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I replaced my OEM radius rod bushings a while back with Moog ones and I also installed new OEM locknuts while I was at it.
After several thousand miles of driving, I noticed a clunk coming from the front end on the passenger side and I traced it to a loose locknut on the passenger side radius rod. I was 99.9% sure that I torqued it down properly when I swapped the bushings, but I figured that maybe I either didn't or it was a bad locknut. The driver's side was perfectly fine. So, just to be on the safe side, I re-torqued the nut on the passenger side, checked the torque on the driver's side and installed a second set of nuts to lock down the Acura locknuts.
A few thousand miles after that fix, the clunking noise seems to be back with the same exact symptoms as before and I'd be willing to bet that when I look under the car tonight, I will see loose nuts on the passenger side radius rod.
Has this happened to anyone else? Do I have to get out the Locktite to prevent this from happening again? The nut was not coming loose with the OEM bushing in place.
First question is is did you install the bushings correctly? They go in opposite of the way of they way it looks like they would go in. Did you put the metal sleeve in? If there is any play in them it will just wear the bushing causing the radius rod to move. Are you sure the nut is actually backing itself off?
Yes. The last time that I tightened it, the nut was much closer to the end of the radius rod than on the driver's side. I will re-check the bushings tonight, but I'm pretty sure that they went in like in the picture and I definitely installed the sleeve and the washers.
As an update, I took a look at the radius rods last night and discovered that the passenger side locknut spun off about 1/2" together with the second nut that I installed a few thousand miles ago. The nuts on the driver's side did not move. The bushings are installed properly.
It seems like the new Honda/Acura locknut that I installed when I replaced the bushings may be to blame because I can't see any other cause.
Admittedly, I may have not snugged down the second nut as much as I should have a few thousand miles ago because it should have prevented the locknut from coming loose. So, this time around, I applied blue threadlocker under the OEM locknut as well as the second nut and tightened the locknut down to 40 lb ft and the second nut to 50 lb ft while holding the locknut with a wrench to prevent any movement. Just in case, I also applied the threadlocker to the second nut on the driver's side.
If this doesn't work for some reason, I guess that I'll have to get a new locknut from Honda/Acura.
When taking off the nut did you use penetrating oil such as wd40 or pb blaster ?
If so the residue may have stood on the threads making it easier for the nut to back out.
Make sure the threads are clean and nut tightened with the suspension loaded.
I didn't use any type of penetrating oil when taking things apart.
I really think that there may be some issue with the one locknut, but theoretically, the backup nut together with the threadlocker on both nuts should prevent this from happening again and I'll keep an eye on it just in case.
MBP have you checked all the rubber bushings and ball joints on the suspension side where the radius rod bolts on with the two 19mm bolts? I am talking about the area where the wheel bolts on. Theres a bunch of rubber in that area and if you have a worn bj or broken lca/uca rubber bushing or bad shock rubber mount it can cause excessive movement while driving thus potentially causing your end nut to work its way loose.
Just another thing to check to hopefully help you fix the issue!
03-30-2015, 08:29 AM
