Help lbj castle nut !!

[WHORERUNNER]

Hi guys just came in from doing inner and outer tie rods along with napa premium lbj's. My problem is when I tightened the lbj to 112 ft lbs the cotter pin couldnt go in because the hole didnt line up, I was off by about 1/2 of the exposure of the castle nut. If I would back off I just feel that I would be around 90 ft lbs to get the cotter pin thru which I feel is to weak of nut tension. So instead of under tightening I just Over tighten, i believe my torque is around 120 to maybe 140 to get the cotter pin thru. Does this seem to much or should I just under tighten instead(around 90 ft lbs). Any help is greatly apreciated. thanks

 

[quicksilvr]

Hi guys just came in from doing inner and outer tie rods along with napa premium lbj's. My problem is when I tightened the lbj to 112 ft lbs the cotter pin couldnt go in because the hole didnt line up, I was off by about 1/2 of the exposure of the castle nut. If I would back off I just feel that I would be around 90 ft lbs to get the cotter pin thru which I feel is to weak of nut tension. So instead of under tightening I just Over tighten, i believe my torque is around 120 to maybe 140 to get the cotter pin thru. Does this seem to much or should I just under tighten instead(around 90 ft lbs). Any help is greatly apreciated. thanks

I would over tighten it just enough to get the pin thru.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

I'd take it off and re-start the castle nut from a different position first then see where you are. If that doesn't work then I agree that over tight would be better than not tight enough.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Redo it. To try and see if you can get the LBJ to spin a little, put a little pressure on the brake rotor shield by jacking it up without interfering with your ability to tighten the castle nut. I wouldn't go past 115ft/lbs IMO. Also try jacking up the lowest part of the LCA to give yourself leverage as well.

 

[WHORERUNNER]

Redo it. To try and see if you can get the LBJ to spin a little, put a little pressure on the brake rotor shield by jacking it up without interfering with your ability to tighten the castle nut. I wouldn't go past 115ft/lbs IMO. Also try jacking up the lowest part of the LCA to give yourself leverage as well.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Personally, no, but others have on this board and on YT. I would not push them past 115. Leverage, like for all suspension repairs, is the key to your success here.

The first LBJs (OEM) I helped in changing out in 2008 I remember tightening to 110~111ft/lbs (I was the only one with a torque wrench that went that high) and the guy is still wheeling on them 30,000+ miles later.

 

[WHORERUNNER]

Redo it. To try and see if you can get the LBJ to spin a little, put a little pressure on the brake rotor shield by jacking it up without interfering with your ability to tighten the castle nut. I wouldn't go past 115ft/lbs IMO. Also try jacking up the lowest part of the LCA to give yourself leverage as well.


So the ball joint will still spin even after the the 4 bolts are torqued down.

 

[techno]

I've done many, many tests on tightening torque values at my work and have found that in nearly all cases, the actual torque achieved is well below what the wrench says it is. This is due to surface friction between the nut and bolt threads producing resistance, which the wrench believes is coming from the bolt tension. It can often take 3-5 tightening-loosening-tightening again cycles to get an acceptable result. Some companies have thread lubricating products available to overcome this exact condition.
For example Bolt Torque when using Anti-seize

In short, do not be too concerned about over tightening on the first few times, it's probably a better thing to do anyway.

 

[WHORERUNNER]

^^^ good to hear, I will redo it tIll I get a good torque spec an the cotter pin thru

 

[Stick Figure]

So the Napa joints are only drilled one way? I would swear the Toyota versions are cross drilled to have a couple of options to line things up.

 

[LittleCaesar]

Yep, it is a joint. It has a certain range of degree deflection or movement freedom. If joints didn't, you would have one rough ride and things would be breaking quite frequently. When you had the TRE out of the old LBJ, you have been able to move it around.

Imagine playing an old arcade game that has a joystick or jeez, an old Atari 2600 joystick. It follows the same principal motion as a ball joint relatively speaking.

 

[Singtoe]

I'd take it off and re-start the castle nut from a different position first then see where you are. If that doesn't work then I agree that over tight would be better than not tight enough.

FYI. Most threads are single point cut meaning that there is only one starting point. It will give you the same results every time.



In the gun smithing world - the barrel is threaded on to the gun's receiver. They have to be torqued to the right spec when tightening down to the receiver. Now, sometimes (most times) the barrel is not in alignment with the receiver. The sights could be canted and or the writing could be upside down. So what smiths do is shave the barrel flange down to get the barrel to clock right.

As for the Castle nut - the correct procedure is to tighten the nut to the 115 ft/lbs and then tighten it till the nut is in alignment for the cotter key.

 

[WHORERUNNER]

at about 90 lbs I started noticing that the castle tooth was getting close, then when I applied it to 112 ft lbs it left me in the midle of the tooth so I had to apply about 20-25 ft lbs more to clear the hole

 

[LittleCaesar]

If Singtoe says that is the procedure, then I would follow his suggestions. Good to know.

 

[WHORERUNNER]

looks like I'll just leave it alone. Does this also apply to tie rod ends. Torque then torque more till cotter pin slides thru