Ubolts under torqued

Nothing wrong with 44 ft.lbs if they don't come loose. Monitor it for 6+ months and tell us how it goes.

I just read T-SB 0008-14, and I can't find where they specified the torque setting in there for u-bolt nuts. When I electronically search the document for the word torque, it only shows once and it's regarding the installation "during steering wheel damper"

Are you sure that's the right document? I attached the one I found while searching.

 

no reason for ranting

I guess it is because there is a lot of 'ranting on forums in general' without consideration of what is going on behind the scenes, so I was trying to give some credit to toyota that this is not a printing error or otherwise...

I got nothing other than respect for the procedures and processes in place at toyota lots of people here sort of seem to forget that the intent is to make money selling good vehicles and it is not all 'profit at any cost'. the major expense is research and design. much like people calling the tiny ceiling speakers worthless...no they aren't, they perform a function which is 'enhance the space' but they are not designed for jamming at a bar-b-que...along with countless other rants (why my delay wipers stripe funny...why no locking gas cap/door...why this why that...why everything?) I categorize the 37ft lb spec into this

I have always worked as an engineer for major corporations my entire life (except air force which is sort of like that) and I know there is what is 'wanted' and then there is 'what you end up getting' and between the want and the end results are hours/weeks/years of research and engineering mistakes and successes and it seems most people don't consider all the hard work that goes into a product like a tacoma. it is far easier to bitch than to sit down and think real hard what goes on with something with 10,000 parts mechanical and electronic on it like a tacoma

I also do respect the hard work by forum members initiating change when there truly is a problem and it is brought to the attention of toyota. these forums do have some pull and it is only due to the concern and complaints by some well educated and seasoned taco owning members here.

 

When i put an aal and 2" block on my truck It was getting late and I just tightened the new U-bolts as tight as I could with a ratchet (who knows how many ft/lbs but probably around 40-50?). It felt pretty damn tight and I didnt really think twice about it. Dumbshit move I know. Well about 3 days later I noticed some vibrations at take off so i checked them and 1 nut was completely gone and the others were pretty much hand tight! I couldn't believe it.
I then used my torque wrench and tightened them to 85 ft/lbs. I now check them regularly and they have stayed at 85 for the most part and no vibs.

 

It depends on the thread pitch. Not looking for a disagreement- info came from my friend that I work with who has run our Machine Shop for 35+ years, and designs stuff for me.

I will not provide any more comments from here.

 

Interesting and informative thread.

Gonna have to check mine out.

FWIW, when I replaced the factory leaf + 3in block setup on my 87 4x4 with OMEs, the Ubolts were similarly loose. Over 200,000+ miles, the center pin in the springs had wallowed out the hole in the (steel) lift block, causing the truck to have a wandering issue as well as random creaks/clunks that eluded me until I did the spring swap.

When I first got my 2010, I read a thread in an X-Runner forum about the axles not being centered side to side in the trucks. Checked mine and sure enough, it was off to one side. Just looked at my truck again last night and it was centered. I bet this thread may hold the cure to that issue.

Has anything changed in the rear ends of these trucks that would have made Toyota lower the torque value on the U bolts?

Several people have stated that the U bolts are the same all the way back to 1st gen pickups. In a brief glance, the rear end of my 2010 x runner looks pretty much the same as my 87 2wd. Are the axle tubes made out of thinner material? Perhaps crush concerns caused them to lower the torque spec on the U bolts?

Regardless, I am going to take a look at mine today and see if us 5 lug guys have the same issue as everybody else.

 

Ya, you never know what Toyota (or any auto company will do, Just look at GM) My U=Bolts look like they were made from the "melted down "02" frames, not a good picture, but this truck ("09") 25K, This is not oxidation! this is "Junk Yard" rust (picture doesn't show it well) I will probley have to replace them,

 

You're in Minnesota? I am surprised your plastic gas tank is not rusting.

 

Good to see this thread bumped around a little for more input.....



Guys, for the record I started this thread because after doing a couple hundred (yes, right around 200 axles later) I was alarmed at the number of trucks that had nuts on U bolts that were obviously not much more than hand tight, this hasn't been the norm for me in over 35 years of pretty active wrenching on many types of vehicles.. & for any & all those who disagree with my findings , I posed this one & only question that has yet to be answered by anyone, & that question is this.....

Up to 2004 (end of 1st gens) Toyota manuals specified that a torque of 90 ftlbs (IIRC) was needed to securely & safely hold it together, WHAT MAGICAL technology did toyota discover that would change the torque value to less than half of what toyota claimed was neccessary for previous years ???

Waiting for answer....

(keep in mind that to this day I can take 1st gen U bolts & hardware & slap them on a 2nd gen axle with no issues because they're the same)

 

Thanks for the thread!! This type of information is so important to those of us less mechanical, If I ever run across you or some to the others who have been so helpful, Drinks are on me!!!, In the next few days I am going to try &get a correct reading on mine. Thanks again!!!

 

Yes!! however I drive it very little in the winter, & always give the truck good bath under there!, Just look at those inter hubs,, I am going to see if they need replacing. Thanks for reading my post

 

No worries , thats whats great about this & other forums in general, most those who post up "how to's" or provide info is derived from real world experience, my threads/post are no different I just try to get MY results & findings out there for those to read as well as myself gathering info & tips from others, its almost always a win/win...

& I'll take you up on the drinks for sure.....

 

I recently noticed symptoms of my rear axle moving and checked my U-bolts. They were about 30 ftlbs. I looked at the size of the bolts and snugged them up to 90 ftlbs.

 

My u-bolts were very loose. I tightened them to 75ft-lbs and the rearend definitely feels more solid now.

 

Seems this thread has been going on for years with no real resolution.....any factory Toyota Guys watch these threads? Any one who is a Toyota tec? My question would be different. Rather than questioning if the 37# is correct, go with what was stated earlier and see if someone with a factory connection can find out what changed / was the reason why / Toyota lowered the axle U-bolt torque listing when going from the 1st gen to the 2nd gen trucks. Someone mentioned maybe because of axle tubes etc...might apply to Sports and such, but the TRD OR is running the same 8" axle that has been around for years, not the newer axle that is in the other models.

 

I tightened mine to 73 today, took a couple turns... I feel better about it now.

 

How did I miss this condacending asshole ?? Maybe a year later but I'll respond, first off ANYONE who would think #37 ftlbs. is adequate for holding 400lb+ axle assem. w/tires & wheels is someone I wouldn't put a wrench in their hands, 2nd. Back in the wagon wheel days as you say, guess what ? It's STILL done that way, & 3rd. My names not "Joe" MY findings are based on the roughly 200 2nd gen Tacomas that I've personally worked on & close to 85% of them had nuts so loose that if they weren't finger tight it took little effort to loosen...You can argue all you want about the superior knowledge of toyota engineers,, I don't give a shit... They blew it as far as I'm concerned...

Thanks for the thread bump, hope you guys are still checking...

 

Mine were on pretty tight when I put in my AAL this summer. I torqued the new nuts on my new u bolts to 80 ft lbs.

 

Not bad dinger how you doing ? Just had 5 teeth pulled this last week...

 

Good call Doug. I just added that 3 leaf wheelers AAL to my new leaf pack, sure as fuck didn't torque down to 37#. I put that fucker right at about 75lbs or so and made sure each one was nice and tight. Can't find the picture but there a pic of some dude whos axle basically flew out from under him because he had blocks and the ubolt's weren't tightened enough or something. Pretty sure it was a jeep.

 

Yea I definitely had to crank on mine for a minute to get them loose. Sure as heck wasn't 37#