I bought my 2" block kit today and was wondering if the round u bolts will be ok if I tighten them down good, or am I going to have to track down some square ones. All my parts stores and hardware stores here in town do not have them. Thats why I was wondering about the round ones that came with the kit. Thanks.

 

The only way you can safely use your round ones is if you do a u-bolt flip! Just be sure that the new u-bolts are the correct size for your axle tube! They should be a snug fit against the axle tube... you really don't want any play here!

DSCN0847.jpg?t=1272828923

 

Ok thanks that will work out good and wont hang on anything like they would if they were pointing down.

 

You will need the new spring plates for the round u-bolts too. Jeep Cherokee's used the 8.25" axle quite a bit (just make sure you don't get ones from a D35 axle as the tube is smaller) and would have the correct spring plates to go with the u-bolts. You could also order a set from Dan @ Ruffstuff like shown in the above picture.

 

Cool. I have done some searching and I found some square u bolts in the next town up from me. I will go get them tomorrow morning. Our advanced auto moved to the next town and they have them in stock or at least that is what the web site said. I will check it out though.

 

I was thinking the plates he has can be flipped over, but I'm not positive that would work, and I'm too lazy to walk outside and look!

But if they can't be flipped over, another option is a 2wd Dakota. They are set up with u-bolts around the axle rather than around the springs.

And good call on the RuffStuffSpecialties parts! Thats exactly where I got them from! (That picture is of my new 14 bolt rear axle).

 

It goes around the spring on the top with the square part and has a plate on the bottom where the bolts go through to tighten them up. Can the plate not be put on the spring at the top and the round part on the u bolt just go around the axle. It sounds like it would be just a flip it over process, but im not sure. The plate should sit on the spring just as good as the u bolt thats on it now. Just throwin that out there but I havnt really looked at it. Thanks for all the input guys.

 

Now my 87 may be different but it has a special bracket that goes under the axle and is contoured to fit the bottom of the housing. It uses the square u-bolts that face downward, one in front and one in back per side. and the bracket "cups" the housing holding it to the spring.

 

It is probably like that also. Like I mentioned before I havent really looked at it, but I did find some square u bolts online at advanced auto up the road from here so I am going to go get them tomorrow and do it right.

 

Yes correct the 4wd stock plate will not work on a U-blot flip. But spring plates are cheep and easy to find. I have found them at my local Trailer supply store and the local spring shop. You can also get them from summit. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ART-A125/


Here is a pic of the stock 4wd plate.