Leaf spring U bolts torque spec

I've seen tossed around that they are not supposed to be used more than once. My take on it is, as long as you can get the nuts loose I would reuse them. If you have over tightened them, here is how "I" would retorque them.

Jack the car up and support it on jack stands on the frame rails. Loosen the U bolt retaining nuts. As long as they will break loose and spin off almost or hand loose, I would say they are safe to reuse. If they are tough to turn backing off, similar to a self locking nut, or worse (and they probably will be) I would not recommend reusing them. This is just my opinion, use your own judgment.

Providing they come off good, here is what I would do. Back the nuts off and remove them completely. Have some RTV ready and smear some inside each nut and on the threads of the U bolt. I like doing this because U bolt nuts are notorious for rusting badly and this will help you remove them in the future if you need to.

Start each nut and tighten them in a crisscross pattern, tighten them to 45 LB FT. It is fine to do this with the weight of the car OFF the rear wheels. Since the springs slip between the shock plates, this is one of the few times it is ok to torque suspension bolts with the wheels in the air. There ain't many and this is one of them.

If your springs have been together for a while, it might even benefit you to completely remove them, disassemble them leaf by leaf and replace the plastic bushings between each spring and reassemble them. Those bushings are there to help the springs slip back and forth on each other. If they are worn or missing, or the springs are rusted all to snot and back it can cause the springs to bind. If that's the case, I suggest cleaning them up and painting them with something like the Rustoleum oil based paint. It's cheap from Home Depot.

Once you've done all that, carefully reassemble the spring packs and put a little grease on each plastic bushing. Disc brake wheel bearing grease works good. Just a little dab.

Once you get all done torqued and back together, lower the car on its wheels and bounce the rear of the car up and down several times to settle everything out good. That should do it.

My apologies for comin off like a asshole earlier. This is just something I have done a BUTTLOAD of with both cars and OTR trucks. I have wallowed around in mud under port a potty trucks with "stuff" dripping all over me removing, reconditioning and replacing leaf springs for a lot of years. It was one of the first jobs I had. Been to school on it even. Got some little bullshit certificates on it somewhere around here. So, when everybody was doubtin it, I kinda got bent outta shape. Forgive me.

As far as reusing the U bolts, technically, I don't believe you're supposed to do it. But my opinion has always been that if they come loose real good, they are ok and I stand by it. Done a buttload of them that way and never had any trouble.