HOLY STRETCHABLE U BOLTS
Repaired the jeep today, after my loose driver side u bolts and sheared center pin allowed the axle to slide forward 8". :brickwall: And the leaf pack was all which way.
All my u bolts are new last year after I did u bolt flips on both axles, during a frame swap. I luckily had a set of ubolts on the shelf, and picked up some grade 8 internal hex cap screws for center pins. I've read that most pins are poor grade steel... I was also able to reuse the leaf pack :2thumbsup: , No obvious issues after inspection...
Because I have shims up front for better caster angle, the heads where too short to be effective center pins (same w commercially bought pins), so I extended them w some grade 8 hex heads... and made a few spares..
I also went around and checked all the other U bolts, Passenger side I had tacked welded the nuts in place but was able to break the weld and suck up another 1/8 to 3/16 inch
, and both rears where not even close to torque specs... ARGH.
I had re-torqued all the U bolts after my rebuild last year about 30 days, but guess it didn't get enough road time to really stretch / settle.
Lesson learned!