1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

[Frank D.]

Everything I've seen says that the bolts on the outer end of the half-shafts that go into the spindle flange are torqued to 70 ft-lbs for 63 ?

Is that correct ?

I did a few of those bolts to 70 ft-lbs and they distorted and ruined the 63-style French locks (I used grease on the locks' bolt hole), so I tried the later 65-67 and stronger French locks and they twisted up too...

What am I missing here ?

[Larry M.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Stainless steel french locks and some never-seize under the bolt threads are the best for this. But even then, I think I quit at about 60 ft-lbs and called it done.

Larry

[Richard M.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Frank,

I hate to even think of this, but I wonder if those made today are from that far away place on the other side of the world and are just plain junk. If that's the case maybe that's what you're up against. Maybe there's a market for original used American made French Locks.

Although, I have always had a few that twisted a bit, but I managed to redo them. Some were beyond repair and tossed. Either way these are a real pain no matter what.

Just checked the 63 AIM Sec 4 Sheet 4. ..... says 60-90 lbs/ft. But there's a note, 14 (4-16-63), that says "changed from 70-90 lbs/ft". So maybe the factory guys were tearing up the French locks too and backed off to 60 lbs/ft also(as Larry suggests), even though nominal center of the range is 75. Yikes I'd never go 90 on those for fear of stripping out something.

Rich

[Frank D.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Thanks folks. I did get the stainless 63/64 French locks before starting this job.
Can't say if they're Chiwanese or not, but they are certainly flimsier than the later midyear locks.

I was using grease on the bolt holes but I think I'll try anti-seize and go with 60 ft-lbs. This is a lightly-driven, 250hp split window so that should do. I'm also gonna reuse the original bolts as I think the surface under the new, reproduction heads are "rougher" and may grab the locks. The repros also have a 1/4" shank with no threads under the head whereas the originals are fully threaded.

One things for sure; I'm gettin' too old for this stuff!

[Richard M.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Frank I noticed the AIM states that those bolts changed 4-16-63 also. I wonder what the difference was?

Now 3843385 from 454958 (7/16-20 1 1/8"L)

In Jan 1965, 3843385 changed to 3850543

I could not find any other specs on them.

Rich

[Richard G.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Frank;
Cars built before May of 63 didn't us the French Locks.

Rick

[Frank D.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Frank;
Cars built before May of 63 didn't us the French Locks.

Rick

I have a May 29th built car, but that's interesting; did earlier cars use lock washers on the bolts or go naked ?

I considered a flat washer under the bolts to avoid distorting the French locks but the AIM clearly shows there weren't any...

[Joe L.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Frank I noticed the AIM states that those bolts changed 4-16-63 also. I wonder what the difference was?

Now 3843385 from 454958 (7/16-20 1 1/8"L)

In Jan 1965, 3843385 changed to 3850543

I could not find any other specs on them.

Rich

Rich------

GM #3843385 was the french lock, not the bolt and changed to french lock GM #3860543. The bolt was originally GM #454958, as you mentioned, and changed to GM #3843384. Both the 3860543 and 3843384 continued to be used right through 1979. I don't have specs on either bolt as they were never available in SERVICE. However, I do know that the 3843384 bolt is as you described with respect to size and length. I also know that it's a GM 300-M material grade (SAE 8) and finished with a phosphate-organic finish. I don't know what else there is to know about it.

I just recollected the difference between the 454958 and the 3843384: the 454958 was fully threaded. The 3843384 had about 1/4" of unthreaded shank below the head.

[Leif A.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Everything I've seen says that the bolts on the outer end of the half-shafts that go into the spindle flange are torqued to 70 ft-lbs for 63 ?

Is that correct ?

I did a few of those bolts to 70 ft-lbs and they distorted and ruined the 63-style French locks (I used grease on the locks' bolt hole), so I tried the later 65-67 and stronger French locks and they twisted up too...

What am I missing here ?

Frankie,
Went through this about a year ago. Bought the stainless steel french locks from LIC, installed to 70 lb ft, no distortion whatsoever.

[Frank D.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Frankie,
Went through this about a year ago. Bought the stainless steel french locks from LIC, installed to 70 lb ft, no distortion whatsoever.

Thanks, I'll order some....just tried again and I can't even get to 50 ft-lbs without twisting the snot out of those cheesy locks...

[Timothy B.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Frank,

I would also put a drop of blue loc-tite on the bolts. I think the shoulder design under the head is better, I don't know if these bolts changed with the addition of the french locks, the early cars did not have them.

[Gary R.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Frank
I had several new GM bagged steel locks about 15 years ago. I went to install them and at 50 ft/lbs they twisted like pretzel. I spoke with a well known vette shop at the time and they told me they stop at 50 and leave them there. At the time I bought the new SS locks that were thicker then the GM steels, bent the link down to clear the bolt head, put never seize under the bolt heads and torqued them to 70 ft/lb very slowly. They were starting to twist at that point. Now when I setup Tom's 31's they don't use French locks so Loctite #271 is used along with lockwashers. The flange bolts are the same shouldered 7/16-20 that are used for brake calipers. I prefer the shoulder bolt over the full threaded type. Joe can confirm but I believe those bolts were still available about 15 years ago from GM but were changed as some point to fully threaded.

[Frank D.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

On early cars without the French locks, did they use just the black phosphate bolts ? Or were there lock washers ? The Judging Manual doesn't specify..

[Joe L.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

Frank
I had several new GM bagged steel locks about 15 years ago. I went to install them and at 50 ft/lbs they twisted like pretzel. I spoke with a well known vette shop at the time and they told me they stop at 50 and leave them there. At the time I bought the new SS locks that were thicker then the GM steels, bent the link down to clear the bolt head, put never seize under the bolt heads and torqued them to 70 ft/lb very slowly. They were starting to twist at that point. Now when I setup Tom's 31's they don't use French locks so Loctite #271 is used along with lockwashers. The flange bolts are the same shouldered 7/16-20 that are used for brake calipers. I prefer the shoulder bolt over the full threaded type. Joe can confirm but I believe those bolts were still available about 15 years ago from GM but were changed as some point to fully threaded.

Gary----

My experience with the GM french locks is the same.

Yes, the flange bolts, GM #3843384, were the same as the bolts used for the rear caliper. However, I cannot find that these bolts were ever available in SERVICE.

Paragon makes excellent reproductions of the flange and caliper bolts. Of course, material specs are always a question mark with reproduction fasteners.

[Richard G.]

Re: 1963 Half Shaft Spindle Flange Bolt Torque

The assemble manual only shows the latest reiteration, with the locks.
I was careful to reassemble my car as I found it and have included a picture of its current state.
I believe it to be correct, for an early 1963, except for the u-joint.
Rick
1963 Corvette wheel flange.jpg