Reusing old u-bolts

[D'Animal]

Well the ones I re-use don't need the attention that the new ones need. I will be installing new lock washers.


Has anybody ever seen a U bolt break? New, used, etc?

 

[Tofudebeest]

around here, ubolts are only about $10 each, with nuts and washers... $40/axle. Pretty easy to justify new ones unless the old ones are in fine shape.

Right, but we're talking about the grade 8 steel ones, not bamboo...

If a head bolt needed re-torquing every week wouldn't you suspect that something was wrong?
Why is a U-Bolt any different? If anything it is more important than a head bolt.
I can see re-torquing once and by a stretch maybe twice, but after that something is screwed up and is screaming for your attention.

I would say never, ever re-use except that's not very realistic. Use good judgment when you do decide to re-use and if they need frequent re-torquing then they're done, time to buy new.

X-actly.

Has anybody ever seen a U bolt break? New, used, etc?

I done asked that there question already, sir.


I like this thread. it is all civil-like n' s***. I REALLY gotta stay out of chat; that place will suck the brains right out of your kiester.

 

[ntsqd]

I've seen them stretch to the point that the threads were no good. At that point it really doesn't matter if they've broken into two parts or not. Once they start yielding (stretching) they are well and truly used up.

[soapbox]
Coming from working in road, drag, and off road racing I can't recall the last time that I saw a split type lock washer on a Professionally prepared race vehicle. They only exist on Amateur prepared vehicles. I toss every one that I come across. Their premise is that A) they are a spring to keep some tension in the assembly should the nut back off, & B) that the sharp edges dig into the nut and the base part to stop any loosening rotation.
Well, you can remove the nuts so in spite of their digging in and making a mess of the nut and the base part, the nut still was easy to remove; and if the clamp load is lost those 'springs' aren't very strong - they aren't going to maintain the clamp loading - so they're nearly worthless in that regard too. What they are good at is breaking and then evaporating, leaving the nut flying in space.

The better method, and the one that is used on both race vehicles and aircraft, are fancily called "Prevailing Torque Lock Nuts." Both Nylox and the all metal crimp nuts (aka "Stover nuts ") fall into this category. Use those instead of split lock washers.
If you use nylox, replace them when you can spin the nut on past the nylon part by hand.
The internal and external "Star" type lock washers have a place in maintaining electrical connections, but I do not trust those to retain a nut either.

If you disagree with this, well, note my sig line.
[/soapbox]

 

[slcfj62]

That is the first time I have seen the soapbox html tag used. I think I need to update my browser because it didn't seem to work!

 

[wngrog]

I've seen them stretch to the point that the threads were no good. At that point it really doesn't matter if they've broken into two parts or not. Once they start yielding (stretching) they are well and truly used up.

[soapbox]
Coming from working in road, drag, and off road racing I can't recall the last time that I saw a split type lock washer on a Professionally prepared race vehicle. They only exist on Amateur prepared vehicles. I toss every one that I come across. Their premise is that A) they are a spring to keep some tension in the assembly should the nut back off, & B) that the sharp edges dig into the nut and the base part to stop any loosening rotation.
Well, you can remove the nuts so in spite of their digging in and making a mess of the nut and the base part, the nut still was easy to remove; and if the clamp load is lost those 'springs' aren't very strong - they aren't going to maintain the clamp loading - so they're nearly worthless in that regard too. What they are good at is breaking and then evaporating, leaving the nut flying in space.

The better method, and the one that is used on both race vehicles and aircraft, are fancily called "Prevailing Torque Lock Nuts." Both Nylox and the all metal crimp nuts (aka "Stover nuts ") fall into this category. Use those instead of split lock washers.
If you use nylox, replace them when you can spin the nut on past the nylon part by hand.
The internal and external "Star" type lock washers have a place in maintaining electrical connections, but I do not trust those to retain a nut either.

If you disagree with this, well, note my sig line.
[/soapbox]

Here here.

I have all nylock's on my Twisted Customs buggy. This thing sees insane abuse and action and I have yet to have one loose nut in 8 months of hard use. I am a BIG fan.

 

[ntsqd]

That is the first time I have seen the soapbox html tag used. I think I need to update my browser because it didn't seem to work!

Perfectly appropriate though, doncha think?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I've seen them stretch to the point that the threads were no good. At that point it really doesn't matter if they've broken into two parts or not. Once they start yielding (stretching) they are well and truly used up.

[soapbox]
Coming from working in road, drag, and off road racing I can't recall the last time that I saw a split type lock washer on a Professionally prepared race vehicle. They only exist on Amateur prepared vehicles. I toss every one that I come across. Their premise is that A) they are a spring to keep some tension in the assembly should the nut back off, & B) that the sharp edges dig into the nut and the base part to stop any loosening rotation.
Well, you can remove the nuts so in spite of their digging in and making a mess of the nut and the base part, the nut still was easy to remove; and if the clamp load is lost those 'springs' aren't very strong - they aren't going to maintain the clamp loading - so they're nearly worthless in that regard too. What they are good at is breaking and then evaporating, leaving the nut flying in space.

The better method, and the one that is used on both race vehicles and aircraft, are fancily called "Prevailing Torque Lock Nuts." Both Nylox and the all metal crimp nuts (aka "Stover nuts ") fall into this category. Use those instead of split lock washers.
If you use nylox, replace them when you can spin the nut on past the nylon part by hand.
The internal and external "Star" type lock washers have a place in maintaining electrical connections, but I do not trust those to retain a nut either.

If you disagree with this, well, note my sig line.
[/soapbox]

Great notes no doubt. Keep in mind most U-bolts (both OE and aftermarket) don't use a spring lock-washer, rather a cut-thread interface hence the one use logic. Old Man Emu and Toyota for example use a flat washer to distribute the load and allow the nut to cleanly rotate when torquing but it has no function as a lock device.