Dana 60 U-bolt Spring Plates?

[special-K]

Upper U-bolt retainers? I don't know what to call them w/o looking at a book. These are the two plates, one for each side, that lay over the center pin nut on top of the spring that locate the over the top (square) U-bolts. The u-bolts hold them in place while they help keep the u-bolts in place.

Just one problem, and I've never experienced it before. On one side the plate just floats. It's loose enough to rattle, and the U-bolts are as tight as they can be. What could cause this? The U-bolt isn't bent tight enough? Bent a shade too narrow? I cant get the U-bolt drawn down any tighter and the plate will just rattle and shake making a clatter when I drive, I'm sure.

What would you do? Buy another U-bolt and see how it works? I came here after getting 3/4 of the way into posting a WTB for another pair, thinking just double them up. That is the only way I want to lift the plate up to the U-bolt. The other option would is getting the U-bolt down to the plate..and without getting into a blacksmithing job, I figure buy another U-bolt.

The overall job I'm trying to finish up is 4" rear lift on my '72 using Add-A-Leaf and 2" block. I started out buying the cheapest possible lift out there... NTW's Suspension Special w/ rear blocks with free shipping. I could have shelled out another $150 fr rear leafs, but with going cheap being the thing $150 less was the answer. If not, I would have bought all four spring kit from Tuff Country. If I'm buying rear springs I'd like to get ones made for a better ride. I figure the ones in the "too cheap to advertise brand" price were just old school springs like what came on the truck. The brand is Superlift, so no too shabby, I like their stuff. I wanted to retain full hauling abilities and the stock springs are still great. Add the Add-A-Leaf and she should haul just great. I'm old school and never minded the ride that pioneered the lifts we see offered today. This is a period truck, so actually fits it. I want to feel as close as possible to how I did doing the same thing in the same trucks as I did 35-40 years ago (good luck with that,, right?).

Anyway, I got to the rear and eyeing up those platform shoe


Disco always did suck!


4" blocks, I just couldn't do it. I swear they look more like 6" and I'm a carpenter who by now can eye up a measurement with the best. Even measured a time or two. "I used to do this?" I thought to myself. Funny how time can pass once you stopped doing something a certain way and looking back looks so different. It didn't help that I stumbled into an extra pair of tapered 2" blocks I have no idea where came from. I ordered the Add-A-Leafs from Tuff Country (will that make it ride softer?? ) and went together with it. I get the whole thing together and just don't like what I'm seeing on the right side. The loose plate I already told you about, and I can see daylight, just a paper thin sliver, between block and spring. I think the divot in the block was a bit wallowed out and less than favorable in general. I thought about deepening the divot or grinding a bit off the pin, but decided it was dumb to use these old blocks, probably were dunnage from someone else's loosened U-bolt/block catastrophe. I have new blocks coming, but still need to remedy the loose plate thing. I want everything drawn-up snug'n tight and copesthetic. I think I just talked this one through. I came here thinking double the plates up, but now think there must be a quality issue with the U-bolt and why get around it (though that would work fine) when for a fist full of ones I can have a U-bolt that fits the right side as well as the other does on the left side.

Hey, thanks for your help! (still open to thoughts/opinions)