Only tighten bolts after car is on the floor?

[sgtBerbatov]

I was talking to a friend about the car I've been working on and I told him I had installed new bushes on the whole rear suspension of my Corolla (about 8 in total). He said he was having to do the front of his car and asked me if I only tightened the bolts when the car was on the ground under its own weight.

I told him no, I had tightened them while it was up on axle stands then dropped the car. He wasn't sure, but he felt that he had heard that after installing new bushes on a car you should let the car rest on the ground and then tighten the bolts.

I've never heard of this, but I'm not a master mechanic either. Is this something that has to be done or does it not make any difference?

[sgtBerbatov]

Thanks for the answers. I never knew about it, and I've told my friend what's been said here.

I'll have to re-do my rear bushes now then! That should be fun.