interesting info about reusing u-bolts

[twoslo4five0]

this has been discussed before and I know what you all are saying right now but listen to my story..

today i went to the local spring shop (open 27 years now) and got a set of u bolts...i was talking to the owner of the shop and was talking about reusing u-bolts..

here was the general thing i was told..you can REUSE ubolts if you wrench on your rig often...just check the torque frequently...when the u bolts a re pulled they stretch..the best way to get them back in shape it to put them in a vice and straighten them out...this was all coming from the owner of the shop..

a couple key notes..
1.IF YOU DD YOUR RIG GET NEW U BOLTS...you prolly wont check them often enough..
2.DONT USE OLD RUSTY JUNK U BOLTS...im saying this like if you had a 4 inch likt and but on a set of 52s or some thing and the ubolts are new then your alright..
3.always check them...for me 50 bucks for new u bolts were worth in on my burb cause i want to get in it and drive it and not worry about stuff like that...now the blazer i might concider this later because im gonna change the suspention (bds right now)


the best alternative for all this is to replace them...just wth some of the budget minded (like myself) building a dual purpose non dd this is an option..

 

[sled_dog]

and I've been in a spring shop that had a sign saying "U-Bolts cost less than your life", or some other catchy thing along those lines.

I'll stick with constant replacement. Things only stretch so far before they break.

 

[twoslo4five0]

and I've been in a spring shop that had a sign saying "U-Bolts cost less than your life", or some other catchy thing along those lines.

I'll stick with constant replacement. Things only stretch so far before they break.

well put and im on the same page as you...i just see this question asked alot and thought i would post this up coming from the words of a spring shop owner...



also when you put your ubolts on wait to torque them till the truck is on the ground..torgue them...then after torguing beat them with a hammer and retorque...

 

[Randy92782]

torque them...then after torquing beat them with a hammer and retorque...

same goes for Railroad bolts

 

[89yimmiJ]

I usually replace any critical fastener on my vehicles that I don't know who touched before me. Let's face it, the newest K5's are 16 years old and ten different people could have touched those bolts and maybe only two of those used a torque wrench.