Torque Spec for large Nut that secures Ball Joint- Book says one thing- website says-
 

I'm getting different info for the large castellated nut that holds the ball joints:

Waynes book says tighten this large castellated nut to 33.1 lbs

In the parts section under ball joint tools of the site it says "tighten this nut to a whoppping 184 lbs."

Which is it?

If it is the latter how do you get a nut to 184lbs?

Thanks,
Ian

I hit it with an impact wrench and crank it on. Thats not something I want coming apart.

too much torque is not good

Bentley says 184 ft-lbs. I noticed the reference in Wayne's book too -- it is surely an error.

I recently did this and it is difficult to do without two people (one to hold the removal tool against the nut and one to haul on the torque wrench). I got it as tight as I could with the t-wrench, then set my impact wrench on medium-stun and gave it single impacts until the nut stopped turning. In retrospect, if I'd been cleverer I would have figured out some way to use a c-clamp to hold the removal tool against the nut.

I have elected not to worry about it loosening up. The locking plate and cotter pin arrangement should keep things in place.

Think about it. If the nut was only torqued to 33.1ft/lbs it wouldn't take an act of god to remove it.

I used the higher figure as well.

Perhaps the 33 ft/lb. is for the nut on the wedge pin?

Big ball joint castellated nut = 184 ft-lbs.
Wedge pin nut = 16 ft-lbs.
Tie rod end nut = 33 ft-lbs.

I forget who, but one of the guys suggested to put a block of wood on your jack and jack it up under the 90 degree bend of the breaker bar to hold it up against the castellated nut for tightening. Sounded like a good idea to me.

When I did this I used an impact wrench (both for removing the old ones and for tightening the new one)... anything else wasn't working. I must say I had my A-arms out at that time so couldn't try the jack/wood block combination.

It was definitely 184 ft-lbs... otherwise I don't think I'd be writing this.