Spring U bolt replacement

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Dumb question:I bought all new springs, hangers, U Bolts etc. for my Top Kick. I didn't get them installed right away. Now that they are on, inspection station says they are too short. I contacted the place I bought them. They say "tough shi*" I found a new source, bought new U bolts. I hoped I could jack it up enough to take the weight off the tires & change one u bolt at a time. I'm several revolutions backed off on the first U bolt, it's still very tight. How are these things done without losing your head?An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:The bolt on the other side of the spring will pull the plate as you loosen the first side. I always back them both off equally. Also did you left the wheels of the ground, if so you have to support the axles weight, if you only raised the side you are working on the other side will be putting stress on the side you are working on.Mike
Reply:

Originally Posted by leightrepairs

The bolt on the other side of the spring will pull the plate as you loosen the first side. I always back them both off equally. Also did you left the wheels of the ground, if so you have to support the axles weight, if you only raised the side you are working on the other side will be putting stress on the side you are working on.
Reply:Axle is under the spring, right. If so yes loosen  all four nuts.Mike
Reply:I almost always just cut them off.... they're gonna break anyways, the road salt just kills em'

  Although it sounds as if yours haven't been on long enough to seize up??? maybe-- it don't take long...Less than an hour ago I was trying to save some ubolts under our dump trailer, had a slipper spring break at the holding loop... and we had an extra new spring in the shop!!! but no hardware... I got one off without breaking it

but the threads were so galled up it won't be going back on... the other broke about 6 turns out

7/16ths X 3 X 7 inch ubolts.

Last edited by ronsii; 09-15-2020 at 08:51 PM.
Reply:I haven't done nearly as many as you guys, but I've never got one off without breaking or galling.Torch or angle grinder for me....

Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:

Originally Posted by MinnesotaDave

I haven't done nearly as many as you guys, but I've never got one off without breaking or galling.Torch or angle grinder for me....


Reply:These are new, installed 2 months ago. The U bolts were made from 40" 7/8 stock. The nuts are 1-1/2" long, but maybe 3 fine threads can be seen. Inspection station failed me for that & a dozen other flaws. I doubt they are rusted, but they remain tight as though it is them compressing the springs. These are 22000 lb rears. I wonder if the center bolts are broken?An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:wire wheel or fiber disk the bolt first up to nut.  then heat just enough to melt bees wax or candle wax.  remove nut till almost stops and retighten the nuts width.  reheat, propane torch will work, candle wax and loosen.  repeat as many times as necessary.  don't let nut get too hot.  works for me when saving spring u-bolts and nuts.  other alternative,  heat wrench.lincoln 125spmonkey wards 250 ac/dcmiller 211 w/spool gunahp  200 sx tiglotos ltp5000dof course duramax diesel
Reply:If spring is on top, jack and support axle not the frame. You want the weight of the vehicle to work with you not against you.
Reply:

Originally Posted by ronsii

I credit a lot of it to the fine threads... they are *way* more prone to galling, crossthreading, seizing than coarse... especially when you add in the deicer on the roads

This is probably the first time I have ever got a ubolt off without having to cut it  or have it snap off!!! although it did gall the threads up beyond repair

but I spent a lot of time hitting it with oil(pbblaster) and running it on/off just trying to make do with what I had... or should I say didn't have  

and in the end I failed miserably  


Reply:

