I'm working on putting an Explorer rear end in my 48 Ford F-1. The rear spring kit that I bought for it has 3" U-bolts but the Explorer rear has a 3.25" housing. Has anyone had any luck man handling the 3" bolts to work? Or should I just go ahead and order 3.25" U-bolts and widen the spring plates a little bit? Thanks, Tim
Spend the money and get the right U bolts and spring plates. Spreading 3" U bolts to fit around a 3 1/4" housing would not be an easy job, and then the spring plates won't work anyway. Gene
You did not get the U bolts when you got the rear end ??? The local U-PULL IT should be full of Explorers ( they are around here ) I threw a set of Explorer U bolts away about 2 weeks ago ... When I get a rear end ... I ALWAYS try to get everything including the driveshaft. Most of the 2000/2001 Explorers have a aluminum driveshaft. .
Only idiots re-use old u-bolts. They are basically the same as torque-to-yield head bolts. When you tighten them,they stretch. Using old ones again is a no-no,they can`t be reliably trusted. New U-bolts are cheap. I had the ones for my Explorer 8.8 made for about $10.00 total at a spring shop.
I'd get 3.25" U-bolts to do it properly. You can do it with 3", but it'll look a bit funny if you don't spend the time to get them right.
I must be a old, old idiot then. Been doing it that way for 40 years. Had a few 10 second drag cars and never had a issue ...
Same here, I maybe bought one new set of U bolts for one of my rigs in the past 40 years. And that was because I worked in a parts house where I got everything for my own rigs at warehouse cost. But back to the question. Yes get the correct size U bolts and the local 4x4 shop is probably the first place to check but not all of them "make U bolts" the local one would run down the street to White Front Shop (a spring and suspension shop that has been around since Model T days) and have a set made and then double the price.
I also believe that the 10 year old original FORD bolts are most likely a better qaulity than the new stuff that most likely came from China.
Just find a spring shop in your area and have them made. I had some made here in Waterville,Maine for an 8-inch Ford rear, $5.00 each for just about any length.
Use the right size. Better not to use old U-bolts. Could get away with it for years, but still. U-bolts from China? lol. They're just bent and threaded steel rod...made right here. No need to call people idiots, though.
Might as well sign me up as an idiot also! I have never bought new ones and I have been building old cars for a long,long time! HRP
bought a set the other day at my local napa for an explorer rear we put in the 47 dodge truck. They had a book with different sizes and all measurments. Yep I dumb too been using the originals for all my life never had one fail. Good luck with your project RED
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