RE 4.5" Rear install Questions.

Two questions.

1) The u-bolts that came from RE are about 3/8" to 1/2" too small at the bottom compared to the old bolts. I can understand that the bolts are warn and bent from 13 years there but the difference in the two in pretty big. I was thinking that I could just beat and wrench the new ones into position, but I'm a little concerned about bending the axle tube. I did find a post about this same issue and the solution was to just go and buy other ubolts that would fit. I'd like to think that the bolts I bought from RE should work and that I shouldn't have to pay for that twice Comments?

2) The studs for the spring perches are a little too long. I assume that this is for putting in shims later. I don't plan to shim now, but would like to know if people have cut them down and then shimmed. Will there be a problem with shimming the axel later (like when I put in an sye)?

Thanks
-Jeff

XJhammer said:

Two questions.

1) The u-bolts that came from RE are about 3/8" to 1/2" too small at the bottom compared to the old bolts.

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I'm going to take a wild guess here and say you have an 8.25 axle? The u-bolts are for the smaller D35

2) The studs for the spring perches are a little too long. I assume that this is for putting in shims later. I don't plan to shim now, but would like to know if people have cut them down and then shimmed. Will there be a problem with shimming the axel later (like when I put in an sye)?

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I'd leave them as is until you shim. It's not going to be long before you shim is it?

Nope it's a d35 (i looked) and I have to shave the studs down or they will hit the axle tube too... Fun stuff

no you don't
you need to undo the bolt and remove the spacer, ther spacer is in it so that you will be able to put back in when you realize that you will have to shim. don't grind it down yet you will regret it

Ghaa....THAT part of the spring bolt. Yeah...clamp the springs and lose that part. So when you say that the u-bolts are 3/8" too "small" which way do you mean? The D35 has a 2.62" axle tube, equating roughly to 3/8" narrower than the 3" axletube on the 8.25; it's a common mistake for people to not order the right u-bolts. Thought that's what you were referring to