Installing the U-bolts for Differential Leak Repair

By Doug Jenkins
Doug Jenkins

Doug Jenkins runs Doug Jenkins Custom Hot Rods in St. Louis, where he restores classic cars and creates mild to wild custom street rods. He races a 1972 Corvette in the SCCA performance rally series, and drives a Ducati Monster to work every day. Doug got his start in fixing, customizing, racing, selling, restoring when he was in the fourth grade, fixing bicycles for anyone who would pay. By sixth grade Doug had bought non-running motorcycles and fixed them (and wrecked them as well). He had purchased his first broken down car by fourteen, which he fixed and sold for a profit. Now he runs his own body shop.

Install the u-bolts on the differential yoke, taking into account the spring tension and lock washer; learn how in this free auto-restoration video.

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Video transcription

Now Dan is going to slide the U bolts into the differential yoke. They're sometimes a hassle, these seem to be going in well. They have some spring tension on them sometimes and it's hard to get them to go through. There is a lock washer on it, make sure you replace those and the nut, he's spinning that onto there. The way the U bolt goes around it there, there's some spring tension from it when you tighten down the nut. It's going to feel like you can just tighten them forever but as you do that you are stretching and misshaping the U bolt. So you'll just tighten them a good normal amount of tightness, don't hang on the wrench or anything.