Thread: Cradle bolts

Question for those who know a lot about how the cradle should be handled.

My cradle bolts are loose again. I want to tighten them up and add some thread locker. Is it safe to put the front of the car on jack stands, where the jack stands are under the mid points of the cradle (next to the control arms)? Then, I would remove one bolt at a time, apply locker, and torque.

If I have to, I can wait for the chassis lift to become free and I think I have access to a type of support fixture. Not sure.

It is perhaps my over cautious nature to such things but I used 4 jack stands to support the front end on my car when I started the engine and tranny pull. Im sure what you are proposing should be good, but I was concerned about all that weight. I was just going to put the jack stands at the jack points under the doors, but all that weight free hanging like that gave me pause. So I used 4 stands put right at the mounting points for the cradle.

'Course, now when I go to pull the cradle that will have to change but there also wont be all the weight there either with the engine and tranny out. But again, Im over cautious about such things, so keep that in mind as well.

I've never heard a peep from two jack stands with the front of the car's weight. The ones I use at the shop... one could hold up my entire car and then some. They're fine.

My main issue is with supporting the front by the cradle while I take out one bolt at a time. Seems safe in my mind, but I don't want it shifting or becoming misaligned or something.

Thoughts?

Originally Posted by BADAZGTP

Take it as you will, but if it was me, I'd also put some stands under the rear so that the car would continue to sit flat and not angled down in the rear. Just my thoughts on it. When I droped mine, I tried to keep the car as level as I could.

If I'm gonna do all that, I'll just put it on the chassis lift and get it over my head. Thanks for the advice, though. Good point.

Originally Posted by Sabrewings

I've never heard a peep from two jack stands with the front of the car's weight. The ones I use at the shop... one could hold up my entire car and then some. They're fine.

My main issue is with supporting the front by the cradle while I take out one bolt at a time. Seems safe in my mind, but I don't want it shifting or becoming misaligned or something.

Thoughts?

If you are taking the bolts out one at a time, I dont believe anything would shift around on you.

Anyone one the specific torque ft/lbs for the cradle bolts?

what does the common poping noise come from usally?? after i went to the track my car started to pop when taking off. i then got hit in my wheel and had tie rods and cv joints replaced. at first i thought it was the motor mount but those were replaced and its actually worse now. the mec. said maybe it was the bushings on the struts, but i keep hearing about these cradle bolts. could they be the problem to my poping??

Originally Posted by Reptile

I've loosened the bolts on the back before with jackstands on the radiator support end, I do this to lower the cradle a bit to put in the GMPP sway bars....and I've never had a problem. Taking one bolt out at a time will not be any big deal at all.

GM shows torque specs for the front at 107ft/lbs and the rear at 118 ft/lbs

X2

Originally Posted by blowfishRus6

what does the common poping noise come from usally?? after i went to the track my car started to pop when taking off. i then got hit in my wheel and had tie rods and cv joints replaced. at first i thought it was the motor mount but those were replaced and its actually worse now. the mec. said maybe it was the bushings on the struts, but i keep hearing about these cradle bolts. could they be the problem to my poping??

Blowfish,

It has been said that the cradle bolts were not torqued to spec from the factory. Go ahead and put a torque wrench on them and tighten them to specs. It is possible that could fix your symptoms.

On the other hand, it is very common for failed strut mounts to make those same "knocking" or "popping" sounds. Check them out too.

good info, thanks blown97