Torque down your strut mount nuts guys (facepalm moment)

[dn1984]

I'm lowered, and have Pedder's heavy duty strut mounts that came pre-installed on their lowering kit (matching springs/shocks/struts). Had it for about 10k miles now, no issues. Recently it has started developing a very slight clunk on bumpy roads and speed bumps, had to listen real closely to hear it. No issues with steering and handling.

Fast forward to a few days ago and I'm installing my Steeda strut tower brace. It was a huge pain in the ass to get seated right mainly due to the incorrect video instructions provided by them (they said to put the spacers on the passenger side, should have been driver side). Got it on finally, torqued everything down to 35ftlbs.

Went for a drive, seemed fine. Clunks from before seemed a little louder, which isn't abnormal since in my experience any suspension modification will result in added NVH. Few days later, took a highway offramp left hand turn very hard at about 50mph to test it out. Got home and noticed the clunk was louder. Drove around some more and it was clunking way louder and now on normal bumpy roads instead of just speed bumps and larger low speed bumps. Sounded so bad I thought my control arm or something busted.

Got under the car tried to wiggle everything around, couldn't find anything loose. Even the sway bar brackets. Checked my spacer to hub nut torque, all good. Wheel to spacer torque, all good. Did a visual on my strut tower brace, seemed fine and looked like it was seated fine. Figured some bushing or bearing was bad somewhere.

Drove to work the next day and had one of my techs take a look just to make sure. He asked if I made sure the strut tower brace was seated correctly. Of course I did. Who does this guy think I am, some idiot? He said it was probably a bad strut mount just based on the noise and my guarantee that the strut tower brace was seated correctly. Got home and immediately ordered Ford Racing heavy duty strut mounts along with Steeda lateral links with extended ball joints (was going to do that anyways).

Woke up today and decided to double check a couple things again. May as well check the torque on the strut mount nuts, right? Well lo and behold all of them needed at least another full rotation to torque back down to 35ftlbs, which I attribute to things finally settling after driving 30 miles or so. Took it out for another drive on some normal and bumpy roads....silence. Even quieter than before the strut tower brace.

So long story short...I am that idiot. We've all had moments like this. But yeah...always check stuff after driving it, especially strut mount nuts when there isn't much thread on the bolt left because of spacers on your strut tower brace. LOL

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[ivantwilliams]

Thanks for sharing, and even more so, for admitting the fault. Nice...

 

[ice445]

It happens. I had an end link come loose during an autocross event a few years ago. Man that made a lot of noise. I still don't know how I didn't tighten it enough, but after round 2 I had no problems.

 

[BluePonyGT]

It happens. I had an end link come loose during an autocross event a few years ago. Man that made a lot of noise. I still don't know how I didn't tighten it enough, but after round 2 I had no problems.

You need to torque those down to 46 ft/lbs. I have mine at that and they haven't budged:

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/gt-suspension-torque-numbers.47084/

 

[ice445]

You need to torque those down to 46 ft/lbs. I have mine at that and they haven't budged:

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/gt-suspension-torque-numbers.47084/

I should have mentioned that that incident wasn't on the Mustang, but thanks for that thread link, that will be useful when I start modifying this car.

 

[tj@steeda]

I'm lowered, and have Pedder's heavy duty strut mounts that came pre-installed on their lowering kit (matching springs/shocks/struts). Had it for about 10k miles now, no issues. Recently it has started developing a very slight clunk on bumpy roads and speed bumps, had to listen real closely to hear it. No issues with steering and handling.

Fast forward to a few days ago and I'm installing my Steeda strut tower brace. It was a huge pain in the ass to get seated right mainly due to the incorrect video instructions provided by them (they said to put the spacers on the passenger side, should have been driver side). Got it on finally, torqued everything down to 35ftlbs.

