UCA to frame torque spec too high?

[Hipolito]

Hey guys, I wanted to ask if the torque spec for the upper control arms to frame cam bolts are too high? (140lbs torque per the book)

I am literally squeezing the grease out of the bushings! I have a '96 regular cab and DJM ucas.

Thoughts? Expert advice?

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[Hipolito]

Hey guys, I wanted to ask if the torque spec for the upper control arms to frame cam bolts are too high? (140lbs torque per the book)

I am literally squeezing the grease out of the bushings! I have a '96 regular cab and DJM ucas.

Thoughts? Expert advice?

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It's not even at torque spec in the pics.

 

[sewlow]

Better too much grease than not enough.
Are DJM's torque specs different than the factory's?

 

[LA2SD]

140 ft lbs sounds too high. You sure it's not 140 Nm that you're reading? That would be about 103 ft lbs.

 

[Hipolito]

140 ft lbs sounds too high. You sure it's not 140 Nm that you're reading? That would be about 103 ft lbs.

That's what it says 190nm/140lbs

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[LA2SD]

Sure does...might need a pipe for leverage if you're having issues with torquing that nut.

Make sure the control arm doesn't bind after torquing to spec.

 

[Ehall8702]

That's what it says 190nm/140lbs

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Hmmm, torque specs u say? I only thought heads,intake , and wheelbearings and rims needed that nonsense? Lol nah tight is tight, snug and a bump not snug and a snap! The few things I listed above are about the only things I bother torquing and I do this everyday all day for the last 15 years. There is a torque spec for EVERY bolt on a vehicle but why waste ur time, tighten it and it's all good. Gonna catch sum flak from some guys, but those r probably the same guys who send oil in for analysis every oil change too...not saying it's a bad thing, but being too **** is just that, ****! Lol

 

[Postmech]

Those bushings have a sleeve in the center to limit crush and to act as a bearing surface for the urethane bushing. Of course there may be a slight difference in the length of said sleeve to allow less or more crush to positively locate control arm. Look at directions for install of arms for bolt torque, may be different from stock. Torque is usually dependent on bolt size and strength rating for required amount of bolt stretch. When in doubt , go with factory specs. Or just tighten the wee-wee out of it and let it ride. lol

 

[Ehall8702]

Those bushings have a sleeve in the center to limit crush and to act as a bearing surface for the urethane bushing. Of course there may be a slight difference in the length of said sleeve to allow less or more crush to positively locate control arm. Look at directions for install of arms for bolt torque, may be different from stock. Torque is usually dependent on bolt size and strength rating for required amount of bolt stretch. When in doubt , go with factory specs. Or just tighten the wee-wee out of it and let it ride. lol

Those damn cam bolts aren't very strong, I snap em quite frequently when I replace uca , not worth heating them to remove em, especially since the alignment guy needs em to move nice so easier to replace em, and lemme tell ya it ain't hard to break em off

 

[Schurkey]

Hey guys, I wanted to ask if the torque spec for the upper control arms to frame cam bolts are too high? (140lbs torque per the book)

I am literally squeezing the grease out of the bushings! I have a '96 regular cab and DJM ucas.

Thoughts? Expert advice?

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WHAT VEHICLE? C or K? 1500, 2500, 3500?

Those bushings have a sleeve in the center to limit crush and to act as a bearing surface for the urethane bushing. Of course there may be a slight difference in the length of said sleeve to allow less or more crush to positively locate control arm. Look at directions for install of arms for bolt torque, may be different from stock. Torque is usually dependent on bolt size and strength rating for required amount of bolt stretch. When in doubt , go with factory specs. Or just tighten the wee-wee out of it and let it ride. lol

The OTHER thing I don't see in his photos are the steel end-caps that go between the Poly or rubber bushing, and the frame bracket.
Photo 1. Rusty original steel end caps, freshly popped out of rotted original rubber bushings.
http://hbassociates.us/K1500_Front_Suspension_11.jpg

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Photo 2. Another view of the same.
http://hbassociates.us/K1500_Front_Suspension_10.jpg

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Photo 3. OEM arms with aftermarket Poly bushing inserts, new center sleeve, and cleaned-up end caps, ready for greasing and assembly.
http://hbassociates.us/K1500_Front_Suspension_17.jpg

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First Guess: ****** Chinese aftermarket "engineering"...OOOoops! We forgot to include needed parts! Oh well, we'll try harder next time.


https://djmsuspension.com/calmax-control-arms/

DJM’s CALMAX control arms are all made from seamless DOM tubing, featuring urethane pivot bushings with DJM’s exclusive “twin tube sleeves”. Urethane is a smart material for making bushings. It’s heat resistant, weather proof, and most importantly is very hard and will not deflect or “squish” when loaded. Rubber tends to “squish” or move during hard cornering or braking which causes your control arms to actually move or wander a bit, throwing off alignment and upsetting handling. Urethane stays rock hard so your front end isn’t moving around on your while your driving. It does have a dark side though – It can squeak to high heaven if pinched or over tightened (especially if not lubricated). That where“twin tube” sleeves come in, two nested pivot sleeves, the innermost is slightly longer than its mate so when you tighten up the pivot point during installation your don’t “over tighten” and squeeze the urethane.

You're squeezing the piss out of those bushings.

I would be jacking-up "DJM" to find out why there's no metal end caps, verifying what they've supplied for an inner sleeve, and what they want for torque spec. What you've got is not going to work right.