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Re: [TowerTalk] ROHN TOWER BOLTS

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] ROHN TOWER BOLTS
From: Patrick Greenlee <patrick_g@windstream.net>
Date: Thu, 08 May 2014 17:18:08 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I have taken to lubricating new stainless steel nuts/bolts before putting them together for the first time, especially in the larger diameters greater than say 1/4". Why? Because it is darned inconvenient to have one of them gall and prevent their being tightened into position the first time. I don't know if this is a common problem but I don't want to find out as it is most inconvenient to have a 1/2 inch or so diameter SS bolt and nut gall badly when first assembling them and thereby prevent squeezing the parts together properly for which the bolts were employed. A good anti-seize product such as Never-Seez or similar is a good choice to put on the threads before assembling.

Symptoms of the problem: You are tightening the nut on the bolt and before reaching significant clamping force between the parts being bolted together the nut gets really hard to turn potentially fooling you into thinking you have bottomed out and are clamping the parts together although this is NOT the Case. So you start to back the nut off thinking maybe you can lube it and all will be OK. Not so pilgrim, trying to back the nut off brings more galling., I hope you have means of removing the ruined nut and bolt without damage to the parts being bolted together. The only way to remove the bolt with sockets or wrenches is to literally twist the bolt in two. If you have access and a plasma cutter or cutting torch you might be able to do the job and avoid hurting the parts. A SawzAll (reciprocating saw) with the right blade and maybe a spare blade might be a good choice. However you do it you are out significant time and effort and a nut and bolt. I have had this happen a couple times and with luck and a good anti-seize product, never again.

Oil, WD-40 etc may let you assemble SS nuts and bolts without galling (maybe) but much later when these options are long gone from the threads you may very much regret not using a good anti-seize which will outlast silicon spray, WD-40, etc. by a great margin.

Patrick NJ6G


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On 5/7/2014 2:46 PM, Tom Nicholson wrote:
Just my 2 pennies here, but I'm going to be using SS hardware but I'll be using SS Nyloc Nuts. Also if using SS, be sure to use never seize compound, if you don't, the nuts will almost for sure seize up if you try to remove at a latter date. Lesson "hard learned" with SS bumper bolts on my Hot Rod!!!

Tom W1ALZ




On 5/7/2014 9:50 AM, Mark Pride via TowerTalk wrote:
Heard a story many years ago about a tower that was installed in KH6 with stainless steel hardware and after time, with the constant trade winds, the nuts all fell off. There is vibration to contend with in certain places around the world.

Regards,
Mark, K1RX

On Wednesday, May 7, 2014 9:44 AM, Mark Pride via TowerTalk <towertalk@contesting.com> wrote: One other point on the tower hardware from Rohn these days. They have changed their hardware where the nuts are designed to be put on the bolt ONE time. To remove the nut, one will damage the thread of the bolt (sorry - forgot the description of this design - lock nut?). Guess the concept is, you put up a tower one time and never take it down! However to their point, it prevents nuts from backing off (good thing).

Regarding the new hardware you find in the tower leg of the new material - you might want to change it. The current nut design has 3 indentations on the surface - pretty easy to spot. Bolts are fine, just need to change the nuts.

Regards,
Mark, K1RX

On Wednesday, May 7, 2014 7:43 AM, Mike Ryan <mryan001@tampabay.rr.com> wrote: Larry is correct in that both the 25 and 45 use different size bolts and if my memory serves me, this would be 4 different sizes in the case of these
two tower types. I have never seen washers used with these. It is
noteworthy, that should you be putting tower sections up, to be ABSOLUTELY sure that the legs are clear inside. Run a garden hose through the leg to be sure there is no blockage, or even push a ground rod through each one for
example. I can't tell you how many times I have found blockage in the
legs...dirt, mud, bugs, etc. And while on the subject, occasionally found
that the blockage was TOWER BOLTS that were packed in the legs by the
manufacturer which had never been found/removed. -Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: Larry
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2014 5:47 AM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] ROHN TOWER BOLTS

25G and 45G use two different sizes at each joint on each leg. I forget what size they are offhand. DX Engineering sells leg bolts and their web site may
tell you what the sizes are or the perhaps the Rohn web site.

73, Larry  W6NWS

-----Original Message-----
From: Cal Zethmayr
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2014 12:02 AM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] ROHN TOWER BOLTS

There is quite a debate at one of our local Saturday morning breakfasts
gabfests about Rohn Tower Bolts.

Some say that Rohn uses two different size bolt sets for each tower section. Some say that Rohn uses only one size bolt-washer-nut sets for all towers.

So what are the facts?

Are there different size bolt sets for Rohn towers, and are they different
depending on the tower ?  25G, 45G and 55G?

Cal Z
W4GMH in Crestview, FL.
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