Help me GRM you're my only hope.
I finally got the parts to fix the rattling camber plate on my GTI. I'm having trouble torquing the top nut to the spec'd 60NM. There's an 11mm hex on the top of the strut shaft but the nut is thin enough that getting a wrench on it is pretty tough. I've tried clamping the strut shaft up as high as I can with a 10" Vise Grip curved jaw plier. I've tried protecting the shaft with a rubber timing belt and a thick piece of leather. I'm standing on the pliers to get them to close and the shaft is still spinning in them.
Right now I have the top nut at about 30NM. I can't seem to get it any tighter with my torque wrench.
Any suggestions? I'm out of ideas at the moment.
Thanks,
Chris
Advice from someone who's never used a camber plate:
Is the 11mm hex intended to hold the strut shaft in place while you torque the top but? Do you just need a longer lever holding the hex key?
If the torque wrench is the problem, a spring scale ("fish scale"?) and some math could approximate 60Nm with not horrible accuracy.
Uh, impact? I've never torqued one of those. Just gunned it on with an impact. *shrugs* never been a problem.
Yeah, impact is the only way I've ever done it.
I had to take my struts to the nearest mechanic and have them zip it on because I didn't have an impact when I put camber plates on my E36. A local shop might help you for free. Takes two seconds.
Never had a problem with the result.
spandak said:
Uh, impact? I've never torqued one of those. Just gunned it on with an impact. *shrugs* never been a problem.
I second this. My highly calibrated "Uga Duga" gun has been the answer for years. If you are really worried about it get it as tight as you can with a bit of locktite on the threads for piece of mind.
In reply to dean1484 :
I clicked on this thread to say "4 ugga duggas"
Agree that's a 4 Ugga Dugga job.
If you must be all "proper" and "correct"
https://www.harborfreight.com/sae-metric-go-thru-socket-set-21-pc-62305.html
buy a set of these, so You can use another socket on the hex or allen key in the end of the strut shaft. Torque can't really be applied with a torque wrench accurately but you can get better then ugga duggas.
If you do buy them Please lose your 17mm socket in my garage so I can have one again. I somehow lost mine.
The strut shaft has a 11mm hex like a bolt head on top. They are adjustable so the adjuster shaft runs up the middle.
I gave up on the torque wrench. I tightened it up as tight as I could get it then I marked the nut and shaft. I gave it the speced 4 Ugga Duggas with my 3/8" electric impact. The nut turned about 1/8th turn. It isn't going anywhere.
Thanks GRM!
I'm pretty dedicated to using my torque wrench on everything, but with this one I use an offset wrench on the strut nut and a socket wrench to keep the strut shaft from spinning. I also tighten it with the strut on the car as it makes it a bit easier.
After that I'll frequently take a torque wrench to it and often I'll hit the torque spec without spinning the strut shaft.
Whatever you do just be careful and maybe lean towards a bit overtight than undertight because if that nut comes off things can get real bad, real quick. I'd rather ruin a strut from overtightening the top nut than wreck the car because the spring came unseated.
Note: I also have a mk6 GTI
