Axle U bolt Quiz

My '49 shoebox has a rear end from a 86 firebird, axle diamiter at ubolt junction is 2.625 O.D....The Ubolts i removed are 2.750 I.D., and you can literaly see the .062 gap on either side of axle to u bolt..I wanna put 2' lower blocks on the rear, While im in there i was wondering if i should look for some 2 5/8 ID Ubolts? I looked at thesuspensionking with no luck. (1/2-20 x 2.625 x 11') The person who set the rear end up is a idiot, and im having to re-do everything he did. Any help is appriciated, as I have never messed W/ the rear of my gal

 

Try Husky Spring. They can get you whatever you need and their service in AWESOME!

 

Our local comerical bolt supplier will make any size bolts in a day. Might be someone like that near you. Pay attention to the pinion angle.

 

This is a joke right?

Your worried about a 1/20th of an inch gap on the sides of the u-bolts?

The axle is held down with the u-bolts , if it's bolted tight it won't go forward or backward.

 

No joke. To a machinist .062 is a mile. The U bolt does not cradle the axle. if this is not a problem, jus say so.
Thanks

 

Having owned a jeep shop several years ago I have seen what the wrong size bolts will do. I have seen them losen up and I have seen them wallow out the spring plate holes. I have even seen all thread that has cracked and broken. There is only one correct size.

 

It is not a problem. You do need to torque the nuts properly, and retorque them after putting some miles on it.

 

The local spring shop used to bend U-bolts to order. Probably one around OKC that could make them for you.

 

Thanks guys, Happy new year.

 

Thank you. Very correct.

 

Maybe not so important on a car; but I have seen the results of improperly sized, homemade, patched together, and/or poorly installed U-bolts on big trucks and semi-trailers.
I always felt the U-bolt I.D. should match the axle O.D. to clamp it correctly.

 

Technically, the 'u' bolts should hug the sides of the tube they're clamping.
This is especially applicable to 'U' bolts 7/16" diameter, as they are NOT hardened, and elasticity will stretch the material, loosening the clamping pressure, over time of course.
Check the tension (ft. lbs of torque when installed) then in a week, then a couple of months.
When they loosen, they will shear the heads of the spring center bolts, then the rear axle housing will walk forward on acceleration, backward on decel, changing lanes...

If you leave them, check them.