This week is R&I of the front struts.

I am using this opportunity to make sure that the bolt holding the upper A-Arm to the subframe does not become seized in the future.

My thought is to use Jetlube SS-30, however it is copper and there's already two different metals present. Any suggestions would be much appreciated, thank you.

If someone knows offhand the torque spec for that bolt, it is appreciated.

Thanks. Happy New Year.

 

Hi,
JTIS gives a figure of 98-132Nm.

I used some marine grease between the bolt and the bushing inner sleeves. IMO, it's important to seal the inner portion of the bolt (i.e.between the holes in the crossbeam) - both to minimise any rusting on the exposed middle section, and to stop water wicking into the crossbeam. I squashed waterproof grease around the bolt and into the corners.

Hope that makes sense!

 

I have used nickel anti seize for long time with good results. Having seen but never lived the road conditions some have to contend with in the northern hemisphere l think almost anything would be better than nothing.

 

I use both copper anti-seize and aluminium anti-seize in situations where there is no movement required between the components and both work well. There is no deleterious effect on dissimilar metals.

Richard

 

I just replaced the bushes on a 1998 XK8 upper control arm a year ago and I can't remember if I used Nickle Anti-Seize or Molykote DOW 111 Lubricant/Sealant.

 

^^^

same here. I use the copper in most situations. The only drawback is getting it off my hands if it strays from the intended locations.

Z

 

I regularly use copper, nickel and aluminum anti-seize compounds. To decide which is optimal for any given application, I consult a chart like the one below. On this chart, a red block at the intersection of a row and column indicates a higher risk of galvanic corrosion (GC), and a green block indicates a lower risk:



For most applications I use copper and nickel interchangeably, but when one or both components is an aluminum, magnesium or zinc alloy, I use aluminum anti-seize. Aluminum is slightly more anodic than iron and steel, so it will tend to be more significantly affected by GC when an aluminum and iron/steel part are in contact. I figure by using aluminum anti-seize, the risk of GC is at least no worse than it would be if the parts were installed dry (as they often were from the factory).

I use nickel anti-seize when a stainless steel part is involved, because the risk of GC is lower than with copper. I also use nickel anti-seize when temperature is a factor. Permatex copper anti-seize is rated to 1,800°F, while Permatex nickel anti-seize is rated to 2,400°F.

Cheers,

Don

 

Thanks for the chart!!!!!!!!!!!!
I saved in my tech files.

 

Thank you very much!
And, thank you to everyone else for the useful information.
The SS-30 is so waterproof that sealing the inner portions of the bolt between the crossbeam is unnecessary. It could be stored in the sea for 100 years and water would not penetrate the SS-30 barrier.
The goal is to prevent the bolt from seizing in the bushing sleeves as then it will work against the AL crossbeam where it should otherwise be static.

 

Thank you Don!
This is a very useful chart for many applications.

 

Yes, I have called this stuff, "A mess in a can," for that reason. No matter how carefully one uses it...
BTW, after cleaning battery terminals and connectors, it ensures a low resistance connection over time. We used it on wiring lugs in marine application for this reason.
Great stuff, great mess if not careful.

 

I have decided to use Permatex Nickel Anti Seize due to the bushing sleeve metal and probable hot dip coating of the bolt.
Plus, it will be good to have around so that I can get away from using copper stuff on spark plug threads. Yes, I know...

 

If you're using the correct NGK spark plugs for your engine, see the attached document from NGK which explains why no anti-seize should be used.

Cheers,

Don

 

I know...
It was done in a weak moment.

 

I used to use the copper based on my battery terminals, then I got turned on to this silver based conductive grease. More pricey, but hey, it’s silver right ? Trouble is, it wants to get on your hands. It will jump out of the tube you have pointed towards the terminals, do a leap frog u-turn and land on either your best shirt , your face, or your hands. Where it really wants to stay forever.

Z

 

I use my aluminium anti-seize on all spark plug threads as, apart from my Triumph, heads are usually aluminium on modern cars.

Richard

 

In my opinion, having done this several times, is the bolt gets jammed because the washers (the ones present in the bushes and the alignment shims) get cocked as you try and pull the bolt out. They only have to be slightly off from 90 degrees to the bolt to jam it as tight as if it was still bolted in place. The washers that cap the bushes are fine as long as the bush is still intact - of course it won't be when you try and take it out in a few years time. The shims are a pain from the moment you install them.

My solution was to enlarge the holes in the shims to give them more play when you inevitably have to take it all apart again - they really don't need to be a snug fit to the bolt. I also used threadlock to glue the shims together when inserting them - this makes it a lot easier to do and also reduces the chances that they will bind when trying to take them out again.

Another top tip is to make sure you put all the shims back in - try not to lose any or you will be doing it all over again..

 

When I rebuilt the front suspension, I used aluminum grease (it makes assembly better than dry). I never use anything on the spark plugs, but I do clean the threads thoroughly. I also read NGK's advice, but I've always done that (grease eventually deteriorates, and "the cure is worse than the disease"). I don't use anything on the battery connectors; I clean them before reassembling with fine sandpaper or an abrasive cloth (both the battery terminal and the inside of the connector). They've never corroded (for some time now, I've been putting an anti-sulfation felt underneath, which I don't know if it actually helps, but it keeps them clean and looking nice).
Thanks for that chart of greases and their uses.

 

The resistivity of all conductive greases is higher than a bare lead-to-lead connection. There's no scientific possibility of improving the conductivity of a clean lead-to-lead connection. This has been a longstanding discussion in the high-end audio world - can Deoxit and other "conductivity enhancers" actually improve a connection. Science says no, because no grease, regardless of the metal particles it contains, has better conductivity than clean, bare silver, gold, copper, aluminum or lead. The lowest-resistance conductive grease I have found has a resistivity of 0.2 ohms-centimeter, which is low, but greater than zero. We have discussed this before:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...4/#post2797833

So I recommend cleaning your posts and cable terminals with a wire brush (not sandpaper because the fine scratches can allow moisture to wick in and promote future corrosion), flush them with zero-residue electronic contact cleaner, dry them, reconnect them, then apply any protective coating to the outside surfaces of the post/terminal assembly.

 

Is anyone actually advocating conductive grease because they believe it will provide better conductivity than metal to metal contact? I'd be very surprised but nothing on the internet would surprise me.
Use of conductive grease as a means of limiting moisture ingress would seem to be a reasonable proposition although silicone grease is better in this specific regard.

Richard