Cranking Deez Nuts (A Torque Question)

The Gabriel shocks I am installing on the rear of my Roadmaster have a different type of bolt securing them than stock. The Gabriels have a double-threaded bolt, with a 3/4 nut on one side and an 11/16 nut on the other.

The stock shocks had a specialized "bolt" with a nut on one side and just a flat steel on the other.

The FSM tells me to torque the lower shock nut to 63 lbs; this would be the 3/4 nut on the new shocks, visible on the left of the first two pics below. I did that.

But then I started applying the same torque to the 11/16 nut on the other side and I just had that "uh-oh" feeling and stopped. Some of you might remember I aggressively torqued a small bolt in my balancer assembly and stretched it. I want to avoid any more torque mistakes.

What should this 11/16 bolt (on the right in the first two pics below) be torqued to? It is pressing against a lock washer and then a flat washer, and while torquing it is compressing the rubber bushing in the bottom of the shock. I'm not sure how far I'd go before the torque wrench actually clicked.

The paperwork with the new shocks says bupkus about torque.






Here is the factory bolt on the other side of the car.

On my Monroe SS shocks, I just tightened with an impact. On and off with the impact about 6 times with no issues.

I try to make up for being functionally retarded when it comes to physics, geometry, and mechanical skill by following to the letter any service manual procedures or advice from experienced folks.

I initially assumed that if I held the 11/16 nut with a wrench while torquing the 3/4 nut to spec, then both nuts would end up torqued to the same measurement. But after torquing the larger nut I put the torque wrench on the smaller one, assuming it would make the wrench "click" at the same setting. But, it just kept on cranking down, which is what brought me here.

I believe there is a metal center bushing in the lower shock end. The nut should crank down until it clamps the inner bushing of the shock, then it will start to give a torque reading. If it is 11/16 it should be about 10% less than a 3/4 inch (you said it is 1/16 inch smaller).

When no torque values are given I always tighten until the rubber bushing is compressed until its the same diameter as the large washer that came with the kit.ALL DONE!

You do not show the "shock" end of the two ended bolt. Usually the shock end has a shoulder to stop the nut from crushing the rubber too much.