Falcons and such have a bit of an odd size U-bolt for the rear end, so it'd be nice to be able to make some myself, especially to dial in lowering the rear. I don't know how they're made, and if they'd come out good enough and safe. What I'm concerned about is forming the U and the metallurgy. Here's what I'm thinking: Buy round stock (or square stock?) Calculate and cut it to length Chuck it up in a lathe and cut threads on the ends Heat it with an O-A torch or in a forge Shape the U Make a bending tool? Just bend it around something of the proper diameter? Hammer it around something of the proper diameter? Come to think of it, why would it matter if the U part was round or square (original material shape or from forming with a hammer)? Metallurgy Let it air cool? Temper, anneal, or ? Thanks, Kurt
Sounds like it could work, but I think there is another way. I mean I could buld the plane and make it fly but it may be easier to go southwest.
Why? Just go to your local spring shop (not the oil, lube and alignment place) and say " got anything like this?". They stock various lengths prethreaded, and bend to suit. What's so oddball about the falcon ones? Ralph
not the answer to your question but have you checked out any spring shops ? They can custom make them and there not that expensive
About a month ago I needed extented ubolts for lowering my car. I just went into the local metal sales/welding business and they asked me how long I needed them and if I wanted the "U" to be rounded or square. It turns out, they basically have many different straight lengths of rod with threads on each end, that are meant to be bent into ubolts, but they arent bent until they are sold so that the customer can have whatever shape they want bent into the U.
If a shop can make them, so can you. With the proper research. I went to a local spring shop and big truck shop and had some made. It cost me $40 for two big extra long heavy duty Ubolts with washers and nuts. And they did while I waited. It took about 15 minutes. $40 and 15 minutes vs. this: Buy round stock (or square stock?) Calculate and cut it to length Chuck it up in a lathe and cut threads on the ends Heat it with an O-A torch or in a forge Shape the U Make a bending tool? Just bend it around something of the proper diameter? Hammer it around something of the proper diameter? Come to think of it, why would it matter if the U part was round or square (original material shape or from forming with a hammer)? Metallurgy Let it air cool? Temper, anneal, or ? But I totally understand wanting to do it yourself. I do all kinds of dumb **** that would be so much easier and take so much less time and cost much less money just so I can learn and for the self satisfaction that comes from doing something yourself. Good luck and post a tech thread. It'll certainly help other knuckleheads like us that do things the hard way just because. ***EDITED TO ADD*** I used Spring Service of Charlotte, NC. Call them and ask them how they do it. Might help with some good info from some pros? (704)597-0373
The only thing i can add to this topic is that, at least in my case, the rod is/was already threaded in many different lengths at both ends and they bent it using hydraulics (or electrics can't remember) but i DO remember heat was not involved; i think without heat, this keeps everything kosher safety wise? i'm don't know jack about metalurgy but i'm ***uming that without heat, the general makeup of the metal is not changed and you can bend it in any shape you want without affecting it's structural integrity providing it is of a minimum thickness? Don't give up; i need to learn as much about this as possible as i may need funky "one off" U bolts for my towing projects. i will add as much if and when i get more info.
Have a spring shop do them. BUT! Make sure you give them details measurements and a drawing. I had some made years ago and did not spec how long of threads I needed, ended up with threads a mile long and kinda ugly for an open wheeled car. A simple measurement given to them would have saved the headache.
This is good advice should you decide to go to a spring shop. It also might be a good idea to take the stock ones with you so you can better show them EXACTLY what you want.
Have a spring shop make them. Bending U-bolts cold is a bear without the proper equipment. Most automotive U-bolts are made from a hardened steel and the threads are roll formed prior to bending. Heating them will ruin the heat treat. If you bend them you must take into consideration things such as spring back, getting equal leg lengths and keeping the legs parallel. As said before, there are companies that make the double end threaded blanks and sell a bender to bend them to the proper radius. Check out www.lhrods.com to see how its done.
In high school i made some u bolts in machine shop/ welding shop but being young and in a hurry. I grabbed 9/16 round stock thinking it was 1/2 and treaded it to 20 threads per inch neddles to say 1/2-20 nuts didn't fit to well. I just heated and bent them in a jig. After using the 1/2 rod i ran them for years and never had a problem in a 4x4 that saw plenty of abuse.
The U-bolts that I have had custom made from the local equip. repair joint started as straight blanks with rolled threads, they just press them over a form for either square or round shapes.
I'm a die hard do-it-your-selfer and make my own. A piece of twine or rope will give you the length without a lot of math. We used to make a pair of handles from short pieces of tubing with the proper sized nuts welded on the ends. Cut the rod a little long, thread the ends, mark the center, heat the center, screw on the handles and bend it around the axle tube. The hardest part of the job is threading the rod...I have to use the old die in a deep well socket process. If it's a tad too long it is easier to cut the ends off than to make a new one the correct length.
Much the same way Tommy does/did it only I made a fixture for bending instead of using the axle housing. Clamp the blank in the fixture heat the stock and have my kid walk the bending bar around the vise I had cemented in the floor. I haven't used the fixture in years as my friend works at the local truck supply and they can make a pair of custom U-bolts in about 5 minutes. I drop off the measurements to him and the next day he stops by with the u-bolts. Frank
I work at a suspension shop and bend U-bolts every day. Just bring in a sample and let them bend them. I can do a set of four in about 5 minutes. The rod is already threaded and can be bent cold in a u-bolt press. It is not worth the h***le to make something to bend it over and thread it yourself.
Kurt, Best info you got was to go to a spring shop. May not be any in your area. The spring shop I go to is in San Bernardino (not much help to you). Just check out the local yellow pages to see what they have.
I used to go to a spring shop to have them made. I'd have done it even if there was a store next door to me who sold them cheaper! Why? It was the guy who owned the place. Italian guy, tall thin and always dressed in wool dress pants and a nice sweater. It could be 90 degrees outside, and way hotter in there with his forge going, but he always dressed that way. He had different size rods with threads on each end, and he'd usually hand them to me and tell me to stick them in the forge and watch them till they were red, then he'd always ***** at me because they were either too red or not red enough. While I was there he'd always get me involved in some other job before I finally left, and he did that to everyone who went in there. His wife worked in what I guess you could call the office, and she used to just shake her head and smile. He was one of the craziest coolest characters I ever met. Oh, I guess this old farts rambling again, uhhhh, he used threaded rod and heated and bent it, hope this helps.
Decades ago I worked in a truck reapir shop that doubled as a general repair operation. We used material called 'stress-proof', cut the bars to length, cut the threads and bent u-bolts hot (just less than cherry red). The trick in doing the job your self is having a jig that will hold the bar in place while you pull the ends around so that both legs are the same length. It is easier to just go buy some. .
I needed U-bolts when I put my A truck together, we ordered the wrong repro ones for the front end, so I went to a spring shop. Guy did them while I waited, about 10 minutes, cost me about $15. For that little bit of time and money it's not worth the h***le of trying to make them yourself.
Early Falcon U-bolts are narrow because the stock rear ends neck down in diameter (2-3/8"?) near the ends I believe there aren't any spring shops close and I want to make several sets for several vehicles, but I'll check locally for ones that'll work I like thinking about how to do something, even if I don't take the time to do it
I found a great source to be trailer parts supply companies. Needed some narrower ones for my 63 F100 since they have narrower springs and spring pads, as well as needed longer to run some custom blocks I built.
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