twisting rubber.

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Thanks Aus!
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