Dana 60 3rd stud for leaf spring.

[R290]

Ok grade 8 is easy enough, but the heck is B7?

check this out.
http://www.americanfastener.com/tech...ings_steel.asp

I busted my D60 leaf spring studs. I bought them from Dyna trac. They said there grade 8, but that does not exist in all thread. So I'm thinking there grade B7

These are much cheaper
http://www.fastenal.com/web/products...0133656&ucst=t

[scout254]

Originally Posted by R290

I busted my D60 leaf spring studs. I bought them from Dyna trac.

About time you broke those, I've gone through about 6 of em...

If I remember right, do you have hydro assist?

After I limited my ram, I never broke another stud. (I'm running Dynatrac's studs)

[war pony]

Go with CAT bolts, and put in one more just for the heck of it.

[1wook]

B7 Tensile strength 125,000 psi
Grade 8 Tensile strength 150,000 psi
Grade 5 Tensile strength 120,000 psi

War pony, Cat bolts are the best!

[R290]

Originally Posted by war pony

Go with CAT bolts, and put in one more just for the heck of it.

Thanks again Dan. Last time I got to do the stud extraction, it was on my driveway and I was nervous as hell. Last thing you want to do is mess up and weld the stud in permanently. I had some of the SS 312 rod and it work great out on the trail.

So what are Cat bolts ( grade 10 and where do I find them. I thought studs were a better way to go and then use a nut to hold them down. Like the steering arm are held in place. I hear ya on the extra bolt, remember you saying that the last time I broke a stud.

Brian these are the leaf spring studs.


Edit.. I called WFO and he is sending me the parts for the 3rd stud

Here the video last time. ( My first movie) YouTube - Dana 60 stud removal

[1wook]

Cat standard gade 8 bolts exceed SAE grade 8 specs, so 150,000 +. If you can get the Cat high strength hex bolts or hex socket head's, both are 170,000 psi minimum.

[war pony]

Craig, It needs to be CAT, not John Deere, They my be green and that again is bad luck. Let me know if you can't find them. The are a bit more than your LE bolt ,and worth it for this aplication.

[scout254]

Originally Posted by R290

Brain these are the leaf spring studs.

Doh... ...

broke those too.. got Dynatrac's stud there too

Well.. this might have a way of getting back at ya for going wheeling every weekend

I thought about that 3rd stud idea before, and thought about tying into the diff cover with an extra bolt/sleeve.

'

[R290]

I pulled the studs today and the Dyna track studs are stamped B7. Fastenal has the same stud for 1/10 the price.

My box of goodies arrived from WFO and I pulled the leaf spring and started the process of drilling and tapping the 3rd hole in the axle. I believe the one's WFO sent are B7 grade too. I had him send the spring plates, two 5" 5/8 studs and one 9/16 stud for the new center position. Plus new U-bolt as the other one is going into the spares bag.

[war pony]

when those give up, let me know and I will get you the CAT bolts . That way you wont need to do it again

[R290]

Talking with Trevor he said when the u-bolt gets loose the studs will break from the rocking action. So the key is to keep the U-bolt tight. I find mine seems to come loose a lot. Like every hard core trip. He said the 3rd stud helps a lot with that too. I will take you up on the Cat bolts next time

Couple pic's of the progress. I drilled the hole like a 1/4" deeper than needed, should have made it a 1/2 deeper as the stud needs to go a bit deeper before bottoming out.. I will just cut the end of the tap off and make into a bottom tap.
I drilled the spring plate on the drill press and then used it to hold the bit straight up and down while drilling the axle. At first I thought why did the plate not come with the 3rd hole cut, but not having it worked out way better as I could use it make sure I drilled straight down.

[Blind Driver]

Wouldn't it be easier to install a second u-bolt in place of the studs? That's the next mod I'll be doing....sooner or later

[rockthedog]

Originally Posted by Blind Driver

Wouldn't it be easier to install a second u-bolt in place of the studs? That's the next mod I'll be doing....sooner or later

we did the ubolt thing with my sons dodge 60 on his cummins truck. worked great ....if i break them again thats what i'll do..... i had the studs of trevors and the 3rd stud.... its a good setup....i eventually went to the cat bolts, with a gobb of red locktight....almost the only way i have found the studs or the bolts break is if they get loose or you attatch you hydro to the plate

i do believe the third stud is the key... that and keeping them tight! good luck craig...........leaving tomarrow for the cantina for the con weekend, if you get it fixed come on up, trying to get a spot at loon

glenn

[Mechanos]

I bought the BTF D60F U-bolt kit w/ studs. It has actual studs in it... not pieces of all-thread. Of course, I haven't installed them yet, so I have no testimonial.

[R290]

The stud and nuts seem to stay tight, it's the u-bolt that comes loose.
I got the hole tapped and all three studs installed with red lock tight.

As for which is easier, hard to say. drilling a hole did not take too long. I would worry about grinding on the housing to make the u-bolt work.

Edit..
Got a pic of those BTF studs?? It's the cycle action of the back and forth that bust the studs/all-thread/bolts. Once the u-bolt gets just a tad bit loose the rocking action is like wiggling a paper clip back and forth.
I just need to check the u-bolts after each time out.

[Mechanos]

Originally Posted by R290

The stud and nuts seem to stay tight, it's the u-bolt that comes loose.
I got the hole tapped and all three studs installed with red lock tight.

