Quick question about LCA bolt tightness

[miljeep]

I am trying to fix that popping.clunking, whatever it sounds like, noise coming from what sounds like the left side of my jeep. It was only when I made a sharp left hand turn like in a parking lot, but the other night I started to hear it more as I took off from a stoplight or stop sign.

Because a previous post mentioned the upper LCA not being tight enough, I am focusing on those right now, but d not know how tight they are supposed to be.

I am not really looking for torque lbs or anything like that, mainly just if I should tighten them as much as possible until I cannot tighten it anymore or if they should just be really tight.

Hope that made sense, I don't want to over tighten the thing and have something be so tight that it does not move right.

[Poor Boy]

did you check your track bar and sway bar links? but as far as CA's go, you really should torque them to spec. ovalling out those holes is a minor PITA.

[miljeep]

I tightened the upper trac bar bolt to 115 and the lower to 55. I was good for about a week and then had some popping. I made sure they were tight again and after the first day of wheeling Saturday, I heard some popping in the parking lot as we went to walmart to get some dry boots. My wife wheeled the jeep sunday and I had no popping. Tuesday when I drove home from work I heard some popping, so I sprayed WD-40 on the upper track bar bolt and the lower bolt and the popping has not been back since.

Maybe I just have to keep it greased / oiled.

[USMCHarleyJeepGuy]

Check the upper control arms where they mount to the Jeep (vice the axle) and see if the tack has broken loose where the bushing attaches to the pressed housing. If none of the above, let us know and we can keep going down the list.

[dirTJeep]

Well since I had the info 3' from me, the factory torque is 60 ftlbs(axle end). That is what Full Traction calls for as well. That is pretty much German(goodntight). As poor boy said you might want to check trackbar and anti-sway bar disconnects. I have a heim joint going bad on my trackbar and it is starting to make a noticeable clunk, but not effecting its handling(yet).

[miljeep]

Thanks for the information. I may try to change it to 60 tomorrow, but that seems like it squished them pretty tight. I just got the info from the Rubicon Express site for the trac bar and I am pretty sure it mentoned 55. Maybe that is not tight enough and it is working loose. I don;t really know and I am a big dumb animal when I have a wrench in my hand. Right now the WD-40 seems to be working. Hopefully that is the issue.

[dirTJeep]

I'm sorry, I was referring to the LCA for the torque. As far as the track bar Full Traction didn't give a torque spec for the bolt at the axle, the FSM calls for 40 ft lbs. I just tightened mine as tight as I could, because it came with a larger bolt.

[Hitechredneck]

I had the same problem in my old short arm kit (rockkrawler) I chased the make sure everything is tight bug for a while till one day i was bored and pulled the LCA's and found that the joints were done for. If it does not go away might be something to check. I dont know what kind of arms you have so it might even be a bushing problem on the stock LCA's