Britty Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 Hi, We are swapping our 5-lug rear axle, for the 6-lug one ton, but we do not have the correct size u-bolt or shock plate. Does anyone know the dimensions for these, or whether we can buy universal u-bolt. Thank you, any help is very appreciated! Brittney Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 I had mine fabricated and welded. I ended up paying a total of $98 out the door for custom shock plates and ubolts that are 3 times stronger than factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britty Posted October 16, 2012 Author Share Posted October 16, 2012 I had mine fabricated and welded. I ended up paying a total of $98 out the door for custom shock plates and ubolts that are 3 times stronger than factory. Hi Totem, Thank you so much for your reply. Where would you suggest going to have them custom fabricated and welded? Would most mechanics be able to do this, or a machine shop? Also, how long did the process take? Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 mine was done in three steps. I had my mechanic tell me what he wanted to see with a "napkin" drawing ; he gave me diameter of the ubolt before bend; how long he wanted them etc. I went to a truck spring shop and had them bend me some ubolts, nuts and lock washers. They did this while I waited in about 30 minutes. Cost was about $30. I then went to a Metal shop and bought some half inch steel plate cut to the size I needed maybe a smidge longer knowing when i took the plates to the press shop to bend the skates that held the bolts. the plates were cheap like $12 maybe? Finally I took the two plates to the fabrication shop where they put them in a press and bend them. that cost me $56 or so. Took the pressed plates to work and had guys from work drill holes in them per napkin sketch drawing took all of that to mechanic; he welded on the bolt hardware that holds the shock himself. I believe I have a picture of one of these in here... oh yah: http://toyotamotorhome.org/forums/index.php?app=gallery&image=2458 not the greatest picture but the setup is attached to the yellow blue bilstein. the newer looking hardware in the picture is an aftermarket sway bar kit i put in myself too. the shock mount is the rusty colored thing the shock is on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britty Posted October 16, 2012 Author Share Posted October 16, 2012 Thank you so much for your time, this helps incredibly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 no worries. I had my bolts and plates all done in one day on my lunch break. the sketch my mechanic made me lit my way; it was simple. The toyota ones are dang near impossible to find and were half the diameter ubolt and plate thickness as the ones i had made. My mech told me the ones I had made would take anything i threw at them and more and were built for tank like abuse. he told me "well done sir". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted October 16, 2012 Share Posted October 16, 2012 Any spring shop worth it's salt can make "U" bolts for you for less then $10 I think the axle tubes are the same size so the plates should fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 Any spring shop worth it's salt can make "U" bolts for you for less then $10 I think the axle tubes are the same size so the plates should fit. ^ NOT the same size. will require new plates and U bolts from 1/2 ton to 1 ton. cannot reuse old plates as shock position will be incorrect. Mech mentione smething about it possibly working upside down but I didn't want to take the chance and waste the labor finding out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted November 17, 2012 Share Posted November 17, 2012 Hi, We are swapping our 5-lug rear axle, for the 6-lug one ton, but we do not have the correct size u-bolt or shock plate. Does anyone know the dimensions for these, or whether we can buy universal u-bolt. Thank you, any help is very appreciated! Brittney The Toyota full-floating dual-wheel rear has a tube OD of 3 1/8" (80 mm). Same as many lighter single rear-wheel trucks made after 1986. Older Toyota half-ton rears have tubes that are only 2 1/2" OD (64 mm). The U-bolts are easy to get. Buy OEM from Toyota or go to a good auto parts store and have them made in a few minutes. Local store near me does it. U-bolts for the Toyota full-floater use 1/2" diameter threaded rod (13 mm) with a 3 1/4" space between (83 mm), or better put - the two 1/2" rods are spaced 3 3/4" on-center (95 mm). In regard to the bottom plates with the four holes and shock mount? Easy to make or just get some from a late model truck with the same 3 1/8" axle-tube OD. Just keep in mind that if someone makes the plates - the steel used will mostly likely be mild-steel and need to be much thicker to have the same strength. Not a common failure area. I've seen some half rusted off and still holding fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHS Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I have seen the original plates used the U-bolts simply squeezed closer together under the axle & fed through the plates seemed to be working. would feel better with bigger plates though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I have seen the original plates used the U-bolts simply squeezed closer together under the axle & fed through the plates seemed to be working. would feel better with bigger plates though methinks "squeezing something with OD 80 mm down to a fitting linear intended for 64 mm would be almost impossible and even if did how would you get it off/on and finally the nuts wouldn't sit flush... not a good scenerio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Hi, We are swapping our 5-lug rear axle, for the 6-lug one ton, but we do not have the correct size u-bolt or shock plate. Does anyone know the dimensions for these, or whether we can buy universal u-bolt. Thank you, any help is very appreciated! Brittney I was cutting apart a 1983 Chevy truck today and noticed it uses the same U-bolts as the Toyota full-floater. That from the very common GM 10 bolt, 1/2 ton rear. Same bolt spacing and same tube diameter. Only difference is the Chevy -bolts a bit more HD then the Toyota . The Chevy bolts are 9/16" diamter, whereas the Toyota bolts are 1/2" diameter (13 mm). U-bolts are easy to get made anyway - but this saved me the trouble of having new U-bolts made since I've got piles of the GM U-bolts laying around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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