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Posted by: cuddyk Feb 13 2016, 04:31 PM

Hi Guys,

I think I've been sniffing grease too long.

Trying to torque the CV bolts to the stub axle. I have the axle assembly nice and tight in a vise (tried with a towel and without), but I can't keep it from turning before 31lbs is reached. Any tips/tricks from someone thinking more clearly?

Thanks

Posted by: jd74914 Feb 13 2016, 04:37 PM

I've always done it after putting them in the car so I can hold the wheel (or put it on the ground) to get some more leverage.

Posted by: cuddyk Feb 13 2016, 04:48 PM

Even for the stub axle side? Those bolts are pretty deep inside the trailing arm. Doesn't an extension have an effect on the actual torque at the bolt?

Posted by: jd74914 Feb 13 2016, 04:56 PM

Torque is the same regardless of the length of your extensions (think of the extension as a spring; it may bend a little more but it still transfers the same energy into your fastener since there is nowhere else for it to go).

The only time an "extension" has an effect on torque application is if you're using a crow's foot or similar tool which changes the length of the torque arm.

Posted by: cuddyk Feb 13 2016, 05:59 PM

cool. thanks for the info!

Posted by: rick 918-S Feb 13 2016, 07:56 PM

I do the same. But a word of caution. I always make sure the head of the bolt is clean and tap the triple square in with a brass hammer carefully. I'm always careful to keep the triple square parallel as I torque and try not to allow the triple square to slip out of cock and shear off. I snapped off a triple square inside the bolt once on the outboard side. I had to stick a welding rod to it to pull it out.

Posted by: bigkensteele Feb 13 2016, 09:25 PM

Just thinking out loud here because I haven't done this myself. Could you not make a jig out of a piece of wood and bolt the hub to the wooden jig, clamp it up in the vice and then just put the stub into the hub and torque. Of course, this assumes that the hub is not yet installed.

I agree with the OP - I would much rather torque these bolts on the bench than in the car.

Good luck with it!

Posted by: Dave_Darling Feb 13 2016, 09:46 PM

How about using a long box-end wrench over one of the dowels, braced on the other dowel, and counter-holding it using that?

--DD

Posted by: colingreene Feb 13 2016, 09:47 PM

Do you have a empty hub in the car, put the axle in from the outside put the wheel on the ground, torque. job done.

Posted by: stugray Feb 13 2016, 10:08 PM

I torque them in the car.

You pretty much have to do it that way because it is very important that you check that torque regularly.
"CV joint came loose" is one of the more common failures on these cars.

Posted by: r_towle Feb 13 2016, 10:11 PM

Put the nut on the axle, put the nut in the vice?

Posted by: rgalla9146 Feb 13 2016, 11:04 PM

Great idea Rich

Also, to keep the stub from turning, put a cotter through the castle nut and the hole in the stub.

Posted by: cuddyk Feb 14 2016, 05:12 AM

Thanks guys. Will try the nut/pin trick and report back!

Posted by: Andyrew Feb 14 2016, 09:33 AM

I torque them in the car. Find it so much easier to bolt the cv to the stub and slip the cv in vs trying get to the bolts tobtighten the cv through the trailing arm.

Its a 10 minute procedure to bolt in a cv this way.

Posted by: rick 918-S Feb 14 2016, 10:34 AM

I'be never removed the stub axle ever

Posted by: cuddyk Feb 14 2016, 02:12 PM

My CVs were shot, so I bought new axle assemblies from Porsche, hence the need to switch over the stub axle...