Bolts for the strut tower question (A4 B8.5 2.0T Quattro)

[doublespeeded]

Hi guys,

Im intending to have a front Strut tower brace installed and i have a couple of questions:

1.) what the torque specs are for these bolts pictured?

2.) what is the plastic washer on one of the two bolts (one on each side) and is it required?
because im concerned whether having that washer + strut brace mount will shorten the bolt too much.

any ideas?

cheers

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[IMG][/IMG]

[Reciprocity]

Torque specs on non-engine components are unnecessary.

The washer is probably there as dampener to quiet suspension noise, and the bolt itself holds the upper suspension from falling out of the strut tower, so there is almost no force on them unless the car is in the air. As long as you get 4-5 turns of the bolt in you should be fine.

[adamazing]

Torque specs on non-engine components are unnecessary.

I get what you're saying, but you gotta be careful with that verbiage. TQ specs on suspension and brake components are... pretty important too, lol.

[Reciprocity]

I've been working on cars almost daily for 15+ years and have yet to have a bolt back out or even loosen itself over time. Generally the bigger the bolt, the more torque needed, except oil drain plugs of course lol. Engine internals are a different story of course. Major suspension bits I hit with a a few ugga duggas from an impact and they're fine!

[Spawne32]

Torque specs on non-engine components are unnecessary.

The washer is probably there as dampener to quiet suspension noise, and the bolt itself holds the upper suspension from falling out of the strut tower, so there is almost no force on them unless the car is in the air. As long as you get 4-5 turns of the bolt in you should be fine.

yeh dont listen to this nonsense, I used to do the same thing when I was 17 until I had a few wheels fall off or suspension shit fall apart while driving, youll learn refast to torque stuff properly when it happens on a customers car

[Reciprocity]

Don't mean to be rude but if you had a FEW wheels fall off as you were driving then you shouldn't be working on cars.

[Spawne32]

Don't mean to be rude but if you had a FEW wheels fall off as you were driving then you shouldn't be working on cars.

Says the guy whos been in the industry for 15 years and doesnt use a torque wrench. lol

[Reciprocity]

When assembling motors? I do. Ask your boss to pay for a service manual for every car that comes in to get the proper specs and you'll be out of the job by lunchtime on your first day.

[Spawne32]

When assembling motors? I do. Ask your boss to pay for a service manual for every car that comes in to get the proper specs and you'll be out of the job by lunchtime on your first day.

What? lol

[Spawne32]

I guess if you never heard of all data you aren't actually in the industry. So that settles that.

[Reciprocity]

What don't you understand?

If you work at a garage with cars of all manufacturers coming in all day, do you honestly think you have access to the torque specs of every single bolt of every car that comes in?

[Spawne32]

What don't you understand?

If you work at a garage with cars of all manufacturers coming in all day, do you honestly think you have access to the torque specs of every single bolt of every car that comes in?

On suspension equipment? Yes. To do anything else is a hack mechanic and or shop.

[Reciprocity]

Well I have news for you, the vast majority of shops don't. I'm not surprised you don't know this, since apparently you can't stop the wheels from falling off your own car lol.

Did you also know that in the service manual Audi says to replace almost every suspension bolt after even a single removal?

[Spawne32]

Well I have news for you, the vast majority of shops don't. I'm not surprised you don't know this, since apparently you can't stop the wheels from falling off your own car lol.

Apparently you cant read either in addition to using a torque wrench. I said when I was 17. lol Also look up the definition of "a few". Why is this even a thing? Torquing wheels properly is like automotive 101. lol If you can't even go out of your way to check to make sure your wheels are torqued to spec you shouldn't be working on a car. Trusting an impact gun or "hand tightening" is asking for failure.

- - - Updated - - -

Did you also know that in the service manual Audi says to replace almost every suspension bolt after even a single removal?

Do you even know what a torque to yield bolt is? Since clearly you don't pick up a torque wrench. lol You probably don't even know how a torque angle meter works either.

[Reciprocity]

When I was 17 I was doing engine swaps bi-monthly. A "few" lost wheels is a few too many, at the time you should have asked someone who knew how to use a rachet and breaker bar to tighten a lug nut.

Find me a shop that replaces torque to yield bolts in the tri-state area then.....haha what a joke.

