going to stand


[Follow Ups] [Post Followup] [Dodge Power Wagon Forum]


Posted by john copeman ontario can. on Tuesday, April 01, 2008 at 03:28:38 :

if i was going to install u bolts tomorow i would still feel it neccasary to heat the bolts prior to the final tightening>at the factory leaf springs are spotless clean and painted >then placed in a jig aligned and cenrte bolts installed and bracket(s) installed and every part PRESSED together and then the U bolts a drawn to corect torque>on the floor in the shop is a different story the moment you cut open the old u bolts the springs open up and rust and dirt gets between the leafs>all u bolts not created equal they are far from perfect in manufacture,(generalization here)often i had to spread or narrow the u bolts to have them go through the brackets >sometimes on round top bolts they were not of a perfect fit over the axle,on square top bolts occasionaly these were not parralel to the springs > i found, that all the above inconsistencies, required the torqure i applied to correct what i have talked about above .in reallity your were not tighting the u bolts ,i found when tightening i was compressing crap between the springs, forming the u bolts to fit, and compressing springs all in the sake of tightening and trying to achive a equal torqured value on the bolts . when reading the torque that members here memtioned (140)F/P these must be grade 5 bolts which are cold formed mild steel >if you used grade 8s (my choice)it would be 30 % higher so i see why you can torque them with out issuses > lose u bolts cause broken cenre pins and broken leaves and clamps to open and springs to fan out > i have had plenty of experince(35 years) with heating u bolts and never a failure >BUT WITH THE ADVICE I HAVE RECIEVED HERE ON THIS FORM I WOULD NOT RECOMEND ANY ONE HEAT U BOLTS>when you install new u bolts check them frequently > i suspect that the manufactures recomend that you retighten the u bolts for all the above reasons i mentioned in here >once i installed u bolts in my shop, i probably never seen the vehicle again and did not have the oppertunity to retorque



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