C2 Rear Strut CAM bolts

[Stephen L.]

Should the bolts for the rear struts be left loose until the car is at curb weight on the wheels? I know the front bushings and rear trailing arms and spring mount bolts should be, but I'm not sure about the struts.
I'm trying to determine if I damaged the strut bushings by tightening with the wheels hanging.

[Larry M.]

Re: C2 Rear Strut CAM bolts

Should the bolts for the rear struts be left loose until the car is at curb weight on the wheels? I know the front bushings and rear trailing arms and spring mount bolts should be, but I'm not sure about the struts.
I'm trying to determine if I damaged the strut bushings by tightening with the wheels hanging.

Steve:

UPC 4 B2 in the 1967 AIM Manual states that they should be left slightly loose until the weight of the car is on the wheels (ground). Then align the wheels to the correct camber (as best is possible) and THEN TORQUE TO SPECIFICATIONS.

The AIM also states that ride height should be at normal or typical specifications......which would indicate that the body is on the frame and gas is in the tank (or additional weight is added to the back to compensate). When I did my car, I added weight to the back to get the ride height approx correct before torqueing all the suspension bolts.

I'm not certain that you damaged anything if you torqued them earlier, especially if you did not drive the car and put a lot of stresses on things.

According to John H (and others) the factory used a special fixture to compress the suspension to "normal ride height" before the workers torqued things down as the car went down the assembly line.

Larry

[Stephen L.]

Re: C2 Rear Strut CAM bolts

Thanks. I've checked my ride height per the AIM but missed the note on the struts. Ride height is fine. Are the strut bushings captive (serrated) like the "A" arm bushings or are they sleeved to allow some rotational movement. That would give me some forgiveness if I torqued them early... like 100 miles ago. I hate to pull the darn things out for replacement.

[John H.]

Re: C2 Rear Strut CAM bolts

Are the strut bushings captive (serrated) like the "A" arm bushings or are they sleeved to allow some rotational movement.

Steve -

The strut rod bushing inner sleeves are serrated on both ends so they can "bite" into the inner walls of the strut rod bracket when the cam bolt nut is torqued.

Loosen the nuts (after noting/marking the position of the line on the cam washer) to release the "bite" of the serrations, jounce the back of the car up and down a few times to normalize the bushings, check the position of the cam washers, and re-torque the nuts.

[Ronald L.]

Re: C2 Rear Strut CAM bolts

Steve, if you used the dual sleeve type they are still good.