U-Bolt Flip Kit Value?

I've been looking at the few flip kits out there and really begin to question their value.

Ok so the bolts may be hardened to grade 5 or maybe an 8. And high quality hardware isn't cheap. But are they really worth the price being asked for them? I'm seriously asking since the last thing I would want to do is drive over a rock, only to suddenly find out that I left my axle behind.

With a spring on top arrangement u-bolts won't be holding the static weight of the truck. They will have to tolerate what ever torsional forces that the engine supplies. For the most part they help the axle push the truck along. With out these little loops of steel the axle would roll right off the spring with disaster pus results. But what is the real strength needed there? And how should they be priced?

Here are 2 sets of spring plates and UBolts.









Huge differences. Now granted the cheap ones are for trailers at Agri Supply. What I couldn't get over was how much they looked just like the flip kit I ordered. And note, if you want the center hole you have to pay an extra 10 bucks.

Is hardening that much more? Is there more to the plate design than I realize?

Thanks!

 

Bdump

 

Is your truck worth risking cheap Chinese knockoff crap on?

 

I say grab some u-bolts that fit the axle and are long enough and some 1/4 plate, drill and be done with it. Compare your cost to one of the "fabricated" ones.