Rear Axle U-bolts

idiocrates · Post by **idiocrates** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 5:46 pm

Does anyone know the nominal dimensions on the u-bolts used on the rear axle of an m38a-1. The replacements I got (supposedly for this jeep) are 6 3/4"L x 2 9/16"W x 7/16" x 20 and appear to be almost 3/4" too short. I can barely catch the nut.....and that's without the special thick washers they sent along with the bolts. I'm going tomorrow to find some replacements but I'd like to let my fingers do some of the walking so I need to verify the size of these bolts before I start calling. Thanks.

Post by **wesk** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 8:03 pm

Are your spring packs drawn down tight enough with the center bolts?

idiocrates · Post by **idiocrates** » Sun Nov 01, 2009 8:50 pm

I think so. I didn't measure the spring pack but after I caught the nuts on one seat plate I tightened up all four and wasn't even catching a full nut's worth of thread (and this was without any washers). I did verify that my axle was properly positioned over the spring bolt and down on the perch that the center hole in the seat plate was also centered on the spring bolt. My springs (maybe original) have thirteen leafs and the rebound clips with nuts and bolts and all are in-place. Do you know what the stack height is when the spring bolt is properly compressed?