The S3 Lower Brace Mistery !!!!!

[Cupraloon]

A little while ago, i fitted an S3 lower brace, and had problems with one of the nut inserts stripping the thread, having to drill it out, a satilyboy kindly sent me a couple he didn't need of the bigger type with the in built washer.

Any hoo, i fitted these a few weeks ago, and i've gone to re-tighten them today, to a higher torge than the 50ft ibs that they were set at after reading that one of you guy's had done his to 80ft lbs, and...... guess what the offside one's thread was iffy again, so i had to drill it out yet again and fit yet another new nut insert and bolt.

And tightening them up again, firstly to 40ft lbs then went to do them to 50ft lbs and as i was doing this, i could feel the thread just starting to pull again, so left it at 45ft lbs


I even turned the brace round 180 degress incase i had it the wrong way round cos i noticed it is cranked at one end where the slotted hole is, and i had the slotted hole on the right hand side of the car, so now it's on the left and still bloody problems....

I just cannot understand why this is happening i'm not putting anything on the threads to cause this like copper slip or nowt else, just tightening them up as per the fitting guide, so it's a mistery......

Any engineers out there who might have any ideas's why this is happening, no one else seems to be having this perticular problem at least i've not seen anything on here about it...

Any way think i'm just going to leave as is, now at 45ft lbs and hope it's enough to stop the bar shifting, which would make having it a bit of a waste of time...

 

[andycupra]

the only reason i can think of is overtightening. which to be fair isnt easy with these.
what are you using to tighten them?

where did you get 50 or 80 ftllbs from?

ps i found that it sits one way around as the angles of the brace are set to sit against the chassis.

 

[DPJ]

Have you got a dodgy torque wrench?

 

[Cupraloon]

the only reason i can think of is overtightening. which to be far isnt easy with these.
what are you using to tighten them?

where did you get 50 or 80 ftllbs from?

ps i found that it sits one way around as the angles of the brace are set to sit against the chassis.

Yeah i'd agree with the angle it does seem to be designed to be a perticular way round, and tbh, i thought i had it the right way round to start with, but i was experimenting with and thought i'd try it t'other way round, don't honestly know if thats the right way or not ???

I guesstimated the torque setting to start with at 40ft lbs when i originally fitted it a few weeks back, but i read a thread on here soemone fitted theirs at 80ft lbs but i'm buggered if i know how thats possible cos you can feel the thread starting to pull at about 45-50ft lbs

I'm using my trusty socket wrench then a torque wrench to do final tightening to 45ft lbs really don't want to go much more than that a strip yet another.....

 

[andycupra]

i just did mine as tight as i could with a standard spanner whilst lying under the car.

when the thread goes, is the strut loose? my understanding is the riv nut just contracts and expands untill it cant expand anymore.... so surely the strut would be tight even if the thread has gone as it would only go due to the riv nut having expanded as much as it will.

The other possibility is that the bolt and nut combo is not correct.
does the bolt have thread all the way along its length? is it possible that the bolt thread is advancing too far through the riv nut before being fully tight.
have you got a washer fitted also? not everyone fits these but i believe you should have a washer in the kit.

 

[Cupraloon]

No when the thread went the brace wasn't actually that loose, but i assumed that it would/might loosen off, and move about if it wasn't clamped tightly by the bolt being tight... therefore being a bit of a waste of it being there...

Originally i didn't use any washers, i have to be honest, but this time i have between the bolt and brace and i copper slipped the washer so they would slide and move easily when i tightened the bolts up..

i think i'm going to leave them at 45ft lbs also i'm not entirly sure if the brace is on the right way round now, (foam side is down tho) cos the slot side is now on the nearside (kerbside) of the car, so may turn it round again, i'm just a little apprehensive in case the threads are buggered again, for some reason...

May just leave well enough alone.....

Thanks for your advice andy..

 

[gazzy-g]

most torque settings now use nm as a setting which are less tight. its not a simple error like that is it ?

 

[Cupraloon]

most torque settings now use nm as a setting which are less tight. its not a simple error like that is it ?

Dunno really cos I don't have the proper torque setting's, think i'm going to ring an audi dealer and see what they say,

but thanks for your input...