U-bolts bending under load?

U-bolt flip kit sounds like a good idea, as it would have all that you need.

Still seems pretty crazy that it bent, but I remember now 20+ years ago in my Suzuki days bending some stock plates with the u-bolt torque the same way that happened here.

 

Yeah I should've listened to my gut, while torqueing it was taking a really long time to get to 90 ft/lbs. In the back of my mind I felt something was off, but I continued. I should've probably stopped and reassessed. Luckily no real harm done. I am going to replace the plates and bolts, but honestly probably don't even need to. Lesson learned.

 

Looks like someone bent the bracket up slowly from tightening the nuts till it eventually stopped and snugged up at an angle (what it looks like it did).
Those U bolts shouldn't have bent so easily, which is probably what is letting the bracket bend up before reaching the right torque.
I would replace the bracket and bolts, no question about it. Flip kit or stock again. I would not get another set of those bolts then.

Maybe do something like 70-75 lbs that will catch before bending the bracket, and then do a full turn after that or something, like the headbolts.

 

The bolts are grade-5 which is acceptable for this application, but sure, grade-8 would be stronger. I don't see the bolts as the problem here though. As the nuts were tightened, the plate/saddle bent around the axle, which changed the angle of the bolt hole. If the u-bolt wouldn't have bent, there would be very little of the nut/washer making contact with the plate anymore, which seems like arguably more of a liability.

To me it's mostly my own fault for using a LOT of anti-seize, and then not reducing the final torque to compensate for all that lubrication.

 

For some reason I thought I had the OME bolts but I just checked and I have the same kit so I guess they were grade 5.
Maybe there is some weakness in the bracket you can't see, either way probably a good idea to redo it.

 

Hey @MamaTried81 look what I stumbled across just today...

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/new-u-bolts-bending-while-tightening.557643/

 

Yeah lol and you can see their liberal use of anti-seize as well.