problems with spring u-bolts

ok, i finally got around to installing my re-built dana 44. About 6 months or so i had some u-bolts made for my axles. everything was great except that the threads are not long enough. After a few choice words and finished being hard on myself i decided to purchase a die and make more threads on the bolts. Well, as with everything else there is a snag. It seems like the bolt shoulder where i am making the new threads is ever so slightly smaller than where the other threads are. So it seems like the threads are not as deep as the others.
Should or could i use these or should i just get new spring u-bolts? The place i had make them will not take them back because they were custom made to order (i'm assuming right now until monday). i'm worried that there won't be enough thread to get it good and tight and stay tight.
Here are some pictures as i know everyone likes those.

rear 3:73 with trac-loc axle out.

re-built 4:27 with powr-lok almost in.

And picture of my storage unit. oops i mean my jeep

 

Can the place that made them "re-thread" them for you, to add more threads? I had some made for my truck and, I don't recall that it was terribly expensive. I would not take any chances with my u-bolts though. They have to be right, whatever it takes. I also don't recall there being a shoulder on mine but, I may be wrong about that. Seems to me they could lengthen the threads bit, if not, have new ones made. Safety, ya know?

 

Sounds like the existing threads were rolled, not cut.

Can you get away with using some washers to position the nuts so they stay on the threaded section?

 

I agree with Mike S.

Cut threads are not as strong as rolled in any case. Use spacers or new u-bolts, IMHO.

 

Gosh, I love to hear that

Thanks Pete.

 

And while you are out getting new bolts, buy a set of stands before one of those straps break and you get crushed.

 

Mehhhhh.

 

I agree with JAlves too... ;-)

The straps are strong enough, but you have all your eggs in one basket - or on a single hook. You are betting your life on a bunch of possibilities.
I do a lot of heavy lifting in my work. Your primary set-up should always have a redundant back-up.

As we say in fire/rescue, no one calls us when they do something smart...

 

Just go to NAPA and get the right ones. If you do a search I posted the parts numbers on here for NAPA about 6 years or so ago.

Here is the chart I put up years ago.

http://www.earlycj5.net/forums/showthread.php?81515-U-bolt-size-chart&highlight=napa+u-bolts

 

O'Reilly's has the right ones also, complete with hardened washers and nuts. Unless you have a very non-standard spring arrangement, best and cheapest to just buy them off-the-shelf.

 

i'm going to call there tomorrow as it was crazy busy at work. didn't have time for lunch either. it wasn't expensive to have them built and i agree it has to be right. after all it's the axles they are holding on.

 

mike, that is what my friend said too on the rolled not cut threads. and i would have to use about an inch worth of washers to make it work.

 

i gave them the dimensions that was in my jeep catalog and i may have told them the length but not the threaded length. i should have just brought down the old ones from the dana 44 and had them copy them

 

you think an inch worth of spacers would be good? i would think it would move around more like that?

 

believe me i was not under that while it was up. i only drug the axle out once everything was disconnected as a unit then sat it down on blocks.

 

An inch sounds like too much. They would stick down and hang up on rocks.

 

thanks mcruff, i just might have to do that.

 

yeah i thought it to be a little excessive

 

now one thing i forgot to mention is i have a lift kit on my jeep. it only has 3 or 4 leafs and not the massive amount of leafs stock was. i'm assuming that might make a difference even though it has had the lift on there for quite some time.