Check Your U-Bolts

I checked my 2018 with about 1000 miles yesterday and most if not all needed 1-2 turns before hitting 52 ft lbs.

 

I made a mistake and asked the dealer to check the torque on my u-bolts! Well they overtorqued the shit out of them! Went and bought me a torque wrench, I had to use a long ass pipe to get them to move. After watching the video got me worried :I

 

Standard torque for Tacoma rear ends is 89/90 ft lbs. I believe your 37 lbs under torqued. I checked mine the other day with just over 3k on my rig and was 15 lbs light.

Hope you got a good one those cheap Harbor freight ones are crap. Get a good one with a locking ring and clicks when you hit your mark. Still using my Utica wrench I bought back in the 80's.

Here is one from ebay like mine, vintage re calibrated from Utica says the listing.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Torque-Wre...882653&hash=item285520bcd1:g:awgAAOSw5ipasTTX

 

4 out of 8 needed full turn to get to 52 ft lbs

 

Where are you seeing 90 ft lbs? Everything I've seen in this thread has been referring to 52 ft lbs. I think someone even posted the service manual that stated 52 ft lbs.

 

Seems like the the varying torque spec is coming from diff Gens of Tacos. Also some going by various bolt grades and thread pitch. I have seen 52 ft lbs for 3rd gen U bolts from what I've researched as well.

 

I picked up a kobalt on sale at lews it' pretty nice but 20 to 100 only wish I had got the 30 to 150 instead!

 

Haynes Repair Manual #92076 for early 4x4 tacos 90 ft lbs. The size of the ubolt and nut on our rigs are pretty thick 19mm or 3/4 inch nuts can easily handle it. I wasn't comfortable at 52 so went with my gut feeling and set it to 89 seems standard on most rear ends.

 

Those are good wrenches why not just go back and exchange it?

 

A couple months back I spent HOURS looking for this thread. My alignment was thrown off by a minor fender bender and I though it may have been because of loose U-Bolts.

I swore I remembered seeing this thread but I was starting to wonder if I had just imagined it. Sometimes I wonder about the Search functionality on this site.

Alignment issue fixed. Now I need a torque wrench!

 

Because the other one wasn't on clearance and double the price

 

Seems way off. Some of the aftermarket u-bolts are in the 80s, but 90 seems crazy.

 

I see your point but cross reference the details, it's all 80/90 on most trucks. Emu has the same specs for the 02 Taco in Haynes so that's where I'm asserting to 89ft lbs. Same for my late 07 XRunner Torqued to 90 ft lbs.

Old Man Emu produces a high quality U-Bolt that is not only a perfect fit to your toyota but also they come on various lengths. These U-Bolts are designed to keep metric sizing in mind. No need to change tools while installing because your U-Bolts could be Standard size. These U-Bolts are also larger than OEM so that can handle the abuse you may throw at them.

Specs

A - Length : 185mm

B - Width : 75mm

C - Thread Size : 14mm

D - Thread Pitch : 1.5

Style : Square U-Bolt

Recomended Torque : 90 fb lb | 126 N

Edit: Both rear ends were LSD with the same length and diameter no change in ubolts! Unless they are made in China now...

 

Just checked mine. 7 of the 8 look about 1/2 - 3/4 of a turn to hit 60ft lbs. Next on the list is to check the u goings to see if they were under greased from the factory. And then front and rear did fluid chcek

 

I forgot to mention I've wheeled it a bit at Hungry Valley and have carried a few loads of firewood. So I'm sure those 7 got loose. This thread should be stickied to help remind the members and those on the internet to take care of maintenance. Good deal.

 

I don't think I'd want to torque the OEM bolts to 90. Do you think it's worth replacing the stock u-bolts with aftermarket to keep things in place properly, even if
everything else stays OEM?

 

There is nothing wrong with the HF torque wrenches. I've had had mine for a couple decades and it is still in spec and does its job. My Craftsman in-lb wrench that is a couple years newer requires constant calibration. I got that one because HF didn't have an in-lb wrench yet.

Always store clicker types backed the whole way off the scale.

 

Tony, this was the only part from your suggestions my brother and I didn’t get to. I’m taking maintenance more seriously now.

 

No worries! Did this help with the suspension knock?

 

I almost went this morning to go find out, but opted not to as I started to port a cylinder instead. But I’ll be going next week to find out what happens.

On the street, it rides like a Cadillac.