UnkLeRaRa - would you happen to know the torque specs for the u-bolt nuts?

 

Nevermind I found the specs and sequence:

1. Tighten the U-bolt nuts in a cross pattern in 4 stages.
   Torque:
   Stage 1: 26 lb.ft (35 Nm)
   Stage 2: 52 lb.ft (70 Nm)
   Stage 3: 74 lb.ft (100 Nm)
   Stage 4: 98 lb.ft (133 Nm)

 

Yap you got em.

One thing I didn't anticipate is just how long the bolts are once you remove the block.

I have regular deep sockets, but they were too short to fully tighten the bolts.

I just used an adjustable wrench and hand cranked them tight for now until I can get a deep enough socket, or just cut the excess threading so I can get my torque wrench on them.

I'm working from home for the time being, so I am not worried about bombing down the highway with the bolts un-torqued.

I will most likely just thread on another nut, cut the excess, and unscrew the nut to clean up the threads.

But at the same time I don't want to cut them in case I put the block back at some point, so I might just order the 2WD u-bolts.

 

JMHO - Cut the threads and torque them properly. There is a massive amount of torque loading and forces applied to the axle even during normal light town driving. Please err on the side of safety and properly torque them if you plan on driving. When I do mine I will cut the threads and final torque to 100ft-lbs, to give a tad bit of new stretch to the bolts (these are stretch bolts by design and torquing them is the ONLY way they will hold properly)- if I go back to using the blocks I will buy a new set of u-bolts as I would not want to re-use them more than once anyway. If I were doing any serious offroading or heavy towing, I would never re-use a set of u-bolts just to be on the proper safe side.

 

Well...not today but this past Saturday. Wash, clay, polish, wax, and Advil.

 

lol- what a state our country is in- typically it would be a beer, now its an advil. ;-)

 

Oh yeah for sure, I won't be going anywhere until I get them torqued to spec.

Like I said I'm working from home so I have nowhere to go for now, and if the rain quits I'll be getting at it today.

The quarantine is keeping me from being able to just go pickup an extra deep 21mm socket, so I will most likely be cutting the existing ones.

 

Sounds like my day... lol. Although I am going out to get new tires put on. woohoo.

 

Finally got the windows tinted to block out that South Georgia heat. 5% all around

 

I held off on the windshield on mine but I think I need to do it. Also didn't know what % to do. That big windshield lets a lot if sunlight through. Is it distracting at all as 5%?