944 Front Suspension — Tightening Torques
Factory tightening torques for the 944 front axle — control arm, cross member, steering knuckle, spring strut, stabiliser and wheel fasteners — plus the notes on the light-alloy control arms introduced for 1985/2. Torques switch between N·m and ft·lb.
The factory tightening torques for the 944 front axle — the numbers for reassembling the control arms, cross member, steering knuckle, spring struts and stabiliser. For the alignment figures that go with this work see wheel alignment; for the jobs themselves see the suspension procedures (torsion bars, control arms). Torques switch between N·m and ft·lb.
Front-axle tightening torques
| Location | Description | Thread | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control arm to cross member | Self-locking hex nut | M12 × 1.5 | 65 N·m48 ft·lb |
| Control arm to body | Hex bolt | M10 | 46 N·m34 ft·lb |
| Control-arm bearing to aluminium control arm (caster eccentric) | Self-locking hex nut | M12 × 1.5 | 85 N·m63 ft·lb |
| Control arm to steering knuckle | Self-locking hex nut | M10 | 50 N·m37 ft·lb |
| Cross member to body | Hex bolt | M12 | 85 N·m63 ft·lb |
| Guard for hydraulic bearing to cross member | Hex bolt | M6 | 10 N·m7 ft·lb |
| Tie rod to steering knuckle (castle nut) | Self-locking castle nut | M12 × 1.5 | 30 N·m22 ft·lb, then a further 20 N·m15 ft·lb to align the cotter pin |
| Tie rod to steering knuckle (self-locking nut) | Self-locking nut | M12 × 1.5 | 50 N·m37 ft·lb |
| Guard to steering knuckle | Hex bolt | M7 | 10 N·m7 ft·lb |
| Floating caliper to steering knuckle | Hex bolt | M12 × 1.5 | 85 N·m63 ft·lb |
| Spring strut to steering knuckle | Self-locking hex nut | M12 × 1.5 | 100 N·m74 ft·lb |
| Spring strut to body | Hex nut | M8 | 25 N·m18 ft·lb |
| Spring-strut bearing to spring strut | Self-locking hex nut | M14 × 1.5 | 77 N·m57 ft·lb |
| Panhead bolt to clamping nut (spring strut) | Socket-head bolt | M7 | 13 N·m10 ft·lb, then a further 3 N·m2 ft·lb |
| Plug for shock-absorber cartridge | Threaded cap | — | 120 N·m89 ft·lb to 180 N·m133 ft·lb |
| Brake disc to wheel hub | Hex nut | M8 | 23 N·m17 ft·lb |
| Track-control-arm joint to steel control arm | Hex nut | M7 | 25 N·m18 ft·lb |
| Stabiliser linkage to body | Hex bolt | M8 | 23 N·m17 ft·lb |
| Clamp for stabiliser to linkage | Locknut | M8 | 23 N·m17 ft·lb |
| Stabiliser to steel control arm | Locknut | M8 | 23 N·m17 ft·lb |
| Stabiliser linkage to aluminium control arm | Self-locking hex nut | M10 | 25 N·m18 ft·lb |
| Light-alloy wheel to brake disc | Light-alloy wheel nut | M14 × 1.5 | 130 N·m96 ft·lb |
| Steel wheel to brake disc | Steel spherical collar nut | M14 × 1.5 | 130 N·m96 ft·lb |
Light-alloy control arms (1985/2 onward)
From the 1985/2 models the steel front control arms were replaced by cast light-alloy arms — stiffer and lighter — with a redesigned rubber bearing and a modified caster adjusting eccentric. (The 924 S keeps steel control arms.)
The ball-and-socket joint of the light-alloy arm is not available separately and cannot be changed with ordinary workshop tools — if it is damaged (for example a split protective rubber cap), the whole control arm must be replaced.
Light-alloy arms can be fitted to cars built with steel arms, but you also need the caster eccentric, the stabiliser-to-control-arm linkage (the stabiliser mounting point on the arm changed) and the bearing parts.
From model year '87 all four-cylinder cars have a negative steering offset; the 924 S front axle was not changed.