Yes.
Sources:
1. Me (mechanical design engineer , Honeywell Aerospace.) (ret) I have reused many times.
2. Persons here on Stovebolt who are Material engineers.
3. Real world Persons here on Stovebolt who have not had any problems with failures and have reused U-bolts.
4. Many 4X4 Forums have the same opinions, yea and nay.
these guys are real rough on there stuff.
5. No one anywhere with actual failures of good condition reused hardware. As evidenced by the fact you still have not provided a history of failures, just people selling parts.
6. The reason I don't like the internet and don't like to quote blogs/Spring Co.'s web sites, is that if you have ever noticed, one guy will write up some issue based on what he heard in a bar or from uncle Rufus and then when somebody looks on the web to write about the same issue, they read that, and copy it and add what they heard in a bar and what their uncle Leon says. Pretty soon it's all the same words, word for word, as I've pointed out to you, and becomes Urban Legend "facts".
P.S. A person's opinion who is an engineer is not any more valuable that anyone else's. But surely as knowledgeable about mechanical hardware and materials as spring/axle company web site spiel.
No one, engineer or otherwise, would argue that a new set is not theoretically safer than old. We are not "promoting" just explaining that there is no danger in good condition hardware that will still take the proper torque values.
Let me know if you see this as constructive or you feel like it's personal (it's not). That way Cletis will understand it's a discussion not a argument/flame.
