Rear suspension control arm torque specs - Icon camber kit install today

[akamcfly]

Hi all

I spent time searching and haven't found anything definite. What are the torque specs for the rear A-arm bolts? Given the size of the camber kit bolts, I expect those to be pretty high ft-lbs, but I can't find any values. Even the kit instructions provide no numbers.

Thanks in advance.

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[DavidS]

In the absence of specific instructions, a reference torque chart should be used.

https://www.fastenal.com/content/me...nt-library/9702365_FEDSTorquePoster_PRESS.pdf

 

[akamcfly]

Makes little difference now as the 20mm hole saw just blew the pheck apart on the first hole. Tore right up.

 

[akamcfly]

Day one over and it wasn't super good. I was about half way through the very first hole when the 20mm "annular cutter" chose to explode. This is the supplied cutter from Icon. So I'm currently on hold.

Key learning 1 - McMaster Carr sells these cutters with the same arbor size. They're under $25 each so I ordered 3.

Key learning 2 - Actually 1 but whatever. The instructions are incorrect for which reference hole to use to line up the drill guide. The lower one is for the outside plate. If you're unsure, put one of the guide plates on the drill guide so the pins go through the holes and you'll see how they line up.

3 - There's no room to swing a torque wrench under there. My plan is to get the parts on and tighten the bolts as well as I can. Then I'll do the final torque on ramps so I can actually swing the torque wrench. I was getting half a click on the inside bolt. The outside was not a problem.

4 - Drop the skid plate protecting the rear motor. Do it once you're jacked up and blocked and safe. It's 4 bolts, but be mindful it's heavy. It will allow better access to the inner swing arm bolt by a lot. Just take it off before you get started.

5 - I ran my drill on low speed and oiled the hole in the drill guide. I started grabbing and twisting the drill in my hand once in a while. On one of those torque induced arm twists, the cutter blew apart into 5 or 6 pieces not including the base of the cutter itself. Maybe a slower speed or less pressure might be smarter. My drill goes no slower, but I could ease up on the trigger maybe. Given my trust in the tool now (and myself), I bought 3 replacements. The kit also came with a mystery washer which only seems to fit the drill guide arbor. So I put it between the cutter and arbor. Maybe that was a mistake, but I can't see where else it could go. I might omit it for round 2.

 

[21st Century Truck]

The torque for the rear shocks -- for their bottom loop which fits into the control arm, on either side of the truck -- is 360 foot-pounds. It takes a pretty long torque wrench to torque these huge bolts to spec.

 

[akamcfly]

The torque for the rear shocks -- for their bottom loop which fits into the control arm, on either side of the truck -- is 360 foot-pounds. It takes a pretty long torque wrench to torque these huge bolts to spec.

I was swinging my 20-250 under the truck and getting half a click. That wrench might be 2ft long. I think there's ample wrench swinging room for the shock bolts as they're not tucked up inside like the arm to frame bolts.

I haven't got to the strut yet, and that spec is an easy google. I'm looking for the torque for the bolts on the other end of the A-arm where they connect to the frame. I was thinking/hoping that I could undo the upper strut bolts and lower the arm down enough to compress the coil, remove the upper nut and get the coil out without removing the lower bolt. I doubt it's actually possible.

Huge is relative. Definitely huge compared to my last daily (2013 Smart fortwo), but not so much compared to what many of us see at work every day. That said, I had to pop out and buy a couple 30mm sockets as my set stopped at 27mm(?).

 

[akamcfly]

Trailing arm is what Ford calls it but here's what I found.

Excellent! Thank-you

 

[akamcfly]

I have the same kit installed and highly recommend you torque to at least 200 foot pounds. It becomes a weight-bearing friction joint once you do this and I had my alignment slip out a couple of times because it was torque to otherwise normal spec. DO NOT TORQUE TO ANY EXISTING FORD SPEC.

The way the system is set up, it needs to be very tight, almost cold welded once you get it aligned BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NOT MOVE UNDER ANY LOAD FOR ANY REASON. After multiple trial and error, 200 foot pounds seems to be the magic number. You could go even tighter since it's a stressed member on the frame and you definitely don't want it to slip under load or hauling.

been down this road. Learn from me. Mine hasn't budged!

I'm definitely at 250 for the outer bolt and very close to it for the inner. At least 200 by my poorly calibrated arm.

 

[DavidS]

I have the same kit installed and highly recommend you torque to at least 200 foot pounds. It becomes a weight-bearing friction joint once you do this and I had my alignment slip out a couple of times because it was torque to otherwise normal spec. DO NOT TORQUE TO ANY EXISTING FORD SPEC.

The way the system is set up, it needs to be very tight, almost cold welded once you get it aligned BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NOT MOVE UNDER ANY LOAD FOR ANY REASON. After multiple trial and error, 200 foot pounds seems to be the magic number. You could go even tighter since it's a stressed member on the frame and you definitely don't want it to slip under load or hauling.

been down this road. Learn from me. Mine hasn't budged!

The 300 Nm shown in the Ford manual above is 220 ft lbs.

 

[akamcfly]

Quick update on the cutters from McMaster Carr. They're a match to the Icon supplied cutter other than brand. Both are US made.

 

[21st Century Truck]

Only addressing the bold underlined part. Ford specs are tighter than what you suggested, you are NOT tightening them enough.

I agree.

I found my printouts for when I changed the worn-out Ford OEM shocks for Eibach shocks.

Torque for the rear shock bottom bolt = 380 foot pounds.

Also, the Ford printout says to not reuse either the massive bolt or its nut. Moreover, Ford instructions say to tighten only the nut and not the bolt head, while supporting the rear suspension (see printout below). FYI I used a transmission jack to support the bottom of the shock as I tightened it.

See Pic below.

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