U bolt question????

[Rubble]

On my CCLB 4x4 srw the 14 bolt ff has the nuts on the u- bolts on the bottom under the axle.My 3/4 ton 4x4 ff has them on top with nuts facing up. I am gonna lift the crew and I have a set of u-bolts that the nuts go on top as well.What was the reason for having them on bottom??? Or does it matter??
Posted via Mobile Device

[CentipedePerformance]

Who knows what the reason was, but if you have the proper U-bolts and plates, flip them! They just get hung up on rocks, and collect mud water and other junk and rust out your axle tubes the way they came factory. Offroad Design even sells a kit to flip them over like your 3/4 ton.

[Rubble]

That's kinda what I was thinking too,this truck is gonna spend probably at least 75% of the time on gravel or dirt roads & the nuts on top will be much better.I just went out to shop & looked at the truck,it has an overload spring on top and the u- bolt plate holds down the overload spring.That might be why they are installed that way.Gonna do away with overloads and use air bags instead,so going with nuts on top!!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Keith Seymore]

Direction doesn't matter.

They are probably that way because the frame is built upside down; springs go on first, then the axle lays on the pads (gravity keeps it from floating away) and then the U bolts installed, plates and nuts run home.

After the suspension (front and rear) is installed the frame is flipped over and readied for brake bleed and engine installation and VIOLA U bolts are pointing down at that point.

You can see them in their right-side-up orientation here, in picture 4:
http://www.73-87.com/7387info/Assembly%20Line.htm

K

[russgt]

ORD's kit works nice
http://offroaddesign.com/catalog/uboltreversal.htm