K-member bolts NOT E-18 Torx????

89_Red_Xr7

Registered User
I have had a popping noise in my suspension for awhile, so I figured that i might as well make sure that my K-member bolts are nice and tight. I picked up an E-18 Torx socket, but it will not fit. I used the 9/16 socket to tighten them up a little and it has helped so far with the popping, but I would like to get them tightend up a little more.

Has anyone ever seen K-member bolts that are not E-18 ????

Andrew
 
strut rod bushings

Have you done your strut rod bushings? They have been the culprit of most popping in my cars.
 
Yes, everything up front has been done. Except for the right upper control arm, the rear bolt on the arm would not come off at all so I left it for the time being.

Another thing, now I realize that the E-18 is a 9/16" size, maybe the one I bought was mis-stamped(unlikely), since it absolutely will not go on at all...

Andrew
 
right upper control arm bolt

On my Father in laws 96 XR7 cougar, I actually cut a square access door to get at a right side upper control arm bolt. It was great. I then just welded the peice I cut back to the car. You cant see it when its all together. Thats a bit extreme, but I had the tools and got tired of messing with it. I may do that to my 35th when the time comes.
 
7birdslater said:
On my Father in laws 96 XR7 cougar, I actually cut a square access door to get at a right side upper control arm bolt. It was great. I then just welded the peice I cut back to the car. You cant see it when its all together. Thats a bit extreme, but I had the tools and got tired of messing with it. I may do that to my 35th when the time comes.
Well, I wouldn't want to spoil your fun, but you can save yourself some metal shavings if you want... Just reach behind the spring with a 6" extension and 6 sided socket (deep or shallow one of them will reach) and for the hard to get to nut, jack up the car, crawl underneath, and hook a sloppy wrench on as a backup wrench. :cool: Oh, and knock off and toss those metal stop arms on the bolts; they were just there for assembly line reasons. :)
 
89_Red_Xr7 said:
Yes, everything up front has been done. Except for the right upper control arm, the rear bolt on the arm would not come off at all so I left it for the time being.

Another thing, now I realize that the E-18 is a 9/16" size, maybe the one I bought was mis-stamped(unlikely), since it absolutely will not go on at all...

Andrew

Does that include the front hub/spindle assemblies..on the 89 and 90 front ends the front hub/spindle assembles are really bad about wearing out and causeing a popping noise when you turn hard over......
 
the hub and spindle assemblies have not been changed yet, but I don't think they were the cause of the popping. On the way to work this morning I put the car through some tight cornering and had the wheels cranked all the way to both sides. No popping yet..
I'm going to gradually increase the cornering speeds this weekend to see if the popping comes back.

Andrew
 
What you need to do is roll the car very slowly and turn the wheels hard over if it pops it's your hub/spindle assemblies.. :(
 
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