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Upper control arm bolt ?'s

Old Feb 23, 2011 | 08:29 PM
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Default Upper control arm bolt ?'s

Replacing the bushings in the upper control arms & have a couple of questions regarding the large end bolts:
1. How much heat is required to melt the red, factory thread locker used on these threads? Will a propane torch be enough, or will I need a mapp/oxygen type?
2. What torque should they be tightened to after the new bushings are in? There doesn't appear to be a factory spec for this since Chevy recommends replacing the whole control arm when the bushing wears out.

Thanks
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Old Feb 23, 2011 | 08:35 PM
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I've done that three times and never needed heat to remove the
big nut. You install the bushings, apply thread locker and torque
them to 40 lbs-ft.
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Old Feb 23, 2011 | 10:52 PM
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Originally Posted by PLRX
I've done that three times and never needed heat to remove the
big nut. You install the bushings, apply thread locker and torque
them to 40 lbs-ft.
Thanks, I thought heat would be required based on this post in BlackHarleyMan's suspension thread sticky.
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Old Feb 24, 2011 | 12:05 AM
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Originally Posted by plrx
i've done that three times and never needed heat to remove the
big nut. You install the bushings, apply thread locker and torque
them to 40 lbs-ft.
i, too, never needed heat to loosen the nuts. You are correct in your reasoning as to a lack of a torque spec for those nuts. Gm doesn't service those bushings, so no need for a torque spec for those nuts. It is easy to tighten them enough to lock up the suspension. Experiment and go easy!

Race on!!!
Jim
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Old Feb 24, 2011 | 12:55 AM
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no press to do mine, wish I can go polys, but I read you can loosen them on the car before hand so you don't have to put them in the vise,
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Old Feb 25, 2011 | 02:55 AM
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Hi RUU, do not apply heat to those nuts, they are simply nylock nuts, take them off as per normal and buy new ones, do not re use those nuts, if you do they will eventually come loose. The threaded bar that these nuts bolt to is aluminum, so dont use heat.
As far as tightness goes, put the centre of the threaded arm in the vice (with padding) and do up the nuts till you can only just pull the A arm up and down with your hands.
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Old May 21, 2011 | 01:25 AM
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(Belated) Thanks for all the replies. Upper arms are R, R & R (removed, rebuilt and replaced).

Found new locking nuts at Fastenal. (sorry for the crappy close-up)

BTW, no pics, so you'll have to trust me it happened - no press to call my own, so I enlisted the help of my dad & his log splitter to press out the old bushings! A father-son red-neck moment, for sure.
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