Did you reuse or did you replace your stock suspension bolts when you changed out the UCA or the LCA, panhard bar, or sway bar?

Should the bolts be replaced or can they be reused?

 

I used the factory hardware on my LCAs and panhard bar. Been about 8 months, no problems.

 

I used new for the LCA's because of the nuts. I don't plan on buying new when I install the rest sitting in my garage.

 

nylock nuts are supose to be a one time use thing. They lose a lot of holding power once you take them off and put them back on.

 

I used the factory hardware as well with Loctite. Torque to spec and you are all set.

 

I replace hardware after 3-5 torques. It would be way too expensive for me to replace every time I do a spring change.

 

MIL-SPEC Nylocs are qualified for MANY times on and off. Don't know what the auto manufacturers use. (We still threw them away and used new ones in Defense manufacturing projects)

 

The shop manual recommends tossing them. These are basically torque to yield fasteners. Many are reusing them. Best to use locktite if you do. The nuts are not nyloc type. Its a crushed thread form that provides more friction. But on each make up and break out the crushed form becomes less crushed, hence provises less friction and they come loose. Depends on your tolerance for risk and what you can afford.

 

Re-used all the stock hardware with blue Loctite when installing my BMR suspension parts.... no problems in over two years.

Bobby M.

 

I reused for first time. I have some other mods that need to be installed and will use new when i get to the rest of the work.

Richard

 

Are these really TTY fasteners? Typically in a TTY situation, there is an initial torque setting, followed by a degree of rotation. The only instance of this I've come across with all the usual bolt-ons is with the crank pulley.

Looking at the torque values given the size of the bolts, they don't appear to be TTY. The shop manuals usually recommend replacing because (1) liability given that they don't know how long the bolts have been on there, or what stresses they have seen (e.g. crash repair), or (2) there is factory applied loctite. It sounds silly, but they don't want to trust that the tech remembered to apply loctite.

 

Just about all the bolts/nuts in the suspension system are "torque to yeild" and should not be reused.

Some folks have reused them with success and others have not.

Personally, I use new bolts and nuts anytime I have to remove/add something from/to the suspension.

Its entirely up to you..........roll the dice. You will know in a day or so whether you made the right decision if you reuse the exisitng stuff.

 

John

Well said. Its a matter of risk tolerance.