torque settings

[AlanCooper]

Where can I find out the torque settings for the cylinder head, big end bolts etc on a 1937 Austin Seven Mark 2 Ruby?

[Jack in the Box]

Try the Cornwall Austin 7 website.


Alan

[Chris KC]

Alan, people can doubtless tell you what they apply, but there were never any factory settings published. Also with 80 or 90 year old components things are not quite so predictable as on a new car, so tread carefully.

You can fairly safely tighten your head studs to 20lbft. Follow the recommended tightening sequence, and do it incrementally not all in one go. After first running the engine wait till it is stone cold then re-tighten, as some settling may occur - especially important with alloy heads. You must recognise that if your studs are old and weakened there is a risk they may shear under tightening.

As for big ends I'll let someone else answer as I don't use standard Austin rods (- 18lbft or so I think?)

[Bob Culver]

This topic recurrs. Seven studs are thin and typically rusted in so replacement when snapped off is a saga.
It is questionable if original  studs are more ht than ht hardware bolts, 45 tsi. Any  torque beyond that recommended for normal ht hardwre is pushing luck, esp on old stretched studs
One of the Club sites gives/gave a grossly wrong figure for head studs.

["Slack Alice" Simon]

Alan also posted this question on the Facebook site.

One of the replies is the most comprehensive list of torques I have seen.

[Colin Wilks]

For those of us who don't do social media (I cancelled my Facebook account some years ago, having been "poked" once too often) could you copy the torque settings into this forum. I am stripping my front suspension this week. The hub nut on one side moved at 54 ft/lbs, the other side at 91 ft/lbs.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Colin,

the ones quoted on Facebook most likely come from this article: https://www.pwa7c.co.uk/articles/downloa...ttings.pdf

[Chris KC]

That looks like a very handy list indeed, thanks. I would caution though that the correct tightening torque for any joint depends on a number of factors including for example the condition of any fasteners being used or indeed re-used. Any variations (different washers, different plating, different surface condition, use of lubricants...) all affect the 'correct' torque. These figures should be used for guidance, not set in concrete.

I would also add (as it has come up twice in as many days) that the torque to undo a joint is not the same thing as the torque it was done up to.

[Colin Wilks]

Cheers Ruairidh. However, John Hopwood doesn't mention hubs. What do people use for fronts and rears?

["Slack Alice" Simon]

Rears: I don't bother with the split pin, my wheel centres are left open, I put my ratchet spanner and socket on them every 50 - 100 miles or so and stand on it.

Which would make it about 150 foot pounds, more if I bounce on them a little.

Fronts I don't know, I probably do 50, and the split pins.