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Thread: U Bolts

  1. #1
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    U Bolts

    Am putting my front axle back on, after restoring it, and have hit a problem. The ubolts on the drivers side are not long enough! They are approx 185mm.

    I have cleaned, painted and greased (graphite) the springs but wouldn’t have thought that would have caused the issue. Passenger side is fine and have tried the passenger side u-bolts and the same result.

    Its a series 2a Workshop.

    Any ideas?

  2. #2
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    It's not seated properly.
    2013 D4 expedition equipped
    1966 Army workshop trailer
    (previously SII 2.25 swb, SIII 2.25 swb & lwb, P38 Vogue, 1993 LSE 3.9V8 then HS2.8)

  3. #3
    JDNSW's Avatar
    JDNSW is offline RoverLord Silver Subscriber
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    Are they the U-bolts that came off it? If they are, I think it is quite possible that the sum of the layers of grease have added up to enough. The outer one of course is not fitting tight on the axle, but I assume you know that. If there is 0.5mm of grease on both sides of each leaf, with ten interfaces, that adds up to 10x2x0.5 = 10mm, which seems to be about the amount you are short! Half a millimetre is not a very thick layer of grease, and remember that it is the lumps that will set the spacing, and these will not spread out until there is a lot of pressure on the interface and possibly even then need some movement on the spring.

    When assembling the spring, did you tighten the centrebolt with the spring clamped tight in a vice?
    John

    JDNSW
    1986 110 County 3.9 diesel
    1970 2a 109 2.25 petrol

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by JDNSW View Post
    Are they the U-bolts that came off it? If they are, I think it is quite possible that the sum of the layers of grease have added up to enough. The outer one of course is not fitting tight on the axle, but I assume you know that. If there is 0.5mm of grease on both sides of each leaf, with ten interfaces, that adds up to 10x2x0.5 = 10mm, which seems to be about the amount you are short! Half a millimetre is not a very thick layer of grease, and remember that it is the lumps that will set the spacing, and these will not spread out until there is a lot of pressure on the interface and possibly even then need some movement on the spring.

    When assembling the spring, did you tighten the centrebolt with the spring clamped tight in a vice?
    Thanks for replying. Yes they are the same bolts. Good point about the accumulation of grease! I did tighten the springs when putting in the centre bolt. Have jacked up the bottom plate to try to squeeze everything together, but no dice. Have asked my local supplier if he has any longer u-bolts - fingers crossed.

  5. #5
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    Have you got them on the same sides.

    On Sid, the drivers side were slightly longer.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cadas View Post
    Have you got them on the same sides.

    On Sid, the drivers side were slightly longer.
    Thanks Cadas, yes have swapped them over, and no joy. Will have a cup of tea and look at it again tomorrow. I’ve probably done something wrong ! Thanks

  7. #7
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    Thinking back to mine, it’s that one bolt there that’s longer than the other three. , something to do with the reinforcement around the axle.

    The reinforcement makes the axle wider so the u bolt doesn’t seat properly, yours in the pics is not seated properly.

    Check others for length and width. Once you can get a few threads going without a washer you can tighten to seat it and then undo and put washers on.

  8. #8
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    Cadas is on the money.

    Drivers side is longer because of the shoulder on the front diff.

    I bought 4 x replacement U-bolts when restoring my ‘60 Series II, but the replacement didn’t fit.

    The drivers side front is the longest of the 4.

    I ended up getting the local mechanic to make me one from scratch..

    Cheers,
    GG.
    54 Series 1 86
    61 Series 2 109 - Club Rego
    76 2 Door Range Rover
    78 101 Forward Control - Club Rego
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    93 Discovery 1 200 Tdi - Club Rego
    98 Freelander 1 - Full Rego
    22 Defedner 90 - Full rego

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