Resize a U Bolt properly without heating

Problem: When re-fitting the ARB to the GT6 with new U Bolts, I found the new ones were too wide, and forcing them in would have resulted the badly seated washers and nuts:

Old and new U Bolts — Old and new U Bolts, too dissimilar

Fix: The new U Bolts could be bent to shape in a metalworking vice, but there’s an easy way to make sure they remain parallel:

Putting the U Bolt in the Vice — Put the U Bolt in the Vice and protect the threads a little

Find something exactly the inside-size of the old U Bolt

Tighten the new U Bolt against the chosen spacer

Keep checking against the old item until it's correct — Keep checking against the old item until it’s correct

Once it's right, note the flats are still perfectly parallel — Once it’s right, note the flats are still perfectly parallel

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