[TowerTalk] Bolts - Another Favorite Topic

[Roger D Johnson]

Gary "Joe" Mayfield wrote:
> The mystery tower( http://wat.midco.net/kk0sd/tower/tower.htm )is down.
> Most of it is in very good shape, but I probably wound up breaking 30% of
> the bolts.  These bolts are shown near the bottom of the page.  I don't
> think I can find carriage bolts like the ones I removed, and I don't think I
> want to anyway as several spun in place and had to be cut off (lots of
> work).
> 
> A trip to the hardware store yielded several possibilities, so I thought I
> would check the wisdom of the group.
> 
> Grade 5 very shiny chromed steel
> Grade 8 very shiny chromed steel
> Grade 5 black
> Grade 5 gold
> Grade 5 dull gray (carbon steel?)
> Grade 5 stainless steel
> 
> I didn't see any galvanized bolts near the size I need.  I assume I want the
> stainless bolts and nuts, am I right?
> 
> Also with all the paranoia in the tower business, why aren't lock washers
> used just to be sure nothing will come loose?
> 
> Thanks and 73,
> Joe
> kk0sd
> _______________________________________________
> 
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> 
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> 

I hesitate to get into the bolt controversy as I'm not a mechanical
engineer. I think the reason lock washers are not used is that they
would not be effective on a round tower leg. Rohn uses fine thread
bolts that resist coming loose better than the more common coarse
thread bolts. I used stainless bolts on my Rohn 25 with nylon insert
lock nuts. No problems so far (over 10 years).

73, Roger

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