As for which is easier, hard to say. drilling a hole did not take too long. I would worry about grinding on the housing to make the u-bolt work.

Yeah... I am now weary of grinding on the axle housing for obvious reasons.

[R290]

Originally Posted by Mechanos

Yeah... I am now weary of grinding on the axle housing for obvious reasons.

Now don't let this scare ya.

[ChiScouter]

Originally Posted by R290

Now don't let this scare ya.

I don't think that would scare him, his pic was a lot more dramatic, but just as tragic

[Mechanos]

Originally Posted by ChiScouter

I don't think that would scare him, his pic was a lot more dramatic, but just as tragic

That is my axle Chi.... only that picture was taken after I put the chain/ratchet binder truss on axle and pulled the halves back together so I could get it off the trailer and into the driveway. When I go to swap it out, I'll jack it up, remove the truss and let the weight of the Scout back down on the axle to get some pictures of the true carnage.

[REDDMANIAC]

I plan on outboarding the leafs and run a ubolt instead of studs. I need to point the pinion up a little too so...I run the skyjacker 1st generation leafs, so 2in spring isnt hard to do.

[R290]

Ok in my hurry to get this done, I painted the spring plate and went to install everything. Then remembered I needed to do some cut and paste on the center hole. Since I'm running 8 degree shims the spring center pin is tilted to the rear about 1/2" from center. So tonight I get to use some carb cleaner on my paint job and make the mod.
I think I will just cut out all the holes and weld in some flat bar and then redrill it where it needs to be.


Here what it looks like with all the studs installed and new plate

[sprout4two]

So if the reason that the studs keep breaking is the u-bolt coming loose what can be done about this. Things coming to mind are larger u-bolts, double nuts, I am sure that loc-tite is being used. What is the mechanism that causes the u-bolt to loosen? This is a common problem with all of us cheap ass leaf spring assholes. Does the u-bolt stretch? I honestly am stumped. I usually just torque the shit out of mine and them seem to hold most of the time. I know that probably it is due to the spring being compressed and stretched out. So from the BTF site it is a 5/8 x 3 5/8 u-bolt. Why not go up to a 3/4 u-bolt? We have a driveline line shop here in KC that can bend you about anything that you want. Don't know if they are using as good of wire as BTF or not. Here is a pretty good site discussing u-bolts U-bolt information.

Are you using the longer u-bolt nuts that look like they are about two nuts high? Could you double nut with standard grade 8 nuts on the u-bolt to keep them from getting loose?

Sorry for the rambling post. I am riding out to Colorado to go to Rocky Mountain National Park for the weekend and I thought we could have a good tech discussion instead of all of the newbs asking will this fit or what D44 do I have.

[R290]

Originally Posted by sprout4two

So if the reason that the studs keep breaking is the u-bolt coming loose what can be done about this. Things coming to mind are larger u-bolts, double nuts, I am sure that loc-tite is being used. What is the mechanism that causes the u-bolt to loosen? This is a common problem with all of us cheap ass leaf spring assholes. Does the u-bolt stretch? I honestly am stumped. I usually just torque the shit out of mine and them seem to hold most of the time. I know that probably it is due to the spring being compressed and stretched out. So from the BTF site it is a 5/8 x 3 5/8 u-bolt. Why not go up to a 3/4 u-bolt? We have a driveline line shop here in KC that can bend you about anything that you want. Don't know if they are using as good of wire as BTF or not. Here is a pretty good site discussing u-bolts U-bolt information.

Are you using the longer u-bolt nuts that look like they are about two nuts high? Could you double nut with standard grade 8 nuts on the u-bolt to keep them from getting loose?

Sorry for the rambling post. I am riding out to Colorado to go to Rocky Mountain National Park for the weekend and I thought we could have a good tech discussion instead of all of the newbs asking will this fit or what D44 do I have.

Good write up and brilliant simple idea, just up the size to 3/4 I'm sure it would fit and the plate can be drilled if needed.

A bit of back ground on my setup. My u-bolt nuts come loose by the bolt stretching. When I first put everything together they all need to be re tighten. But the rear don't come loose anymore. The front one seem to come loose more often, and the passenger side with the studs I need to watch closer. As for torque I found this U-bolt torque
I got my u-bolts from Betts spring and they said they were grade 8. looks like I could have torque them more as I was only going to 125-150, and the spec is 212 ft lbs. for grade 8. I don't know the ASTM info on my new one yet, but I really like the idea of going 3/4" as it's 1/3 stronger to resist stretching.

I'm also running shims top and bottom to keep the clamping force even.

I'm sure Betts will have 3/4 bolts, but heres an online source too

edit... I was running the stock cast plate and no way that thing can bend, it's an inch thick. the new one is a 3/8 bent plate.

[SSGTWC]

I'm glad this thread was started, since ChiScouter just happened to sell me one with both studs sheared off.

[ChiScouter]

Originally Posted by SSGTWC

I'm glad this thread was started, since ChiScouter just happened to sell me one with both studs sheared off.

thats so you could start practicing on getting them out before you have to do a field fix

Based on my experience with stockers I would say that having studs on one side and U bolt on the other is an inherent problem. Im guessing that the U bolt expands more under stress which overstresses the studs. I bought Tims axle already pulled, but IIRC the original studs were torched off. Of all the Chevy axles I pulled at the boneyard over half the axles has one broken stud, a sheared off leaf spring center bolt, or the studs and/or U bolt were loose. Even the stockers driven on the road in the flatlands have problems.