Completing front LCA install... Torque Specs and Nuts?

[JeffS]

Hi All:

I'm trying to complete the installation of the front lower control arms now that I am finally happy with the fit.

Anyone know the torque spec for the nut on the end of the control arm that compresses the rear bushing? (2006 WRX aluminum arms if that matters)

Also... If I reuse the donor bolts from the rear bushings I need to find M14x1.5 flange nuts. The nuts on my donor were welded into the frame and could not be harvested. Has anyone found a source for small quantities. After a hour of googling I came up empty. I've already sent a request to BelMetric who have been pretty helpful so far. We'll see what they say.

Jeff

[cmcintyre]

Hi All:

I'm trying to complete the installation of the front lower control arms now that I am finally happy with the fit.

Anyone know the torque spec for the nut on the end of the control arm that compresses the rear bushing? (2006 WRX aluminum arms if that matters)

Also... If I reuse the donor bolts from the rear bushings I need to find M14x1.5 flange nuts. The nuts on my donor were welded into the frame and could not be harvested. Has anyone found a source for small quantities. After a hour of googling I came up empty. I've already sent a request to BelMetric who have been pretty helpful so far. We'll see what they say.

Jeff

On the steel LCA's, 140 lb ft for the nut on the end. No bushing or nut depicted for the aluminum LCA in the diagram I have in my 03 Subaru manual, although the LCA itself, along with other parts, is pictured.

I brought my M14's to the parts guys at my local dealer, one of the mechs said, Oh, yeah same as …. and they got me two flange nuts from stock. It shows 185 ft lbs for those two, but after stretching 2 sets of bolts at about 175, I looked at the SAE site and they listed 165 as max for an M14. They cinched up fine at that torque.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#metric-hex-nuts/=ro39tv

Pretty good source for bolts etc.

[Bill Waters]

I have the same problem, Jeff (the mounting nuts stayed with the donor frame). I got grade 8 SAE fine thread bolts, washers and nuts of exactly the same dimensions and will use those. Same stress tolerances as 10.9 metric (which is what I assume the factory ones are).

Bill

[JeffS]

After looking online and factoring in shipping cost, I went to the dealer and purchased qty 4 of #20550AA010 (Strut Nut) for $5.18 each. A lot to pay per nut, but the $21 spent got me quickly moving on.

Jeff

[RM1SepEx]

I bought nuts at ACE and used washers. A couple of my bolts were bad, I replaced them on one side from ACE... Torque setting isn't listed in the FFR manual? I thought that it was

[Rasmus]

http://i.imgur.com/xhcGJWn.jpg?1
When installing the coil over bracket onto the aluminum lower control arms the text reads, "Bolt the lower shock mount to the top of the control arm using the M10 x 35mm and 40mm bolts and locknuts."

So do I use 4 separate lock-nuts or the 2 sandwich plates with welded in lock-nuts on the aluminium LCA?

[Triathletedave]

http://i.imgur.com/xhcGJWn.jpg?1
When installing the coil over bracket onto the aluminum lower control arms the text reads, "Bolt the lower shock mount to the top of the control arm using the M10 x 35mm and 40mm bolts and locknuts."

So do I use 4 separate lock-nuts or the 2 sandwich plates with welded in lock-nuts on the aluminium LCA?

You only have to use the sandwich plates with welded-in lock-nuts if you're using the ugly old steel lower control arms, since they are much more difficult to access from the bottom. Since you have the spiffy aluminum arms, you only need the lock-nuts. If you flip the sandwich plate over, you will see 2 offset (uneven) surfaces that match up to an offset surface on the inside of the steel LCA units. You should not need these at all.

[Xusia]

Rasmus, I tried to use the sandwich plates and found the fit to be poor, therefore I just used nuts.