Twisty Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 I'm taking the D44 off to clean it, and rebuild the brakes. ive been spraying PB blaster on the u-bolts and nuts for about 5 days and it just hit me, should i cut them off instead? i think they are origional. would it be better to get new bolts, or try to get the ones i have now off complete? thanks. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbhill Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 i would get new ones. if its rusty it gets cut(my law anyways lol) it never hurts to spend the couple extra bux on sumthing that could fail later on down the road. also if they are that rusty, it wouldnt be un common if you snap one or to from trying to back the nuts off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twisty Posted July 12, 2006 Author Share Posted July 12, 2006 that sounds good. ill just concentrate on getting off the shock nuts, and ill have an excuse to use my new angle grinder. thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oizarod115 Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 watch your face when cutting them off. them suckers go flyin when you get down to a little less than an 1/8in left.... don't ask me how i know this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DansGreyMj Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 they should never be reused cuz they get stretched out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 they should never be reused cuz they get stretched out Its just a good practice NEVER to reuse them!!! Dans right, they strech! Also be sure you go back and re-torque the new ones after some miles....again, they strech!! CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I say bull poopie on never re-using u-bolts :brows: I have re-used some of my u-bolts many times. The problem comes in when they are rusted, galled, or just in plain old bad shape, or they are re-used on a different size axle, and they don't fit properly. Good quality u-bolts are not cheap, and use lock nuts. I replace the lock nuts, but not the u-bolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Remind me of that if we ever get together and ride in your rig...will ya please!!! You are correct, its very likely they will be fine. But thats not a chance I wanna take. Just so everyone realizes, its the ONLY THING holding the AXLE IN YOUR TRUCK!!!!! Realitively speaking THEY ARE CHEAP, when weighed against the price of your LIFE, I'll pay the 10 bucks each!!! Its your life, you have the god given right to loose it any way you choose...... I do not choose to loose mine because of using used U-bolts!! Its just my opinion. You have yours and I have mine, we can each take it or leave it. CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumpy Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 i get new ones just because its easier for me to cut the old ones off...hehe :redX: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twisty Posted July 14, 2006 Author Share Posted July 14, 2006 cool beans guys, that pretty much convinced me to change the u-bolts. now i just need to get the right wheel to use with my angle grinder to get them off. :chillin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumpy Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 lowes has a great selection, i got a couple of the thinner ones and they cut steel like butter!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 I've got custom 3/4" ubolts... I'll reuse them till the day I die. And I'll have complete faith in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feerocknok Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 I wasn't thinking when I bought my last set. They were the same diameter as my pinky (and I'm a lil guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 lowes has a great selection, i got a couple of the thinner ones and they cut steel like butter!! Stumpys right on!! I like the 1/8" ones for cutting. They will wear faster but cut nice!!! At a couple bucks a piece they won't break the bank either!!! CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 for those of you reusing ubolts, you may trust them but from an engineering standpoint you should not trust them the reason you should never use u-bolts twice is because they are a torque-to-yield fastener which means when you torque them correctly they move through the elastic deformation right to the yield point of the material, after that point they reach the yield point they enter the plastic range, which means they will not rebound back to their original configuration, this is also why you should never over toque them as they will become plasticly deformed and become weaker which in the basic sense means they streach and SHOULD NEVER be reused Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Not to bag on you Derek... but on a MJ/XJ, I would not be worried about the breaking of a re-used u-bolt, especially if you bought a good QUALITY one to begin with. I would be more worried about the 3/8 inch bolts holding my upper control arms in place. Or the one holding my track bar in. I have yet to break a u-bolt, but I have broken a few trac bar and UCA bolts that I re-drilled them to accept 1/2 bolts, and went with different bushings. When I re-link my rig... I plan on using 3/4 grade 8's just for the added security Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 don't worry i don't get my feelings hurt much anyway, I'm not saying i disagree with you , if you buy quality bolts all around something else most likely will go first but there is a reason it is designed that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 Derek is basically correct. I confess that I have reused axle u-bolts, but never on a modified vehicle that could see high stress. New u-bolts from a decent spring shop are cheap. I get them made up at a local shop for $6.00 each. Cherokee u-bolts are 12mm, which is a shade smaller than 1/2", MJ u-bolts are 14mm, which is a slightly bigger shade larger than 1/2". The shop only deals in SAE sizes, so I standardized on 1/2" and that way I can use them on either an XJ or an MJ. I would much rather put my faith in a brand new, commercial truck grade 1/2" u-bolt than an old, rusty, threads-are-half-gone 14mm u-bolt that may or may not have been apart and retorqued before I got to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I agree with both you and Derek, except for the fact that if PPl buy good Quality U-bolts, they can be re-used. My u-bolts were a lil more then 6 bucks a piece.. they were almost 12, but they are 5/8 and came with nylock nuts.. that I replace after each time I remove the u-bolt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I don't trust nylocks. I've had them strip out at well below the recommended torque for the size of thread I was using. The ones I get from Superior Spring come with heavy pattern (double thick) washers, and double-depth nuts. Between that, the correct torque, and a touch of blue or purple Loctite on the threads, I'm confident they'll never come loose when I don't expect it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnaevd Posted July 18, 2006 Share Posted July 18, 2006 I worked in a trailer repair shop, and I have seen some 2 inch thick bolts snap in half after being reused once. Can't remember the grade but I know they were super strong. I know it all depends on the stress of the bolt at the time of fracture, but retorquing certainly can't help the cause. i call upon the plastic baggy experiment. you pull it and stretch it once, no problem, twice no problem third time gets super tight, forth time snaps. I would think in an offroading situation it ouwld be a bad call to use it MANY times, a couple would do well. In a highway car, I would say probably okay, but definately woudln't risk the trial and error because of the high speeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oizarod115 Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 reuse them or don't, but if you cut them WATCH OUT those suckers WILL POP OFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 reuse them or don't, but if you cut them WATCH OUT those suckers WILL POP OFF. That's good entertainment before or after a few beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twisty Posted July 19, 2006 Author Share Posted July 19, 2006 wekk ive gone through all 4 of them with my grinder. they didnt really pop off...they made a little bang and that was it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 The best is when cutting them with a torch.. you can watch the metal stretch.. then POP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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