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AC tensioner torque spec

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Old Apr 4, 2021 | 01:14 AM
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Default AC Belt tensioner torque spec

Hello, I had taken off my ac tensioner and was suppposed to reinstall, for this I used a torque wrench set to 37ft lbs, which is the right spec that I managed to find, this actually stripped the threads in the bracket.. Did I use the wrong torque spec? What is weird to me is that its the same torque spec on the tensioners when the ac tensioner uses a smaller bolt.

Im just gonna try and put in a longer bolt and see if there is some more threads deeper, and this time I will just tighten on feel

Last edited by hEllberg; Apr 4, 2021 at 01:31 AM.
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Old Apr 4, 2021 | 01:57 AM
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37 is correct.. Here is a quick reference guide for you
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Old Apr 4, 2021 | 10:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Smoken1
37 is correct.. Here is a quick reference guide for you
Thats the same reference guide I used. Well just bad threads then I guess
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Old Apr 8, 2021 | 10:45 AM
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Originally Posted by hEllberg
Thats the same reference guide I used. Well just bad threads then I guess
I've NEVER torqued the idler wheel bolts, and never stripped them, either. Either your torque wrench is bad, or the previous owner had already partially stripped them. I use a 3/8" drive ratchet, and iirc, a 15mm socket. With a 3/8 drive, I think it would be pretty hard to strip the threads, unless your Andre the Giant! As for repairing, I recommend a helicoil, or a threaded insert of some kind. You may be able to get a longer bolt, and use a nylock lockout threaded onto the longer bolt. In my opinion, the longer bolt/nylock nut is cobbling it up, but it may work......
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Old Apr 8, 2021 | 04:41 PM
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Originally Posted by grinder11
I've NEVER torqued the idler wheel bolts, and never stripped them, either. Either your torque wrench is bad, or the previous owner had already partially stripped them. I use a 3/8" drive ratchet, and iirc, a 15mm socket. With a 3/8 drive, I think it would be pretty hard to strip the threads, unless your Andre the Giant! As for repairing, I recommend a helicoil, or a threaded insert of some kind. You may be able to get a longer bolt, and use a nylock lockout threaded onto the longer bolt. In my opinion, the longer bolt/nylock nut is cobbling it up, but it may work......
It wasnt for the idler wheel. Its for the whole AC tensioner, this bolt is also smaller than all the others and not 15mm, its 13mm if I remember correctly. I can agree that stripping any of the other threads, I need to be Andre the Giant, but on this one I probably got it torqued til around 30ft/lbs before it stripped, thats still alot lower than it should, so I'm pretty sure the last owner had already stripped it.

Last edited by hEllberg; Apr 8, 2021 at 04:42 PM.
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Old Apr 8, 2021 | 11:13 PM
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You got unlucky.

I basically torque those to “snug” with a couple drops of blue loctite.

They aren’t critical, 25lbs vs near-stripped won’t keep them in place any better than loctite and feel for what is tight.
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Old Apr 10, 2021 | 03:00 AM
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Originally Posted by ~Josh
You got unlucky.

I basically torque those to “snug” with a couple drops of blue loctite.

They aren’t critical, 25lbs vs near-stripped won’t keep them in place any better than loctite and feel for what is tight.
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