Loose bolts

[krankenshafter]

Howdy.
Here's a tip for anyone replacing lower ball joints. I ripped out and polybushed the lower arms along with a load of other stuff a while back. Reassembled everything with new joints etc. and as I had my torque wrench out, decided to do it all properly and look up the settings in the Haynes manual. I thought the figure for the three bolts holding the lower ball joint to the wishbone seemed low. About a week after having the track and camber set, the dreaded clonk returned. On inspection the offside joint had two loose bolts and one missing. Have now done em up with a 13mm ring spanner good and tight - so much for doing it by the book!

[audiquattro]

What torque setting did you use originally?

[krankenshafter]

Have to check the book tomorrow. I am pretty sure the tyre bay didn't leave them loose after setting the camber. I imagine any adjustment is done on the strut to hub joint and they don't touch the ball joint.

[krankenshafter]

35 Nm - about 26 ft lbs - not much for a bolt that size.

[audiquattro]

Thats deffo tight enough.
I wouldn't be surprised if the tyre place messed with them mate.

[krankenshafter]

May give them a ring later, They were new bolts ready coated with a blue locking compound, Of course all the settings are messed up now so I need to get it checked and adjusted again.

[audiquattro]

If they were done up that tight with locking fluid then they deffo shouldn't of come undone.
Unless your torque wrench is knackered