Went for a drive, seemed fine. Clunks from before seemed a little louder, which isn't abnormal since in my experience any suspension modification will result in added NVH. Few days later, took a highway offramp left hand turn very hard at about 50mph to test it out. Got home and noticed the clunk was louder. Drove around some more and it was clunking way louder and now on normal bumpy roads instead of just speed bumps and larger low speed bumps. Sounded so bad I thought my control arm or something busted.

Got under the car tried to wiggle everything around, couldn't find anything loose. Even the sway bar brackets. Checked my spacer to hub nut torque, all good. Wheel to spacer torque, all good. Did a visual on my strut tower brace, seemed fine and looked like it was seated fine. Figured some bushing or bearing was bad somewhere.

Drove to work the next day and had one of my techs take a look just to make sure. He asked if I made sure the strut tower brace was seated correctly. Of course I did. Who does this guy think I am, some idiot? He said it was probably a bad strut mount just based on the noise and my guarantee that the strut tower brace was seated correctly. Got home and immediately ordered Ford Racing heavy duty strut mounts along with Steeda lateral links with extended ball joints (was going to do that anyways).

Woke up today and decided to double check a couple things again. May as well check the torque on the strut mount nuts, right? Well lo and behold all of them needed at least another full rotation to torque back down to 35ftlbs, which I attribute to things finally settling after driving 30 miles or so. Took it out for another drive on some normal and bumpy roads....silence. Even quieter than before the strut tower brace.

So long story short...I am that idiot. We've all had moments like this. But yeah...always check stuff after driving it, especially strut mount nuts when there isn't much thread on the bolt left because of spacers on your strut tower brace. LOL

Which video are you referencing so I can double check with our installation dept.

TJ

 

[dn1984]

Which video are you referencing so I can double check with our installation dept.

TJ

It's the one on the product page on your website. I should have watched instead of listened, because while the narrator says put the spacers on the passenger side the guy in the video puts them on the driver side which you can see if you look closely, since it flashes on the screen so quick. I was wondering why it was so hard to get it seated. Otherwise love the piece though. One other thing that would be nice is if the Steeda plate came preinstalled because those little bolts are such a pain in the ass

Edit: What the hell, I just went back and watched it again and the audio instructions are correct. Maybe I was too drunk when I watched it first, lmao

 

[dn1984]

One other thing is I didn't have to remove the battery cable to slide the brace under there, I was able to manipulate it just fine with it still secured. Maybe that's just necessary on the '15-'17

 

[dn1984]

You know what I just noticed? I may not be able to use this brace with my Pedders heavy duty strut mounts because the strut mount bolts seem to be shorter than the factory bolts, so when the nuts are fully torqued down it's almost flush at the top, where the factory bolts seem to have about 1/4" of thread left. I walked out this morning after driving about 20 miles yesterday and had to torque them down again. I don't believe I have enough thread left over for them to remain torqued down. Would you guys suggest some loctite?

 

[BluePonyGT]

Maybe we need some pictures at this point.

 

[dn1984]

Maybe we need some pictures at this point.

 

[Hillsndale]

Couldn't hurt to try Locktite, as long as you check it until you know you can trust it, and then maybe also check at every oil change.

Edit: You could also use some marker paint for quick visual checks to verify they are not loosening. That way you also don't risk breaking the Locktite bond by checking torque repeatedly.

 

[Hillsndale]

Might be better to start Locktite with new nuts that aren't the Nylock so you have more metal threads.

 

[BluePonyGT]

Personally I would go Loctite but with the factory studs. I know the aftermarket bolts are probably grade 12.9 by the looks of them but the factory ones will most likely be 10.9 and that should give you plenty of strength.

Sometimes the bolts in the kit aren't the best fit for the application in which you're trying to use them...

 

[dn1984]

I may still go loctite but I went out again this morning after a long drive last night and only two nuts were a little less than torque down now. I will check a few more times and if all is good then I'm good. I guess this brace just takes a while to settle with the spacers and all that

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