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Cant find U-bolts!?

summitlt

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Maine
Im trying to get U bolts for my 1990 MJ with a d35. I cant seem to find them ANYWHERE!

I tried ebay with no luck at all. I tried autozone and they have some but in the 7/16 variety and look a little short.

Vip is a bunch of Numbf$%Ks as usual.

Carquest could order them for $9 each.

Anyone know where to get them for under $25 shipped. I have a hard time spend $36 for a set of U bolts, when I see that there are bigger ones at VIP for $20 total.

Why is it so hard to find them? Just the same rearend used in almost 15 years of cherokees, and tons of YJs and TJs.
 
Go to a local spring/suspension/off-road shop and see what all they can do.

For an item that keeps your axle where it needs to be, $36 isn't too bad to me.

Fergie
 
Fergie said:
Go to a local spring/suspension/off-road shop and see what all they can do.

For an item that keeps your axle where it needs to be, $36 isn't too bad to me.

Fergie
x2
 
I dont HAVE a local spring or suspension or offroad shop. I live in maine, where its pretty rare to see a lifted rig.
 
How about your local scrap yard? I know new would be better but you gotta dod what you gotta do. You can probably get them for less then $10 too.
 
There probably is a local spring shop, you just need to know where to look. I have one near me, and I live in BFE. More then likely they cater to heavy duty vehicles. (like semi's and commerical/industrial trucks.)
 
I had one of those "Why didnt I think of that " moments, then realized I live in maine, where once again, Im screwed.

Maine LOVES salt. Thats why I need new ones in the first place.
 
Fergie said:
No. Bad/dumb/dangerous idea. You risk your life, and other drivers as well.

Check this thread, post #11, for some pricing and where you can find them: http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=32896&highlight=u-bolts

Fergie
O.K. no arguement. Everybody seems to be pretty set against reuse and that is fine but, what are all of these opinions of not reusinig coming from. What is the problem with it. Its obvious there is a problem but not one person in your link or on here gave a reason.

BTW I did not reuse mine I bought heavy duty ones for my 9''. I just did not know that this was an issue. :dunno:
 
afd516 said:
O.K. no arguement. Everybody seems to be pretty set against reuse and that is fine but, what are all of these opinions of not reusinig coming from. What is the problem with it. Its obvious there is a problem but not one person in your link or on here gave a reason.

BTW I did not reuse mine I bought heavy duty ones for my 9''. I just did not know that this was an issue. :dunno:

It's called metal fatigue. Any bolt that is used in a stress area is subject to fatigue. Add, salt, rust, maybe some wheeling and the bolt becomes weak. Now you torque it off at the JU and torque it in a new fitment causes additional stress. Maybe, just maybe, it is now on the verge of snapping but hasn't. At just the right moment you put some stress on it, say at 60MPH.

You figure it out.
 
summitlt said:
Im trying to get U bolts for my 1990 MJ with a d35. I cant seem to find them ANYWHERE!

I tried ebay with no luck at all. I tried autozone and they have some but in the 7/16 variety and look a little short.

Vip is a bunch of Numbf$%Ks as usual.

Carquest could order them for $9 each.

Anyone know where to get them for under $25 shipped. I have a hard time spend $36 for a set of U bolts, when I see that there are bigger ones at VIP for $20 total.

Why is it so hard to find them? Just the same rearend used in almost 15 years of cherokees, and tons of YJs and TJs.

I just sent you a PM.
 
summitlt said:
I dont HAVE a local spring or suspension or offroad shop. I live in maine, where its pretty rare to see a lifted rig.

i call bs

what town in maine are you in?

what is the nearest large town?

Spring shops are all over - in Nebraska where a lifted rig is as common as a 22re or a good looking girl there are 3 spring shops local to me - about 12 minute drive...

they do springs and suspentions on fleet trucks for companys... and made my u-bolts...

if you cant find anyone - give these guys a call...

oh - and 1/2" u-bolts are standard and 9/16" wont fit your spring plates...

http://www.google.com/local?hl=en&l...latlng=40800000,-96666667,2599681532103806186
 
rstarch345 said:
It's called metal fatigue. Any bolt that is used in a stress area is subject to fatigue. Add, salt, rust, maybe some wheeling and the bolt becomes weak. Now you torque it off at the JU and torque it in a new fitment causes additional stress. Maybe, just maybe, it is now on the verge of snapping but hasn't. At just the right moment you put some stress on it, say at 60MPH.

You figure it out.
Salt and rust aren't really issues down here in Texas. Up north I can see. Metal fatigue O.K. That is why this forum is such a good source of info.

I already knew the answer but for those of us thar are new to this.....well, now they have an explaination.
 
Don't just look at the big-chain parts stores. I got mine through a hometown shop that does a little bit of everything automotive. They've got connections with a place that does suspension stuff, so he gets all his u-bolts custom made. When I went in he happened to have the ones I needed on hand, and they weren't too expensive.
XJ_ranger said:
9/16" wont fit your spring
Is that just for the d35's? When I put in my new leaves this summer I upgraded to 9/16" ubolts with no modifications. They were the largest size that would fit in the plate. The guy I got them from said that he sold them to anyone with an 8.25 rear end XJ that come in.
 
nhrocker said:
Is that just for the d35's? When I put in my new leaves this summer I upgraded to 9/16" ubolts with no modifications. They were the largest size that would fit in the plate. The guy I got them from said that he sold them to anyone with an 8.25 rear end XJ that come in.

YMMV

I stuck with stock width leaves (2.5") when i made my franken pack and went to the spring shop and bought my u-bolts as 9/16" bolts - and bought some Ford Explorer spring plated for my Ford 9 swap (the axle tube is the same where the springs attach) and had to dremmel out the holes...
 
summitlt said:
I dont HAVE a local spring or suspension or offroad shop. I live in maine, where its pretty rare to see a lifted rig.

If you have a local trailer shop or big rig shop they should be able to make or find them for you, just show up with the dimensions.

I have a shop near me that makes suspensions and dump bodies for trucks and they had ubolts and plates sitting on the shelf that worked beautifully on my MJ
 
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