Has anyone ever used something like this? Do the torque settings from a torque wrench actually translate to the nut, even though the leverage has changed somewhat?

http://www.tooltopia.com/index.asp?P...googlebase_18u

I'm trying to find a way to torque down my front end links both with enough force (it's hard to exert 44 ft-lbs of force when you're using a 6-inch long open-ended wrench inside the wheel well) and accurrately. It's currently impossible to use my torque wrench (or breaker bar) because the end of the nut needs to be held in place by an allen/hex key or else the whole bolt turns. (like this: https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...8&d=1099331167)

I'm being really **** about it because I have some unresolved clunking, and I'm pretty sure it's sway bar or end-link related, and I'm pretty sure I'm currently not able to tighten them to spec. The links are OEM but do not appear cracked/faulty/etc.

The set looks nice but is quite expensive. (About $65 for each set of 5 sockets: 11-16mm, or 18-24mm) Just want to know if anyone has any direct experience with this, or any thoughts on if it would work.....

 

No, your torque wrench would be useless.

Did you try a socket driven allen head?

S

 

Those look neat. You can get crow's foot sockets, which are open end versions, for a lot less. I think I paid about $20 for a set of crow's feet at Sears.

The torque would be affected by the change in lever arm. I have not needed to do this myself, but the difference is easy to compute. Measure from the grip on the torque wrench to its socket drive. Then measure from the grip to the center of the butterfly or crow's foot. The torque changes by the ratio of distances. If the butterfly/crow is further out than the torque wrench's drive, you're applying more torque than what the wrench says.

Ken

 

I'm not sure why exactly, but it always seems like you can only turn the nut with a wrench, not the bolt with the hex key. So wouldnt a socket driven hex head be useless? Or am i missing something?

 

44 foot pounds is about what you can do one handed with an 8" handled wrench......tighten them tight as you can and don't fret about it

End links are not very torque dependant......

 

I would agree, most things I just hand tighten and dont worry about it. But I've got this crazy clunking sound I've posted about before, and I'm preeeeetty sure its sway bar related, so I'm trying to eliminate things. Grrr

 

no its your springs not your endlinks

just tighten your endlinks as tight as you can with one hand on a 3/8's socket

the clunking that everyone thinks is sway bars is the springs not being seated all they way.. let me guess you hear it at slow speeds over bumps and curbs?

 

Easiest way to tell would be to disconnect the endlinks and tape the links and bar up so it doesn't hit anything. If the noise is still there then it can't be the endlinks.

 

gator grip things ... go to kmart or a sears hardware

 

Get an open box wrench and torque it down. It is almost impossible to torque the endlink nut with a torque wrench since you need a insert and allen wrench in there to keep it from turning

 

I'm not gonna lie.....that's so brilliant and simple at the same time, I'm doing that tonight!!!