Hi all, can anyone please advise what the torque for the 17mm top nut on the front shock should be? Mine are not very tight at all just wondering if this is correct? Thanks!

 

If your talking about the top nut on the shock under the hood that secures the shock to the top shock mount...there is no torque spec for it as JITS says to replace the strut assembly ( shock, spring and mount) as an assembly. So the torque spec for this nut is "good and tight".

Hope this helps

 

On the center nut, I lower car onto the level surface so all weight is on the rubber cushioning parts under the fender housing and run the nut down with an 18v impact driver. But not so tight that it can't be unthreaded again. If that nut seizes, then you must cut it off and that ruins the shock, so I use just a smear of anti-seize on the threads.

 

When I had mine done, new shocks, springs upper and lower mounts, that center bolt was not centered completely. My shop says that is normal.

 

There are specs... and there is a diff between standard and adaptive

 

Jandmyers, where did you find those values. I looked and looked when I did my 03 front suspension and found everything except the top shock bolt. I don't want to give out bad advice so stand corrected. Thanks

 

It is on page 67 of the 2003 workshop manual pdf.

 

Hummmm...I have the 2003 Workshop manual and page 67 has nothing to do with the Shock/Spring assembly. On page 103 it talks about installing the Shock/Spring assembly but only lists a torque value for the shock mount nuts as the Shock/Spring assembly is already assembled.

Now I did get my workshop manual from JagDoc's so the page numbers might be different but I still can't find any reference to the top shock nut.

Wait I just found the same table on page 124 in my manual. Interesting it does list the value for the shock absorber upper stud nut.

Learn something every day.

 

From the JTIS, Chassis CH2, 204-01 Front Suspension / Specifications.
Found it a couple yrs ago when doing front end work. I think all sections provide this to some degree on their topic

 

Thanks for the info guys.. Much appreciated.

 

I'm new to the forum and I just starting working on my own 2001 XK8 Where can I get a copy of the PF manual? Thanks.

 

Rick L - when you first click the XK8/XKR section - you will see the first few threads - for Downloads/How to's etc. In there, you will find links to download the JTIS or you can also download the PDF version

 

Hmm. So am I in trouble?

The nut was not even seated and it snapped.

 

Cyber, were you installing new shocks and mounts? Those studs on new mounts are full of paint and the threads need to be cleaned with a wire brush. Now your solution for the snapped nut is painful. Take it back off and apart. They have a small spot weld holding the stud in place, grind it off of put it in a vise and knock the crap out of it. Do the same on one from the old mount plate and install. A spot weld would be nice, but not every one has a welder. You can apply pressure with a screwdriver to tighten it up, just may require two people and a lot more trouble.
Good luck. Other wise just knock it out and use a bolt of correct size.


Wayne

 

Yes, new shocks and mounts. I wonder if I can drive it with that third bolt broken? For me this was an all day job (Rheumatoid Arthritis and other problems). The studs were indeed painted. Should have known to strip it.

For now, I'll do as suggested and remove the bolt from the old unit and save it for the repair.

 

Cyber, Sorry, if you were closer I would fix it for you.


Wayne

 

Hi guys, recently I changed my upper shock mounts to those yellow ones you can buy off ebay.
I have been getting lots of knocking emanating from the front left (passenger side here in NZ) both before and after the new shock mounts were done. The right side is fine.
I was hoping the new mounts would actually repair this issue, I also replaced both sway bar bushes. The same knocking is still there driving me crazy.
Yesterday I was at my local mechanic's and he pushed down on the left side of the car (slap me now as I hadn't done this to investigate prior!) and low and behold there is maybe 2-3mm of movement between the mount and the shock tower.
The nut is loose, but not to the point of being able to be undone. He tried to tighten using an impact gun and she just spun - then appeared to grab and spun again. You can actually rotate it with your fingers, it won't spin off though.
I'm not sure what's happened, maybe I didn't tighten it correctly when I replaced the mount...I have memory problems and can't remember if there is actually a place to hold a spanner underneath (when it's apart) to hold onto whilst you tighten that top nut, or you just tighten it without holding anything and it just threads in to a point at the end of the thread where it won't travel any further - mine's fitted with CATS too by the way.
Can someone remind me if there is a spot you hold onto underneath while tightening that top nut please? Surely vice grips on the chrome shaft isn't the answer. Does the thread shaft spin within the shock or should it remain in a vertical plane without spinning?
I have tried to find material or video but it doesn't seem to be in the workshop manual, only changing the shock - not the upper mount process. RevSam did a video but I don't see him even tighten that nut...I will rewatch that video.

EDIT: So I quickly rewatched the video by RevSam and found this portion of the video where he just undoes the top nut with a rattle gun Surely I have replaced it back the same way, or the mount wouldn't be secure - I wonder why the nut appears loose and surely it could / should be able to be tightened in situ???
Thanks in advance.

 

You should have a hex socket head in the top of shaft. Unplug shock and you will see.
You will need either ring spanner or through centre socket to tighten while holding with Allen key. Also try to maintain proper orientation for CATS plug.

 

Trevor, normally those nuts are tightened when the top part (bell shaped thing) is installed.
It's painful, but you can do like Gian did and use some vise grips up toward the top of the shaft with a rubber pad between the shaft and grips.
Worked for him and you may need to lower the bump stop out of the way and replace it after getting it ttight.
Hope that will work for you.
OH, and Yes it will spin inside the shock body.

 

Yes this did work for me, however, you want to release tension from that top nut as much as possible by fully compressing the spring. This will facilitate removing the nut with the allen key wrench combo, or the vice-grip with rubber if needed.