Originally Posted by Willie B

These are new, installed 2 months ago. The U bolts were made from 40" 7/8 stock. The nuts are 1-1/2" long, but maybe 3 fine threads can be seen. Inspection station failed me for that & a dozen other flaws. I doubt they are rusted, but they remain tight as though it is them compressing the springs. These are 22000 lb rears. I wonder if the center bolts are broken?
Reply:I took it to Rico. I told him I'm getting discouraged with it. I might die of old age before the thing is fully legal. He texted late day yesterday he had made a 7:00 AM appointment for today to get it inspected. He would take it, to answer to any questions. Fussy stuff like wiper arm going past the edge of the windshield have reportedly been addressed.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:I had been told that the nut on the U-bolts were distorted thread, and weren't supposed to be re-used. I've always gotten new ones with the U-bolts.Medium-Strength Steel Top-Lock Distorted-Thread Locknuts—Grade 5These locknuts have an irregularly shaped thread at the top of the nut that grips the bolt for a stronger hold than nylon-insert locknuts. They thread on from the bottom of the nut, allowing more threads to engage the bolt before tightening for easier installation than center-lock distorted thread locknuts. The strength of the bolt should match the strength of the nut to prevent damaging threads. They're not reusable. Made from Grade 5 steel, they're suitable for fastening most machinery and equipment in 5/8" size its $8.00 for a bag of 10Good luck with the inspection.Airco 250 ac/dc Heliwelder Square waveMiller Synchrowave 180 sdMiller Econo Twin HFLincoln 210 MPDayton 225 ac/dcVictor torchesSnap-On YA-212Lotos Cut60D
Reply:Industry standard is 2 full threads protrusion.https://www.engineersedge.com/hardwa...0blind%20hole.
Reply:Here I always thought they wanted the length of protruding threads equal to the diameter of the ubolt rod....
Reply:In Rico's hands they got replaced. He took it & got inspection. Truck is legal!Nonetheless, the windshield washer wouldn't work on the way home. A mile later it started squirting by itself. Whether it ran out of fluid, or stopped on its own, I don't yet know.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:As long as threads protrude from the nut it should be legal. Things like this is why I took a cmv inspection class. I got tired of places pulling crap like thatMillermatic 252millermatic 175miller 300 Thunderboltlincoln ranger 250smith torcheslots of bfh'sIf it dont fit get a bigger hammer
Reply:What Ive done for my U-bolts is when I put em back I smear emreal good with some anti-sieze i picked up that looks like grease, i believe its got teflon in it. It stays on through all the mud and rain snow whatever I put my rig through. Never had an issue gettin those bolts off or any other bolt for that matter when i use this stuff. When i get home tonite I will look and see who makes it. Im thinkin PermatexI put 5 more leafs in my truck on both sides when i built the truck, last spring i busted a main leaf on the driver side and those bolts came right off 3 years after I put em on.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Popeye an old miner

What Ive done for my U-bolts is when I put em back I smear emreal good with some anti-sieze i picked up that looks like grease, i believe its got teflon in it. It stays on through all the mud and rain snow whatever I put my rig through. Never had an issue gettin those bolts off or any other bolt for that matter when i use this stuff. When i get home tonite I will look and see who makes it. Im thinkin PermatexI put 5 more leafs in my truck on both sides when i built the truck, last spring i busted a main leaf on the driver side and those bolts came right off 3 years after I put em on.
Reply:Funny, I've put new springs in three trucks in the last year. I usually do these things myself, but these I had others do. This truck was whipping my as$. I needed to shorten the frame, move the axle forward, which made it necessary to move every rivet behind the cab. These rivets were impossible to remove. They must be put in hot and squashed in a hydraulic machine. The shaft is not cylindrical, they are barrel shaped & TIGHT! I'd drill the heads off, all the beating with a hammer & punch was only going to bend the frame. I developed a technique, I'd go progressively larger with the drill bit & most of the length of the rivet. Few holes were dead center, but when it was thin enough on one side, it'd collapse enough to drive it out. 8 hours, I removed 28 rivets. I got discouraged. Bought a plasma cutter, but it seemed the acetylene torch worked as well.I finally asked Rico to take it on. Equipped with a Mag drill, and more experience, it was still a big job for him also.The whole project was a much bigger thing than I thought it was. It was time to replace my 1976 C65, and every dump truck I found was either many thousands more, or rusted out. I hate rust! The fire truck was low mileage. It read 31,000 but I then figured out pumping was driving the odometer also. Probably highway miles were much lower.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:

Originally Posted by Popeye an old miner

What Ive done for my U-bolts is when I put em back I smear emreal good with some anti-sieze i picked up that looks like grease, i believe its got teflon in it. It stays on through all the mud and rain snow whatever I put my rig through. Never had an issue gettin those bolts off or any other bolt for that matter when i use this stuff. When i get home tonite I will look and see who makes it. Im thinkin PermatexI put 5 more leafs in my truck on both sides when i built the truck, last spring i busted a main leaf on the driver side and those bolts came right off 3 years after I put em on.