All good answers regarding lubricating SS hardware and Nylock nuts, etc.
What I do now is avoid the Nylock nuts altogether and use a lockwasher and
two nuts (second one to lock the first) in the critical applications such as
the tower leg-to-roof bracket locations, and that seems to have solved the
problem. I haven't had the SS hardware seize up all by itself, only when
Nylock inserts are present.
WB2WIK/6
"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough." -
Mario Andretti
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dubovsky, George [SMTP:G_Dubovsky@Grayson.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2002 9:01 AM
> To: Steve Katz; 'Jason Hissong'; TOWERTALK@contesting.com
> Subject: RE: [Towertalk] Roof mount tower (stainless fasteners)
>
> Steve,
>
> Stainless Nylock (or any other ss shakeproof nut) on stainless bolts is an
> invitation to galling, metal-to-metal welding. If the parts are perfectly
> clean, they will gall every time. I *do* use the stainless Nylocks, but I
> smear a little lubricant on the bolt threads first - Vaseline, silicone
> grease, gun grease, whatever - the self-locking properties of the nut
> don't
> seem to be compromised long-term. Stainless hardware is wonderful, but
> hanging off a tower with a hacksaw in one hand will give your vocabulary a
> thorough workout!
>
> geo, n4ua
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Steve Katz [mailto:stevek@jmr.com]
> > Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2002 10:55 AM
> > To: 'Jason Hissong'; TOWERTALK@contesting.com
> > Subject: RE: [Towertalk] Roof mount tower questions...
> >
> > Definitely assemble the roof tower on the ground and check to
> > be sure none
> > of the Nylock nuts seize up -- in a few G-M roof towers I've
> > assembled, it
> > seems typically one or two nuts per tower do indeed seize up,
> > and they are a
> > bear to replace if this happens -- can't spin them on, can't
> > spin them off,
> > they're just stuck. Only recourse appears to be a
> > "nutcracker," a hacksaw
> > or a bolt cutter, all of which are difficult to use with the
> > limited space
> > available and the rather strong stainless steel hardware.
> >
> > 73 & good luck!
> >
> > Steve, WB2WIK/6
> >
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