And to the OP, don't dare remove a single strut bolt without buying a new one, tightening it to 40 Nm+90degrees and tightening in a cross pattern, unless you want to fly off the highway causing a 20 car pileup!

[Spawne32]

find me a shop that replaces torque to yield bolts in the tri-state area then.....haha what a joke.

And to the OP, don't dare remove a single strut bolt without buying a new one, tightening it to 40 Nm+90degrees and tightening in a cross pattern, unless you want to fly off the highway causing a 20 car pileup!

lol If you were any sort of educated on working on cars you would know that there are acceptable things to not torque with a torque wrench and other things especially on the suspension that need to be torque properly not only for safety reasons but for the longevity of the component. You are proving exactly my point about hack mechanics and shops that do shit work and can't be trusted. This is why I get customers bringing me cars from other shops that have loose bolts or something like an end link came apart because the nut wasnt installed properly because they ran it in with a 20v drill and thought "tight" was torqued.

[Reciprocity]

I wouldn't trust a 20v with drywall screws much less car components!

Out of the hundreds of cars i've worked on not a single complaint has come back to me, barring the obvious "you changed my brakes now my radio doesn't work" BS that everyone gets.

If taking the time to look up specs, buy extra bolts, and torque down everything works for you then great, keep doing it! Just know that a little experience and logical thinking goes far enough for 99% of mechanics out there.

[Spawne32]

That's fine if you wanna do it, but I don't make a habit out of recommending that people NOT follow the instructions to safely repair their vehicle. Theres alot of guys out there that don't believe cotter pins, lock washers, and lock nuts are necessary either, until a tie rod comes loose at 80mph.

[Reciprocity]

I'll agree with you on that! Too many cars come in with inverted castle nuts or pretzel twisted brake lines....

[doublespeeded]

heya guys,

i appreciate and can relate to both your concerns.
As per Reciprocity, i doubt all workshops bother or have the time to torque every bolt they work on. ive seen even tyre and suspension shops using rattle guns (without the impact torque extension) to put on wheels.
but like Spawne32, id like to peace of mind that ive done something right and i do think torque specs are really important.

Anyhow, So can someone answer my query, perhaps someone who has the workshop manual with a picture?


ive found this sheet online that seems to list all the suspension bolts etc (i think this is what ive been looking for)... but without any pics and the technical wording, im not certain which one is for that bolt ive highlighted Red in the picture above.

can anyone identify?

[IMG][/IMG]

[bakedziti]

heya guys,

i appreciate and can relate to both your concerns.
As per Reciprocity, i doubt all workshops bother or have the time to torque every bolt they work on. ive seen even tyre and suspension shops using rattle guns (without the impact torque extension) to put on wheels.
but like Spawne32, id like to peace of mind that ive done something right and i do think torque specs are really important.

Anyhow, So can someone answer my query, perhaps someone who has the workshop manual with a picture?


ive found this sheet online that seems to list all the suspension bolts etc (i think this is what ive been looking for)... but without any pics and the technical wording, im not certain which one is for that bolt ive highlighted Red in the picture above.

can anyone identify?

[IMG][/IMG]

This thread has an all data or similar manual within it, but its a big download. If I am reading it correctly, page #5850 for the diagram & page # 5852 for the torque spec, its 40nm + 90°

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...r-Similar-Help

[doublespeeded]

This thread has an all data or similar manual within it, but its a big download. If I am reading it correctly, page #5850 for the diagram & page # 5852 for the torque spec, its 40nm + 90°

Awesome, thanks for taking the time to review and finding this info for me. Much appreciated.

So I guess in that STaSIS instructions, they've listed it as 'Upper Link Pinch Bolt' = 29Ft lbs / 40nm... but left out the 90degree turn...

[alhutch]

Awesome, thanks for taking the time to review and finding this info for me. Much appreciated.

So I guess in that STaSIS instructions, they've listed it as 'Upper Link Pinch Bolt' = 29Ft lbs / 40nm... but left out the 90degree turn...

The bolts you have circled in red are the "front damper upper mount to body" bolts. It is 2nd in the torque value list you posted and #23 highlighted in the diagram by bakedziti.

The "upper link pinch bolt" is #7 in the diagram.