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Doing u-joints on my 96. The FSM and other places note the halfshaft strap bolt torque is 26 ft pounds. Torquing down my first strap this morning I got scared before I got to 26. These bolts are not that big. I know they are grade 8 bolts but it just seems like a lot. Any thoughts? Thank You, Dan
Doing u-joints on my 96. The FSM and other places note the halfshaft strap bolt torque is 26 ft pounds. Torquing down my first strap this morning I got scared before I got to 26. These bolts are not that big. I know they are grade 8 bolts but it just seems like a lot. Any thoughts? Thank You, Dan
^^^^^^^^^^^ Ya. Apply the same thought process that every auto tech in existence applies - when it's tight, stop. Done.
Too much torque can crush the cap and cause the U joint to fail
You're FOS. The strap only tightens down so far no matter how much torque you put on the bolt. The fkn strap mostly touches the mount with NO bolt in. Even if not so, would you have us believe that that thin little strap is going to crush the cap when it's mounted in the half-circle boss???
Doing u-joints on my 96. The FSM and other places note the halfshaft strap bolt torque is 26 ft pounds. Torquing down my first strap this morning I got scared before I got to 26. These bolts are not that big. I know they are grade 8 bolts but it just seems like a lot. Any thoughts? Thank You, Dan
Dan, I did that last year, and will be doing it again in the next couple of weeks. I used the Locktight annd followed the Tq spec and had no issues last year. Taking them back off this year was a different adventure. The Locktight I had applied worked as advertised and bucked the system. I almost ruined the bolt by accidentally using an 8 point socket. So use a 6 point (edge IDK) socket, a small bit of thread locker which acts a bit as a lubricant and youll be okay.
You're FOS. The strap only tightens down so far no matter how much torque you put on the bolt. The fkn strap mostly touches the mount with NO bolt in. Even if not so, would you have us believe that that thin little strap is going to crush the cap when it's mounted in the half-circle boss???
Here you go bud
read the torque spec notes on u joint cap straps.
.
Last edited by dizwiz24; Oct 19, 2025 at 09:44 PM.
Diz, With all respect that is a completely different system of holding the u-joint than my stock 96. With the system you posted I see how overtorqueing could crush the cap. Dan
read the torque spec notes on u joint cap straps..
You can't be serious! Exactly what does torque specs have to do with the ridiculous claim showing that over torquing the strap bolts is going to distort the ujoint caps. Surely you are capable of looking at a ujoint and realizing that once the backside of the strap contacts the cap boss that no amount of torque on the bolt is going to apply more pressure to the cap. Sounds to me like this company is building in an "out" if it fails. Let's put our thinking caps on here!!! The caps undergo a MASSIVE amount of pressure on a drag launch and don't "deform". Yet, you claim 5 or 10 extra pounds of bolt torque is going to destroy the cap??? Engineer are you? Bud!
Well, I did a lot of research on this. There is an amazing amount of conflicting info out there. After searching the net, torque charts, this forum, and Spicer I settled on 200 inch/pounds. This is about 17 foot/pounds. I used blue threadlocker and at 200 in/lb they are goodentite. Dan
This photo shows what arbee was pointing out. Once the strap is down tight more torque will not change the position of the strap or exert any more pressure on the Cap. Dan
This photo shows what arbee was pointing out. Once the strap is down tight more torque will not change the position of the strap or exert any more pressure on the Cap. Dan
Whaleman's picture once again verifies what I have repeated here time and time again. The internet is a great source for information so long as it is correct. Far, far too often, people who should know better read **** from unverified sources and then come on sites such as this one and repeat the nonsense. A little bit of "common sense analyzing" would expose most of this stuff for what it is - bullshit! Then others take it as gospel and further repeat it. I myself typically don't believe 90% of what I hear from people and very little of what I read on the internet unless it can be verified by science, real world scenario or multiple source verification.
My u-joint journey ended with a similar decision to what you did Dan, I went 18 ft lbs on the strap bolts with blue locktite.
Did you end up with greaseless u-joints?
Yes, I went with the Spicer. I will be making a post on my journey. Some good pictures. The fact that you settled on 18 ft lbs makes me feel good. 26 just seems too close to danger. I wish I had a junk spindle where I could see where these little 8mm high strength bolts really break at. With the blue locktite 18 ft lbs seems very tight. Dan
u-joint strap bolt torque question
Even if not so, would you have us believe that that thin little strap is going to crush the cap when it's mounted in the half-circle boss??? 
