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MG MGB Technical - How tight rear U-bolts?

Dear all
I'm just trying to finish my rear suspension recon. I can't find any information on how tight to do the U-bolt nuts. I think I read somwhere that they should be 20-22ftLb. When I try that the nuts just keep tightening and squishing the rubber pad so that it bulges out of the gap between plate and spring which doesn't seem right. The kit I have has nyloc nuts so it's difficult to get a feel for tightness. No info in Haynes. Thanks in advance. PS. 74 mgb roadster.
Ricard
Richard Evans

Richard
When you torque those nuts, just bring them up to the point that the rubber starts to flatten. Then check each nut to see if all are torqued to the same setting. Other wise you will get uneven wear. Over time the rubber bushings will flatten and you will lose torque anyhow, so a specific setting is not neccesary. Go to amtonline.com, lookup article archives, search for "Getting Torqued" by Joe Escobar.
This will explain nut drag from locknuts and other torque issues. Its a aviation mag site, and a very informative article.
Philip
Philip

Richard, I also tackled this job recently and without being specific, I tightened until the pad just began to bulge, no more. I knew that later (after some driving) they would have to be adjusted. Try to keep them all the same. I assume that you replaced the ubolts as well as the nuts and bushings, correct?
kids1

Please do remember to adjust the torque on the u-bolts after some driving. After mine were replaced, 500miles or so normal driving had the rear end all over the shop!! 70mph on a straight bit of road with the rear end undecided on which direction it would like to take can be a bit disconcerting!!

I guess the mileage was enough to bed everything in and loosen itself a little bit. Unfortunately this coincided with the weekend i replaced the rear tyres, so i was cursing the tyre manufacturers (incorrectly of course) until i worked out what it was.

It was soon sorted with a quick spanner adjustment however..!

~PHIL
Phil

Thanks guys. I've done as suggested. Tightened all nuts equally until the rubber pads started to bulge. We shall see how it performs over the first few hunderd miles once I get my MOT done, hopefully soon. Incidentally some suggest in the archive to tighten until the pads are completely squashed and the torque is set. This doesn't look or feel right to me.
Richard Evans

This thread was discussed between 12/09/2002 and 15/09/2002

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