Don't flame me for my first post here...I am in need of SOA u-bolt plates for 2.5 inch springs and 3.25 inch axle tube diameter where the plates mount beneath the axle. Are there any Dodge trucks with this configuration so I can go to the junkyard and tell them exactly what I need??? It's for a u-bolt flip...

any driveline shop should be able to make a set cheap...my U-bolt plates cost 60 bucks for front and rear leaves..

That's because your ublot plates are flat. I need them curved to fit on top of the axle. Much more fab work involved to do it right, hence much more $$$

That's because your ublot plates are flat. I need them curved to fit on top of the axle. Much more fab work involved to do it right, hence much more $$$


Good luck...Dodge D70 front axle most likely...may be lucky enough to use a D60 rear axle from a 70s to 93 dodge also.

I think what he meant was use round top ubolts, not square top.

steved

I think what he meant was use round top ubolts, not square top.
steved

+1.

What I don't quite understand is why someone would want to use the square top u-bolts when the round ones would be easier. A set of spring plates could be made at home for that combination.

ORD has them. It's for a Chevy, but call them for measurements. It looks like it could work. They were very nice to deal with when I needed a custom tie rod for my Dodge. I'm a very happy customer.
http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/uboltreversal.htm

Or you can go homemade
http://www.offroadexchange.com/projects/u_bolt_flip.htm

EDIT: What are you trying to do? read your post again after I replied. There is no plate under the axle after a u-bolt flip. Are you looking for these?

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d82/TJshare/D70/shockbrackets.jpg

I am in need of SOA u-bolt plates for 2.5 inch springs and 3.25 inch axle tube diameter where the plates mount beneath the axle...It's for a u-bolt flip...

Are you trying to replicate the stock setup of upside down square ubolts with a bottom plate? :confused:

It is easier to use round ubolts point up. just use a flat top plate and don't have the ends haning down below your axle.

How are you flipping here? What is "normal" and what is "flipped"?

The more I think about it I bet he is trying to retain the stock rear axle shock mounts. They are originally located on the spring plates...

I'm sure you could fab some new mounts with the correct arc to retain the squared off u-bolts and stock type shock mounts if you really want to retain the stock style axle and shock mounting.

Okay, there seems to be some confusion. On my Jeep Wrangler, the stock setup has round u-bolts. The ROUND top points up leaving the nuts and plates to hang up on rocks. The stock setup is with the spring under the axle. With a u-blot flip, I get the SQUARE u-bolts, invert them so the plates and nuts are above the axle. There is less stuff to hang up on the rocks because the nuts and u-bolt plates are not pointing down.

There are stock applications I can use to accomplish this. For instance, a 1998 Dodge 1/2 ton truck has the axle under the spring, as do most fullsize trucks. The u-bolt plate on a fullsize faces down mounts directly on the axle. My question is...what tucks have the same axle tube diameter as the Ford 8.8 and use the smae method to affix the axle to the spring?

Clear as mud??

1) Why are you asking Jeep questions in the Dodge forum?
2) Why are you asking Ford axle questions in the Dodge forum?
3) Did you bother to check the two links I posted?

on every full size truck i've seen the u bolt plate faces up so it is still flat. (i've never seen a dodge truck up close obviously!)

so youre SUA, and want square ubolts opening up. let me know what you find.

1) Why are you asking Jeep questions in the Dodge forum?
2) Why are you asking Ford axle questions in the Dodge forum?
3) Did you bother to check the two links I posted?

1)Because I figured Dodge guys might know what axle tube diameter their trucks have.

2)I don't have any Ford questions, just a Ford axle

3)Your two links do not have square u bolts depicted, so they are useless to me. However, one of them shows the stock setup for that application which is almost exactly what I need. Just picture the square tops of the U-blots facing down do they are under the spring with the axle on top of the spring.

http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/uboltreversal.htm


But thanks for your concern...:D

I'll leave your dodge board alone now

early 70s dodges used u-bolt plates under the axle, and had 3.250 axle tubes. in the front the passenger side plate is a cast part that mounts under the diff housing and wouldnt work for you, but the drivers side mounts under the axle tube and would work. same plates in the rear as the drivers front untill they integrated the shock mount into the plate (like the pic above) not sure what year they switched from the bolt on shock mount to the integrated mount though.

early 70s dodges used u-bolt plates under the axle, and had 3.250 axle tubes. in the front the passenger side plate is a cast part that mounts under the diff housing and wouldnt work for you, but the drivers side mounts under the axle tube and would work. same plates in the rear as the drivers front untill they integrated the shock mount into the plate (like the pic above) not sure what year they switched from the bolt on shock mount to the integrated mount though.

awesome. Thanks man. I'm getting flamed bigtime for posting this on the "hardcore" jeep talk. You must be the first person in 30 to give me a direct answer.

no prob. i think part of the problem was confusion. in your first post you said that you have a SOA

when you actually have a SUA set up.

Ah yes. I now see the confusion...my bad. I meant to say "what stock application had SOA configuration..." but I see how it liiks like I said I had SOA.

I had the rounded type hangers off a Ford D60 (I replaced them with a Comanche style setup on the current SUA axle)
I also did a SOA rear D35 on the Comanche, and I put the spring plates between the axle and springs (a little extra lift) with flat plates on top (where the studs now stick out)
Just having the squared Ubolts on the springs caused too much stess and cracked the springs with the Ford setup.