Dangerous Tuff Country Problems
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 165
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From: MA
Dangerous Tuff Country Problems
I know that most of you guys aren't fans of out-of-the-box kits, and i'm starting to realize why. i'm new to wheeling and mechanics, so i figured the safe way to go would be a complete kit. i was wrong. after installing my tuff country 4'' performance kit on my 1996 f150(pictures soon, by the way) i went back to do the standard retorque of the bolts. i set my torque wrench to 120 ft-lbs, which is well within the recommended 100-125 for 3/4 inch bolts, and snapped the front bolt on the drivers side radius arm bracket in half, before reaching 120ft-lbs. after much cursing, swearing, and searching of my unorganized garage, i called daniel and he came to my rescue with a bolt. we put it in, torqued it to 110ft-lbs and had no problems. as we went along all seemed fine with the other bolts, until we got to the rear axle pivot bracket, where daniel snapped another 3/4 bolt, this time at 110 ft-lbs. we have yet to proceed further out of fear of running out of new bolts. the moral of the story, tuff country can slowly, gently, roughly, insert my left and/or right ******** into their open, waiting mouth. or simply put, TUFF COUNTRY BOLTS BLOW!!!!
oh yeah and their customer service guy was a you-know-what.
oh yeah and their customer service guy was a you-know-what.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 13,873
Likes: 3
From: Atlanta GA
Reminds me of the thread of someone wanting to use grade 8 bolts instead of ARP for an engine build. A grade 8 bolt is only as good as the company grading and testing it.
imo, If the bolt is grade 8 and 3/4", that torque of 120 pounds is a bit on the light side. I do not have my chart here, but, I would have thought it would be 140+.
imo, If the bolt is grade 8 and 3/4", that torque of 120 pounds is a bit on the light side. I do not have my chart here, but, I would have thought it would be 140+.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 9,236
Likes: 12
From: Senoia, GA
that sucks man! glad you caught that before you went down the road and one snapped. however i have to wonder if maybe yuor torque wrench was out of whack or maybe you were reading it wrong 
i dunno. i just know the kits i have installed i never used a torque wrench, i just get a really good grip and wrench on it and never had a problem!
-cutts-
i dunno. i just know the kits i have installed i never used a torque wrench, i just get a really good grip and wrench on it and never had a problem!-cutts-
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 115
Likes: 4
From: S.E. Washington
Are these actually 3/4" diameter bolts? Or do you mean 1/2" bolts with a 3/4" hex head on them? I ask because you are quoting torque values of a 1/2-13 grade 8 bolt (which usually have 3/4" hex heads on them). And if they were lubricated before tightening, the torque value drops drastically, to about 60 pounds.
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Postmaster
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From: Rep. of Texas
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Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2005
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It still takes a lot of torque to break even a 1/2" bolt.
Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Rep. of Texas
Originally Posted by fordraceboy
but not if it has loctite on it to lube the threads a bit... i like to install all my suspension bolts dry and to dry torque specs for the size of fastener. run the truck around for a week or so and rattle it down an old washboard road or drive down the little sleepy grooves along the interstate for a while then retorque it all and use green loctite,the kind that penetrates. i can't remember the number.... works good and have never had an issue with bolts.. $0.02
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 18,423
Likes: 9
From: iowa
I am glad someone caught the 3/4 vs 1/2 bolt size here, cause I was looking at the torque specs for my 5/8" harmonic balancer bolt and it's 160ft/lbs, and I couldn't imagine snapping a 3/4" grade 2 bolt at 120ft/lbs
BTW, I don't like dry torque values at all because torqueing a bolt dry is a crappshoot at best, it will be very inconsistant and not worth the trouble even bothering with the torque wrench
BTW, I don't like dry torque values at all because torqueing a bolt dry is a crappshoot at best, it will be very inconsistant and not worth the trouble even bothering with the torque wrench
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 18,423
Likes: 9
From: iowa
One other thing here, retorquing tight bolts is wrong also, if your retorquing, you have to loosen then retorque the bolt not put the torque wrench on it and try to check it, the breakaway torque to begin turning it is much much higher than the actual torque.