Lower front wishbone fixings

[Joesson]

After some time I am now replacing my refurbished wishbones. All items are back on the car and nipped up and require final tightening/ torquing.
From what I have read the suspension should be in a loaded condition when tightening.
I have read that a bottle jack under the suspension will do this.
The problem is there is not a convenient point other than the bottom of the ball  joint that I am reluctant to use.
I have instead put the wheels on (two nuts only) and raised the car off of the stands and lowered the tyres onto some timber blocks to load the suspension and give me 75mm of extra clearance from the floor.
I can get at the rear/ vertical fixing, but I might have to rethink to get at the front horizontal fixing as access is difficult!
Oh for a lift!
Any advice would be gratefully received and also a confirmation of the required torque values.

[Ardent]

@Joesson

Check your emails.

[Joesson]

I liked @Ardents post for his ( future use) generosity in sharing, however , the required wishbone fixing torques were not amongst them.
There is mention elsewhere on the www of fitting these but any torque references differ quite widely.
Maybe one of the 47 readers has that information and perhaps thought I now did.
I don't!
As previously all, and any advice, particularly verified torque figures, ie a source and or " I used " X Nm  or X ft lb f and it didn't break/ strip the thread and it's not since fallen off" would be helpful.

[Gaz mr-s]

https://toyota-specs.com/cars/2004/mr21.8/torque-specs_front.php

[Dev]

It is always good to do it by the book. However I was successful doing this without load on the suspension or a torque wrench. I made sure the bolts are tight. You can tell by feel and maybe they will be over tightened a little but there should be no harm. I have done this job probably seven times for myself and others with no issues. I have also sold my bushing tool to so many owners world wide and have kept in contact with a good number of them and not one reported issue.
Because the bolts are long with many threads it is my belief that they will give you plenty of warning while driving if there are any issues.

If you are concerned what I would do is drive the car for a short period of time and then recheck the bolts for tightness.

[Ardent]

I liked @Ardents post for his ( future use) generosity in sharing, however , the required wishbone fixing torques were not amongst them.
There is mention elsewhere on the www of fitting these but any torque references differ quite widely.
Maybe one of the 47 readers has that information and perhaps thought I now did.
I don't!
As previously all, and any advice, particularly verified torque figures, ie a source and or " I used " X Nm  or X ft lb f and it didn't break/ strip the thread and it's not since fallen off" would be helpful.

Damn yes.
That was a collection of small various bits n pieces I had collated into a pdf. But there are a couple of others.
Sorry mate. If you don't find them before I get home I'll ping those over as well.
Edit.
Using the cloud and sending on the hoof.
Try now.

[Iain]

I rebushed mine a couple of years ago, fitted them back on without them being under load and didnt have any torque settings to use so just did them up good and tight. Never had any problems.

[Joesson]

Thank you @Gaz mr-s.
I have seen this info previously but having removed and refitted the "struts"/ shocks  on my 2 twice and reading on this that I need to, remove the sway bar ( ARB) from the strut to remove the strut and that there are "4or 3 " fixings at the top but the final point of concern was the 203 ftlb for the bottom fixings. My previous info was 58 ftlb , quite a difference!

My first job was in a machine shop where I was taught Check twice, cut once.
In life I have applied similar rules, particularly for information. If you just copy/ repeat something, that's plagiarism.  If you find at least three sources, and apply, that's research.

[Joesson]

Thank you @Dev
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I like to be aware of the theory, I will apply that theory when I can, but sometimes you just have to run with what you have got.

[Joesson]

@Iain
Thank you also for sharing. Gut en tite, or similar was the comical (Pseudo German) reference someone made on Spyderchat.

[Joesson]

@Ardent
Thank you J, all received with thanks. Other pressing matters, a roast dinner at our Daughter's took precedent today so have not been working in the garage. The day off has also allowed some of the bruises and aches and pains associated with my TMB to subside.

[Ardent]

Roast dinner = winner.

[Joesson]

There are other ways we can comunicate with our fellow Members and one did just that for me today and PM'd me for my email to send me some useful stuff.
So, thank you also to that person, you know who you are.

[Iain]

@Iain
Thank you also for sharing. Gut en tite, or similar was the comical (Pseudo German) reference someone made on Spyderchat.

A close mechanic friend of mine told me they do that sort of thing in the trade 'FT'. The F being a word we dont use on here and the T being Tight. I'll let you figure out the 'F' 😜

[Joesson]

https://toyota-specs.com/cars/2004/mr21.8/torque-specs_front.php

Further to my #7 above:
I have seen this info previously and have some concern about this part of the lower arm installation:
The new strut can be installed in reverse order of the removal. Starting with sliding the new strut into the strut tower and tightening the upper nuts to 25 ft-lbs. Then you can install the lower strut bolts and tighten them to 203 ft-lbs.

I believe this is an error as other references give this as 103 ft lb f.
Not to mention my 55 ft lb f !,

[Joesson]

A close mechanic friend of mine told me they do that sort of thing in the trade 'FT'. The F being a word we dont use on here and the T being Tight. I'll let you figure out the 'F' 😜

I think I have the answer!

[Beachbum957]

Get a factory shop manual (not aftermarket or generic) and follow the spec.  Factory manuals do sometimes have mistakes, but they usually list stuff like torques in multiple places. And it does make a difference if the suspension is loaded when some suspension bolts are tightened and torqued. Tightening bolts that go through bushings while unloaded can add stress on the bushing when bushing is twisted when the car is loaded.

Professional mechanics can often get very close to a desired torque spec just by feel as they tighten bolts all day long.

[Carolyn]

I agree with @Beachbum957 ,

It does matter what position a suspension component is when a rubber bushing joint is tightened.  The movement in these joints is entirely in the rubber twisting, not the internal sleeve rotating around the shaft of the through-bolt.

If it's tightened in an extended position, the rubber will be permanently under stress when the car is sitting on its wheels.  Also the extreme motion in the upwards direction will cause more twisting of the bush than would otherwise be the case.  This HAS to shorten the life of the bush.

[Iain]

Thinking about this a bit more and trying to remember how i did it, im pretty sure i got one of the bolts in and then got the trolley jack under the arm to line it up into place.

[Joesson]

So, with a little help from my friends the wishbones are back on the car.
I first fixed the ball joint as I felt that the thread could too easily be damaged.
Next I fitted the rear/ vertical ( NB. It is not truly vertical so be aware ) fixing bolt but left plenty of wriggle room.
The front/ horizontal fixing, with SuoerPro Bush as was the rear, was lubed with the supplied grease on the mating faces.
A rod was used to more or less align the Bush with the fixing holes. Body weight and some leverage with a small timber section helped alignment.
Once the bolts were in they were nipped up, using the bolt head on the front / horizontal item to allow the locking nut to do it's job.

The above was done with the front on axle stands under the sills at the jacking points.
The front was then raised sufficient to refit the wheels and lowered again onto 75mm timbers.
This elevation gave me sufficient space to get back under with socket and torque wrench to tighten the now preloaded bushes.
That being the easiest part of the whole process for me!