This is a general question, but the vehicle I am working on is a 2004 Toyota Corolla. And the nuts in question are the 17 mm nuts which connect the stabilizer bar links to the front struts.
I am replacing all the struts with new quick-struts and replacing the stabilizer bar links as well, and I simply cannot tighten these nuts to the recommended torque value, because the end in the stabilizer bar link turns. I want to add a second nut to be able to tighten against, so I need four more of these nuts. I guess I could bring one of the OEM nuts to an auto parts store, but I’d rather buy online if possible.
Hi. There is a hex hole, and I put an allen wrench into it, in order to tighten as tight as I can with a monkey wrench. However, that’s not tight enough, because with a socket and torque wrench, it still turns.
Interestingly, the stabilizer bar link pictured comes with nylon locknuts, as did the (less fancy) ones I ordered. I did not use those nuts, and reused the OEM nuts.
I do believe lock nuts are a single use item and shouldn’t be reused. I’ll just say that I bought an sae and metric set of the thread and bolt sets. In think I paid $20 but have been very useful in identifying bolts and nut sizes before heading to the hardware store. The only drawback was left hand threads were not included.
Why are you using an adjustable wrench??? That is your 1st mistake… Use a proper boxed end (combination) wrench and you will be able to tighten it, and by using an open end/boxed end wrench (combination wrench) , you can add two wrenches together for extra torque… Sometimes you can use the handle from a small(er) bottle jack as a cheater pipe for the small allen wrench for better holding power…
There is a simple saying, use the proper tool(s) for the job…
How reliable are the aftermarket nylon locknuts? Will they stay tight, even if the target torque value is not reached? The OEM nuts did not have any locking feature, and relied solely on tightening torque to remain in place. They were extremely tight, and required an impact driver to remove.
And I might have used the wrong terminology. I did not use an adjustable Crescent-type wrench. I used the open end of a combination wrench (17 mm).
It is supposed to turn. If you look at the threads, they only go so far down the shaft, that is as far as they are supposed to go. If you are using a torque wrench, you have to use a crowfoot socket in order to torque it, and you have to know how to adjust the torque value to compensate for the extra length that the crowfoot adds to the torque wrench.
This is a ball joint and a ball joint has to be free to articulate.
Often people answer their own questions. But yeah a proper wrench and the Allen to hold it with the provided nuts. May not be the nylon type but lock nuts. Single use. But mine had flats behind the joint to hold it. I had to cut my old one off.
A set of metric and sae open end and box end wrenches are about $10 each at harbor freight. Not the best but still work. I just have a spare set in the trunk. Almost in everyone’s budget.
I don’t know what we called the open end of a combination wrench, the closed end is the box end. Any comments? I’m curious.
Likely our friend across the pond would call it a scanner.
