efilnikufecin
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Flint,Michigan
can anyone give me the dimensions of the u-bolt plates?need center to center measurement for the holes.i'm swapping in a 44 and i'm going to make them.thanks
dana 44 u-bolt plates
- Thread starter efilnikufecin
- Start date
- Location
- Terra Firma
I believe the stock plates have slotted holes and your Dana 35 plates will work with a Dana 44.
- Location
- Indiana-Missouri
Eagle said:
yep, I used my d-35 plates with a scout 44.
BillR
Toy Jeep driver!
- Location
- Flagstaff, AZ
I used my OEM Dana 35 plates on an 8.25 and now on a Dana 44.
- Location
- Desert Beach So Cal
The bolt center dimensions are the wide end of the D35 plate slots, and the same as the 8.25.
If you are planning to run 33's or taller tires I recommend using larger diameter (5/8") u-bolts (replace the factory 7/16" or 1/2" u-bolts). The larger diameter bolts will require the factory plate holes to be enlarged, and if you make your own you can do the work once. I purchased Skyjacker bolts for a C10 Cheby D44 in the 5/8 size, cheaper than the spring shop wanted to cut and thread them out of bar stock.
The added clamping force of the 5/8 bolts will be an advantage, to keep the leaf pack together, as will the safety factor if you end up reassembling the rear axle and leaf packs and do not want to risk u-bolt stretch failure.
If you do build your own leaf pack plates, consider making the plate extend inboard of the leaf pack. The added material can be aligned to serve as an early bumpstop seat, a little higher than the axle tube. This allows you to leave the factory bumpstop in the stock location and still achieve the travel difference needed to protect the shocks & tire when the 33" or 35" is stuffed into the cut and folded fenderwell. Some tuning may be needed, but it easier than a tall bumpstop shim at the frame or axle tube.
If you are planning to run 33's or taller tires I recommend using larger diameter (5/8") u-bolts (replace the factory 7/16" or 1/2" u-bolts). The larger diameter bolts will require the factory plate holes to be enlarged, and if you make your own you can do the work once. I purchased Skyjacker bolts for a C10 Cheby D44 in the 5/8 size, cheaper than the spring shop wanted to cut and thread them out of bar stock.
The added clamping force of the 5/8 bolts will be an advantage, to keep the leaf pack together, as will the safety factor if you end up reassembling the rear axle and leaf packs and do not want to risk u-bolt stretch failure.
If you do build your own leaf pack plates, consider making the plate extend inboard of the leaf pack. The added material can be aligned to serve as an early bumpstop seat, a little higher than the axle tube. This allows you to leave the factory bumpstop in the stock location and still achieve the travel difference needed to protect the shocks & tire when the 33" or 35" is stuffed into the cut and folded fenderwell. Some tuning may be needed, but it easier than a tall bumpstop shim at the frame or axle tube.
- Location
- Terra Firma
Stock u-bolts are actually 12mm, which is a tiny bit smaller than 1/2". Definitely don't go any smaller -- the nice shiny ones they sell at Pep Boys are 7/16" and they're junk -- as well as costing almost twice what good ones cost from a real spring shop.
Dunno as I'd go all the way to 5/8" though. With stock plates there wouldn't be much material left on the outer sides of the holes. You can easily go up to 9/16" without needing to enlarge the holes very much, and the strength increase will still be significant. Also, be sure to get the extra deep nuts and extra thick hardened washers that spring shops carry -- you WON'T find those at Pep Boys.
Dunno as I'd go all the way to 5/8" though. With stock plates there wouldn't be much material left on the outer sides of the holes. You can easily go up to 9/16" without needing to enlarge the holes very much, and the strength increase will still be significant. Also, be sure to get the extra deep nuts and extra thick hardened washers that spring shops carry -- you WON'T find those at Pep Boys.
- Location
- Desert Beach So Cal
Eagle said:
The measured minimal meat left on the edge of the stock plates after drilling to accept the 5/8" bolts motivated tossing them into the scrap bin and fabricating new plates out of 3/8" by 4.5" bar stock cut to length. In my case I double stacked the 3/8, to achieve a 3/4 inch thick leaf plate, just to assure the leafs would remain in place without excessive use of spring clamps on the leaf ends.
IMO the stock plates are not thick enough to resist bending with the clamping forces involved to keep a tall pack from shifting. Adding large diameter washers to backup the stock plates is good, but the bend in these plates will partially defeat the purpose. Thicker plates are a needed alternative.
Maybe I can get royalties from URF racing and fabrication for the aftermarket plate idea :dunno: .
BTW, new nylon-insert locknuts work wonders for repeat tinkering and rebuild offenders
.
- Location
- Torrance, CA
Tell me about it. My stockers bent when I was tightening the U-Bolts up to the specified torque, my pack isn't even that tall!Ed A. Stevens said:
efilnikufecin
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Flint,Michigan
thanks guys,i was planning on extending the ubolt plate inboard for a bump stop.just like the dgp offroad ones.i'll probably use 1/2 inch crs flat stock and upgrsde the ubolt size.i'm planning on a chevy V8 swap in the near future so the extra beef won't hurt.thanks again
