Re-torqueing control arms to specifications

[NorthCountry]

How often should you check and re-torque your control arm bolts to specifications. I heard every 3000 to 5000 miles.
Any feed back is always appreciated.

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[whysoserious]

The standard practice is to mark the bolt head and nut ends with a paint marker, the color of your choice, after torquing+angle. Thereinafter, you can do a visual of the marks for movement. Saves time with trying to constantly re-torque+angle those control arm bolts.

 

[NVjeff]

I've never heard of checking control arm torque.
I could see it after installing a lift, or if you have aftermarket arms or if you do a lot of max flex off roading.

Do lift kit instructions tell you to do this?
It's been a few years since I installed the lift on my JK.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I’ve never done this except when I brought it home for the first time brand new in February 2021. I’m now at 106k kms. My front tires haven’t done the Jeep wave thang yet.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The standard practice is to mark the bolt head and nut ends with a paint marker, the color of your choice, after torquing+angle. Thereinafter, you can do a visual of the marks for movement. Saves time with trying to constantly re-torque+angle those control arm bolts.

I make sure they are torqued to specs - then paint mark them. If you do the torque properly the first time, if the nut and bolt have not moved, they are ok.
Things that are torque only and not torque + angle/degrees, it's easy enough to check, but then there are often two specs for that - one for the initial install torque, then a recheck torque.

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Do lift kit instructions tell you to do this?
It's been a few years since I installed the lift on my JK.

Yes to recheck the torque after 100 miles, generally...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yes to recheck the torque after 100 miles, generally...

Impossible with some of the factory torque specs that are torque plus degrees/angle.
You can't put a wrench on and check those.
The lift kit instructions are something I'd never follow anyway - I always go back to factory settings. The kits are for basic "homeowners", not really pro-kits or they would have the factory specs included.
I did a test on mine a couple of years ago and found the factory specs for many parts that are torque plus angle are actually a fair amount tighter than those lift kit sheets.
If it's done correctly, there's a clamping force that isn't going to come loose on you. They know exactly how much force is exerted on those parts at xx torque and they know how much bolt stretch there is for any give number of degrees.

 

[NorthCountry]

I have a 2023 Gladiator, and recently at 5000 miles, I have heard a slight knock under the drivers seat and rear passengers side rear seat. Its only once in a while and mostly when I break or accelerate. That's why I'm looking into it. The previous owner did a few modifications, such as a front Rubicon spring and shock swap. And rear lower control arm skid plates. I'm just wondering if he torqued to specification. This site has a great torque specification chart I plan to follow. Am I reading it right when it says to torque the front lower control arms at the frame to 190 ft. lbs. I better eat my Wheaties for that one..lol.
Thank you for the responses and safe travels.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I have a 2023 Gladiator, and recently at 5000 miles, I have heard a slight knock under the drivers seat and rear passengers side rear seat. Its only once in a while and mostly when I break or accelerate. That's why I'm looking into it. The previous owner did a few modifications, such as a front Rubicon spring and shock swap. And rear lower control arm skid plates. I'm just wondering if he torqued to specification. This site has a great torque specification chart I plan to follow. Am I reading it right when it says to torque the front lower control arms at the frame to 190 ft. lbs. I better eat my Wheaties for that one..lol.
Thank you for the responses and safe travels.

There is a thread here that contains torque specs for ALL steering and suspension, front and rear, and more.
Go by that, not some web site or kit sheet and so on. So many of those things floating around out there are old or incorrect or based off Wrangler parts. Jeep hasn't upgraded instructions for so many things sold to consumers..
The thread here that has correct information is taken right off the same information that techs use - it's factory correct. A member spent his own money, gathered the info and posted it in these forums to share.

For some reason, 190 seems a bit low, but I'm not looking at the correct factory specs - it's more like 103 plus 145 degrees, but I'd need to check that to be sure. Don't go by lift kit specs, IMO - every number was too low when I compared. No wonder they say to check torque later - they aren't using correct torque plus degrees, which cannot be checked properly once done (not easily, anyway)

When I did a check on the torque plus degrees, my torque wrench didn't click until something like 210 pound/ft. That's well over that 190.

 

[whysoserious]

2020-2023 JT Gladiator Torque Values (All of Them in One Place) | Jeep Gladiator (JT) News, Forum, Community - JeepGladiatorForum.com


It's a sticky under Maintenance and Servicing, under Tech.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

2020-2023 JT Gladiator Torque Values (All of Them in One Place) | Jeep Gladiator (JT) News, Forum, Community - JeepGladiatorForum.com


It's a sticky under Maintenance and Servicing, under Tech.

THANK YOU. I'm in my shop on a new Chromebook that sucks.....and trying to keep track of some parts I'm plating for a good customer who needs them last week.

 

[whysoserious]

The best part about achieving some of the correct angles after the correct torque, if you are doing this with the vehicle on the ground and not on a lift, is the complete lack of room to swing that torque wrench!!! Man, you're gonna love it!!!

 

[NorthCountry]

Thank you for your responses. I did get the torque sheet off of this site. There are two of them. One that does give the foot pounds and angles and one that just gives foot pounds. I never used the data with angles, not sure how to even make that happen. The one with foot pounds seems straight forward.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

The best part about achieving some of the correct angles after the correct torque, if you are doing this with the vehicle on the ground and not on a lift, is the complete lack of room to swing that torque wrench!!! Man, you're gonna love it!!!

I'm sure I don't detect even the slightest bit of sarcasm there, just can't be.......
I marked things so I could keep track of where I was - only wanted to do each ONE TIME, it was so much fun, I didn't want to spoil myself with that much fun.

 

[NorthCountry]

No sarcasm at all. Just trying to learn the best way, from those who know.

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