U bolts

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F

fighting the rust

10 Year
Joined
Nov 3, 2012
Threads
6
Messages
81
I just cut and turned front axle and am working on some armour. Is their a reason to weld on U bolt mounts or can i just weld on a plate with a centring hole for leaf springs and 4 larger diameter holes maybe 5/8 bolts and bolt axle around leaf springs to another plate on the top. Basically two plates sandwiching the leaf springs.
cheers

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Holy gusset batman! Thant is some heavy duty sh*t right there.

To answer you question, yes. Its been done plenty safely but I have not idea if its "legal".
Dan (Rigpig) did it to his front housing. (hope this URL link works.... still a little green at the new mud thing)

https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/front-axle-mods2-jpg.539767/
 
Also, Missed you at the meeting last wednesday, too bad. We had some new faces around and typically this is the time of year when things really start to get moving for the club. So keep up the good work and get that rig on the road!
See ya around and post up some more progress pics so we can all live vicariously!:)
 
wasn't planing on it. those marlins are nice. is snapping them a common problem on land cruisers. I'm probably going to be running 35. I'm building a guard for the rig gear my problem in the past is i get a bit to much liquid courage and end up cracking them on rocks.
 
They are known to bend if they see a lot of abuse, The gusset kits also have shock mounts right where you want them. When I did mine it seemed like good idea. With the axle (housing) gussets you have added the weak point will defiantly be the knuckle.

So how much caster did you add?
 
looks good.. have to ask why on the bottom of the axle .. usually gussets are on the top to help with clearance
 
If it was me and I was planning on wheeling it , I would not use bolts . You'll never get a bolt that will have the same characteristics as a u-bolt . If you abuse it it will break with regular bolts . U-bolts are generally torqued to 130ish ft lbs then they start to deform the threads and lock . they are fine thread . If you try to torque a 5/8 " bolt to those specs it will fail when tightened to that point Or shortly afterward . I would run u-bolts myself . There is a reason manufacturers do not do this .
 
seapotato said:
I was going to ask the same...will act as a bit of a road grader sometimes...

(very nice work tho)
Click to expand...

Agree, usually top or middle, desert guys gusset in the middle, wheelers like the top for clearance and a place to install link points..
 
agree it will act as a plow especially going through the mud. I guess ill be the guy to fallow haha.I wasn't building them as guests rather skid plate armour. Im new to the low horse power trail rigs but have done some serious damage to dana 60s and even snapped a dana 70 in the rear which still to this day im not sure how that happened but such is the case with mild concussions. Im still thinking of doing the same kinda thing to the top of the axle and hopefully running a 4 link set up at some point. Thanks for the input guys lots of food for thought.:hmm:
 
slowandsteady BJ said:
So how much caster did you add?
Click to expand...

I couldn't tell you the actual degrees it was rotated. I put a whole bunch of marks 2 mm apart and cut down the centre of them. then placed axle back under truck and rotated till i like the drive shaft angle. then repeated tuning the same number of marks for the other side.
 
fighting the rust said:
I couldn't tell you the actual degrees it was rotated. I put a whole bunch of marks 2 mm apart and cut down the centre of them. then placed axle back under truck and rotated till i like the drive shaft angle. then repeated tuning the same number of marks for the other side.
Click to expand...

Ah, I think I get it. lol

I wouldn't get to crazy putting time and effort into the rear axle. The semi float axles are known to break axle shafts.... ask me how I know. If lockers, 35's and a turbo are in your future you'll be right on the edge for axle shaft reliability.
 
slowandsteady BJ said:
Ah, I think I get it. lol

I wouldn't get to crazy putting time and effort into the rear axle. The semi float axles are known to break axle shafts.... ask me how I know. If lockers, 35's and a turbo are in your future you'll be right on the edge for axle shaft reliability.
Click to expand...
sounds like good advise I changed the pinion angle when i did the spring over so wasn't planing on touching it again till something broke.
 
seapotato said:
This moment is crying out for a certain picture that I'm too lazy to go find.
Click to expand...

I think I know the one you're thinking of and took a quick look for it, but Andrew's link to it no longer works. I know Cam probably has it somewhere; maybe he will share.

Did find this tho:
P8200397.webp
 
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