A Cautionary Tale....
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 492
Likes: 3
From: Temecula CA
A Cautionary Tale....
I have owned my Vette for about two years now. When I first got it, I replaced the trailing arms with rebuilt units....A fun job. Well, I noticed a little clunk recently when I let out the clutch, so I got on my hands and knees this morning and I found the bolts that attach the half shaft outer flanges to the bearing assembly were loose. One bolt has even "left the building". When I took them apart two years ago, the french locks were already gone, so I just put thread locker on them and torqued them in....Big Mistake! Needless to say, I ordered french locks today and I said a big prayer of thanks to my Bubba Guardian Angel. Normally, I try to avoid advertising my own screw ups, but if this will save someone down the line, I gladly fess up.. Any airline pilots out there: Can you say "NASAP"!!!
Temvette72
Temvette72
Pro
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: wilmington nc
Mine did not have french locks either, i have read where several forum members do not use them. So i did not use any either, think i"ll recheck mine this morning. I torqued mine to 90 fp, but i honestly think a couple of them were in the 200 fp range when i took them out 
Thanks for the heads up !!!! 
Thanks for the heads up !!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,172
Likes: 4,250
From: Westminster Maryland
The factory took the 'french locks' seriously enough to show and note that the bolt must be torqued so that 1 of the ears of the lock lies flat on 1 of the surfaces of the bolt head, the other ear then wraps around the corner of 2 sufaces of the bolt head.
Regards,
Alan
Regards,
Alan
Pro
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 665
Likes: 0
From: wilmington nc
Mine were all still at 90 ft lbs. I"ll add the locks to my next order just for piece of mind I discard french locks at work all the time, but i allways use lock washers in there place. For some unkown reason that just didn"t look like a good place for lock washers, so i didn"t use any on those bolts.
Alan 71 i allways enjoy your post.
I discard french locks at work all the time, but i allways use lock washers in there place. For some unkown reason that just didn"t look like a good place for lock washers, so i didn"t use any on those bolts. Alan 71 i allways enjoy your post.
