Riddle me this(shock installation)

[leeinmemphis]

Hey guys,

 

I received my Ohlins shocks today and was able to get them installed except for the front upper shock nut. How in the world am I suppose to torque that nut? The shock body is spinning while I am trying to torque the nut down. I tried everything from using impact guns(3/8 and 1/2 drive), vise grips to hold the squared off stud at the top and a open end wrench(I didn't have a metric or SAE that would fit the top of the stud perfectly). I called the place that I ordered the shocks from and they suggested that I just use a 3/8" impact and let it go but I normally try to adjust stuff to factory spec's.

 

Any ideas or suggestions???? Thanks.

[kmac]

It is rubber mounted with rubber bushings, so as long as the nut wont just fall off it is fine. Vise grip the tip and tighten the nut as much as possible and call it good.

 

If you are really worried about it backing off, then put another nut on top of the existing nut and torque them to each other just to be sure it can't back off. IF there are enough exposed threads to do that of course.

[cris nitro]

Use red loctite

[Paul Mihalka]

Use red loctite

Wow, red? Isn't that the one you have to superheat to get it off again?

[AndyS]

Use red loctite

 

What?!

are you sure.

I personally would not use that in this application. The normal Blue is certainly sturdy enough.

Andy

[Tobias]

If it's difficult to get off this time because the shaft is turning in the cylinder, using red lock tight will make it almost impossible next time.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Loctite of any kind should be unnecessary in this application. The original hex nuts used on top and bottom of the shocks are upset nuts: they've been slightly crushed so that there will always be some friction preventing it from backing itself out.

 

If the machined flats on the stud aren't trashed yet, try grabbing them with an adjustable wrench. ISTR that it shouldn't take much more than about 20-30 N*m of torque to advance that nut (and the final tightening torque was something like 45-50 N*m). That amount of torque shouldn't be overloading your grip on the stud. If even vise-grips aren't able to grip the flats, then something is very wrong here.

[cris nitro]

Sorry, my bad,meant Blue loctite.

[realshelby]

Hey guys,

 

The shock body is spinning while I am trying to torque the nut down.

 

Just a note of caution here. If you have spun the shaft several revolutions ( I assume the shaft and not the whole shock? ) then call the place you bought them and ask if the shaft can spin out of the piston. I have done this on car shocks. Depends on what direction you are turning and if it has standard or left hand threads whether it could back out or not. A quick call should confirm this.