1962 Rear end torque specs

[John F.]

What should the rear end nuts be torqued to?

[Richard T.]

Re: 1962 Rear end torque specs

There's a page in the back of the ST-12 (section 14-2) that lists torque requirements for the entire car. Rich

[John F.]

Re: 1962 Rear end torque specs

I'm on that page and don't see specs for the rear case to the rear assembly. Anyone know?

John

[Dennis C.]

Re: 1962 Rear end torque specs

I'm on that page and don't see specs for the rear case to the rear assembly. Anyone know?

John

John,

Are you talking about the differential carrier assembly to the axle housing? If so, the ST-12 indicates the following in section 4-17:

"install lockwashers and nuts and tighten securely".

No torque spec is given.

Regards,

Dennis

[John F.]

Re: 1962 Rear end torque specs

John,

Are you talking about the differential carrier assembly to the axle housing? If so, the ST-12 indicates the following in section 4-17:

"install lockwashers and nuts and tighten securely".

No torque spec is given.

Regards,

Dennis

Yes, the carrier to the axle housing. Somewhere on a thread I saw 41 ft lbs. So that's what they are at now. I just read the above page. Almost sounds too simple versus everything else.

John

[Tom P.]

Re: 1962 Rear end torque specs

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I'm thinking that there is NOT supposed to be lockwashers between the nuts which attach the rearend center case to the axle housing!
Early cars (up to about 57, Vettes and pass cars) used copper washers under the nuts, and later cars (58-later) had nuts with swedged-on or integral steel washers. The purpose of these washers was crush/conform to the irregular cast surface and create a seal around the studs to prevent oil from weeping around the threads and leaving a film of rearend oil on the axle housing.
That's what I have personally observed on UNTOUCHED cars (pass cars and Vettes) for MANY, MANY years.

[Dennis C.]

Re: 1962 Rear end torque specs

Given the wording in the ST-12 and Tom's comments, I would think the main criteria here would be to have a leak free joint. In that case, I would tighten them to achieve that goal and insure they are tight enough not to come loose.

Dennis

[John F.]

Re: 1962 Rear end torque specs

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I'm thinking that there is NOT supposed to be lockwashers between the nuts which attach the rearend center case to the axle housing!
Early cars (up to about 57, Vettes and pass cars) used copper washers under the nuts, and later cars (58-later) had nuts with swedged-on or integral steel washers. The purpose of these washers was crush/conform to the irregular cast surface and create a seal around the studs to prevent oil from weeping around the threads and leaving a film of rearend oil on the axle housing.
That's what I have personally observed on UNTOUCHED cars (pass cars and Vettes) for MANY, MANY years.

Tom, No washers used here! All bolted up and took a spin to Dairy Queen last night with the rest of the guys.

John

John

[Tom P.]

Re: 1962 Rear end torque specs

Pictured here is a pkg of original copper washers as used under the rearend nuts on 57-earlier cars to seal to prevent rearend oil from weeping around the stud. The hand written part number is the ORIGINAL GM part number for the washers, the number on the pkg is the superceeded part number. BOTH are discontinued now.
The 2 nuts with integral swedged-on washers on the upper right are what I have pulled of of MANY 58-64 cars.