Torquing Tie Rod Ends - What Does This Mean?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Tulsa Oklahoma
Torquing Tie Rod Ends - What Does This Mean?
The manual states the following for torquing outer tie rod ends:
1st pass - 15 lb ft
2nd pass - 160 degrees
3rd pass - 33 lb ft
What does this mean? I don't know what "2nd pass - 160 degrees" requires.
Thanks.
Rick
1st pass - 15 lb ft
2nd pass - 160 degrees
3rd pass - 33 lb ft
What does this mean? I don't know what "2nd pass - 160 degrees" requires.
Thanks.
Rick
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Fishing Somewhere Cold
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '15
Basically one full turn on the nut is 360 degrees, soooo 160 degrees is 20 degrees less than one half turn on the nut. So do the first pass to 15lbft, then turn it a little less than 1/2 a turn and finish with the torque wrench to 33lbft.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
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From: At the beach in little Rhody
As I remember, the tie rod end will spin in the knuckle, I wonder if it means to rotate it within the knuckle prior to final tightening. It can't mean stretch the threads that much.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,968
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From: Tulsa Oklahoma
I'm still confused.....Not sure what the purpose is of turning the nut 160 degrees. Seems I can just keep torqueing from 15 to 33 lb ft and this will rotate the nut 160 unto itself!?!?!?!?
Rick
Rick
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Southwest Virginia
This was confusing to me too because the manual don't explain this at all. 
I was just in this the night before last. I "think" from seeing other things like this in the manual it means:
1. Torque the nut to 15 foot pounds.
2. Turn the nut 160 degrees. (the theory here is 160 degrees will pull the tie rod end up into the aluminum knuckle expanding the aluminum an exact amount that GM engineers has determined to be the best)
3. Torque to 33 foot pounds. (After step two the nut should already be tighter than 33 foot pounds and should not turn any more, this is just to check to be sure it is tight enough, like if the stud was not seated well and slipped while turning the 160 degrees it wouldn't be 33 foot pounds yet)
As soon as you get past 0 torque (like 1/2 foot pound) the stud will lock in the knuckle and not turn anymore, you no longer have to hold it with a allen wrench.
I was just in this the night before last. I "think" from seeing other things like this in the manual it means:1. Torque the nut to 15 foot pounds.
2. Turn the nut 160 degrees. (the theory here is 160 degrees will pull the tie rod end up into the aluminum knuckle expanding the aluminum an exact amount that GM engineers has determined to be the best)
3. Torque to 33 foot pounds. (After step two the nut should already be tighter than 33 foot pounds and should not turn any more, this is just to check to be sure it is tight enough, like if the stud was not seated well and slipped while turning the 160 degrees it wouldn't be 33 foot pounds yet)
As soon as you get past 0 torque (like 1/2 foot pound) the stud will lock in the knuckle and not turn anymore, you no longer have to hold it with a allen wrench.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,968
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From: Tulsa Oklahoma
Now I'm further confused.....I've bought the VBP ends and there's no place to use an allen wrench anywhere on them? Never thought it would be this difficult......Anyone else know the answer?
Rick
Rick
