The Ford Barn

alexiskai · 08-19-2019, 10:19 AM

While preparing to re-lube my springs (different post), I noticed that my front spring U-bolts are non-standard – no hole for a cotter pin, no castle nuts – and my crank bearing is missing.

Ideally I'd like to replace these with correct U-bolts and install a crank bearing while I'm doing that, but of course U-bolts are designed to be installed with the body OFF. It looks like at a minimum I'd have to remove the radiator to get at them properly. Is that correct? If so then forget it, I have bigger fish to fry.

I searched for earlier threads on this topic, but they all seem to be about the difficulty of swapping the REAR U-bolts, usually for stripped threads. I already know I'd have to clamp the springs while working on the U-bolts, that's much less of a pain than removing the radiator.

08-19-2019, 10:19 AM	#1
alexiskai Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Mebane NC Posts: 2,354	Complexity of working on front spring U-bolts While preparing to re-lube my springs (different post), I noticed that my front spring U-bolts are non-standard – no hole for a cotter pin, no castle nuts – and my crank bearing is missing. Ideally I'd like to replace these with correct U-bolts and install a crank bearing while I'm doing that, but of course U-bolts are designed to be installed with the body OFF. It looks like at a minimum I'd have to remove the radiator to get at them properly. Is that correct? If so then forget it, I have bigger fish to fry. I searched for earlier threads on this topic, but they all seem to be about the difficulty of swapping the REAR U-bolts, usually for stripped threads. I already know I'd have to clamp the springs while working on the U-bolts, that's much less of a pain than removing the radiator.