Old Man Emu setups on 1st gens

Well thats what we did. We cut the bolts out and he put the new springs on wrong now we are gonna flip them

 

I would disconnect the shackles, lower the axle onto small jackstands, undo the U bolts, then undo the eyebolts.

If the U bolts have been torqued already, you should avoid undoing them and reusing them, because they can stretch and weaken.

With someone else's help, they can manipulate the disconnected shackle end of the leaf as you pull the main eye bolt out. If necessary, the axle might need to be shoved forward or back a hair, too, to unload the eye bolt.

Also, if you didn't already do it before, I recommend slathering up that eye bolt shank with anti-sieze before it goes back in again.

EDIT: Oh shit, just realized you need to swap sides. Get new U bolts. Or rather, have your buddy buy you new U bolts since he screwed the pooch.

 

You sound pretty sure about switching the ubolts out, but I don't know if I personally would be worried after limited miles travelled - they say to torque after 50 miles to account for stretching so I can't imagine they are shot already? I'm no auto mechanic so maybe I am missing something.

 

Sorry, I misrepresented that. It is the threads that "stretch" or distrort, for a better term:

http://www.eatonsprings.com/techquestions/reinstallingubolts.html

Your call. If you don't replace them, you should monitor them closely during the first few hundred miles (then they need a retorque when new anyway, and since you haven't done the "new retorque" yet, maybe they will be OK in your case), then maybe every 1k or so to see if they become a problem.

 

Especially if your "buddy" has to pay for it because he's a pooch-fucker.

 

U-bolts are designed to only be used once, the bolts are made with a smooth rolled thread, and the nuts are made with sharp cut threads. So when you torque them down, the threads stretch, and taking them off cross-threads them.
Edit: looks like I'm just repeating what Scocar said.

 

Thanks for the explanation, that makes total sense. So when they say to check the torque it's more for the whole ubolt body stretching, but the reason to change them out after each removal is because of the way the thread on but bites thread on ubolt?

 

Not quite. Upon initial install, you torque them to spec, I forget, like 80 or 86 lb. RTML. Note that you should do this after lowering the tires to the ground and when the leafs are loaded up, not when the wheels are in the air.

Even then, once you drive it for about 500 miles, all the moving around, settling, and flexing will reveal any minuscule gap or play where the leafs mate with the plate on the top of the axle, so you want to put the torque wrench on again for those final tiny fractions of an inch. Both time I've done this on two different sets, all the nuts took a little more rotation, and one or two took as much as a full turn.

 

Gotcha, makes sense. That's what I did with mine and like you, needed a bit of tightening after some miles.

 

Oh and torque spec on the ubolt is terribly low in fsm, it is like 34 or 37, but peeps think it is a typo and should have been 73/74 iirc.

 

Didn't see this before but wtf is your problem? You seem to misread my posts a lot... Or maybe you are just a smart ass, idk. If I thought it was cutting corners I most certainly wouldn't chance it, who would? Especially not on the piece that holds the axle from falling off, lol. That's why I brought it up, because socar was so adamant on the subject, and I was curious to have a dialogue as to why. I hope this clarifies things for you.

 

Yeah, I dont' know, when you consider how shitty the stock leafs are maybe the bolts were as bad and would snap. LOL. The aftermarket ones are likely beefier and take the higher torque.

That's Ben. He's a dick. Taught him everything I know

Needs a bitchslap now and again, but smart guy. Knows his stuff. About some stuff.

 

I found the page and it does indeed say 37. When I first put the leaves on, knowing that was a wrong number, I tightened to 37 just to see how low it felt... Not a good idea obviously. A round 80 felt good.

And yeah I know Ben can be a little testy, but I guess so can I after a shitass day like today

Edit: for those who care and want a good chuckle, here is the page from fsm

 

You're a little teste. Just one. A lone, little teste. Not just my opinion.

 

I think it's good to have this discussion in this thread. Many guys looking to upgrade their suspension tend to downplay the importance of not re-using ubolts. Sometimes it is becuase of ignorance or because of what a 'friend' has said or done and sometimes its because of the additional cost.

Ben likes to be provocative in his comments but the message was a good one and needed to be said.

He's a Lance Armstrong wannabe.

 

My FSM says 90 ft·lbf but my torque stopped at 80 so I improvised.

 

Makes sense but i dont need new u bolts because we just put the lift on brand new this past saturday and sunday? And i havent re torqued them yet?

 

The U-bolts are a one time use product in my book, once they are torqued down the threads become useless for re-use, my own opinion.

 

I think i will take your opinion as my own now also. Thanks for the knowledge and tip now off to buy new u-bolts...well tomorrow!