89 rear axle (spindle) torque for nut?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
From: East Amherst New York
89 rear axle (spindle) torque for nut?
I was wondering if any one knew what is the torque for the rear axle
or spindle nut.My FSM says 164 flbs and an article in Vette says 86?
Any input is appreciated.
or spindle nut.My FSM says 164 flbs and an article in Vette says 86?
Any input is appreciated.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 806
Likes: 0
From: Langley B.C.
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
There are varying reports from different year FSMs. The 164 is the lowest I've seen. That 86 ft. lbs. is wrong. A lot of people just torque it to 200 ft. lbs.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
200
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,333
Likes: 262
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
I hate to say it, but the amount of torque on the spindle nut has no effect on the tightness or looseness of the spindle spline to the wheel hub spline.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,333
Likes: 262
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
The nut torque has NO effect on the spline clearance.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
I'll wait right here
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by AGENT 86
The more torque you can safely apply will reduce the back lash effect and the clicking noise that comes with it. Am i wrong :
:RACE ON!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,333
Likes: 262
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
I'm afraid so. The nut torque is linear in the horizontal plane. It puts compression on the hub and tension on the spindle shaft. The spline are not tapered, so pushing the hub further onto the spindle doesn't affect the spline clearance. The spline clearance in is a plane 90° to the direction of the force of the spindle nut. I guess if you were to tighten the nut, enough, you could stretch the shaft, reducing the O.D. of the shaft, and make the spline clearance greater.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
You know what i'm saying yet you continue
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 57,805
Likes: 23
From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
CI-II Burnout & Drag Champ
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by AGENT 86
Wow, i'm not saying that the clearance between splines is going to shrink with more torque. That would be
You know what i'm saying yet you continue
You know what i'm saying yet you continue
It has been stated in the past that applying grease to the splines will help eliminate the clicking.
Applying too much torque could in effect snap the nut or spindle, remember, metal can only take so much and I'm not sure what the torsional strength is on the spindle, but I've seen plenty of them snap under power.
I don't think more torque will help stop the clicking, but too little will do nothing as well.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by AGENT 86
Wow, i'm not saying that the clearance between splines is going to shrink with more torque. That would be
You know what i'm saying yet you continue
You know what i'm saying yet you continue
.What I DID understand you to say was, "No one likes to hear the click from loose spline engagment.". However, tightening the nut, increasing the tension on the spindle, will have NO effect on reducing the "loose spline engagment".
Originally Posted by AGENT 86
The half shaft spline is pulled into the hub unit spline. The more torque you can safely apply will reduce the back lash effect and the clicking noise that comes with it. Am i wrong
RACE ON!!!
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 65,811
Likes: 71
From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
All I know is this. The 164 lb-ft factory spec may not be tight enough. Some here have reported finding the nut loose at some point later on, after torquing to that spec. Given the size of the shaft at the threaded part, I feel that 200 lb-ft is not over-stressing anything. That's what mine are torqued to and it's been a couple of years with no problems. Sometimes the factory is just plain wrong, evidenced by the fact that they themselves update specs and designs as real world experience necessitates. It has seemed that around here that 200 is a pretty safe number, especially for those of us that occasionally push our cars to the max and/or have much more torque at hand than the drivetrain was designed for. 
PS to CFI-EFI: This 388 is so sweet. It's got a few hundred miles on it now so I'm pushing it a little harder. It's not been dyno-tuned yet so I know there's still more there. But this is exactly what I was looking for in a stroker. I'm eternally grateful for the great idea of using a 3.80" stroke crank with a piston that has a CH for a 3.75" stroke crank. So simple and yet so effective!
PS to CFI-EFI: This 388 is so sweet. It's got a few hundred miles on it now so I'm pushing it a little harder. It's not been dyno-tuned yet so I know there's still more there. But this is exactly what I was looking for in a stroker. I'm eternally grateful for the great idea of using a 3.80" stroke crank with a piston that has a CH for a 3.75" stroke crank. So simple and yet so effective!
