[TowerTalk] Rohn Bolts AND nuts - won't mate

[Roger (K8RI) on TT]

The lock nuts would be relatively recent AFAIK, I never saw any prior to 
around 98 to 2000.

My 45G purchased around 2000 ( probably made around 98)  used lock nuts 
on all bolts. Even on the guy brackets, but they were made from a 
relatively thin, stamped steel.  They were cup shaped about an 1/8th of 
an inch deep.IIRC they had 3 threads and as you tightened them it pulled 
the face down adding a locking feature. They worked quite well. That 
tower was a closeout for Michigan Radio.  Everything came with the 
tower. Nuts, bolts, locking nuts, and guy brackets.  Tower bolts were as 
usual, packed in bags in the tower legs.  The other came in attached bags.

I do not like the dimpled nuts. I have some boxes of them for 8 and 
10-32. Maybe some 1/4" I much prefer the stamped locking nuts. I believe 
he dimpled nuts are a poor match for galvanized bolts. Again, I believe 
they are pretty much a one-shot use.

73

Roger (K8RI)

On 1/25/2016 Monday 9:38 PM, Stan Stockton wrote:
> Gary,
>
> If I were you, instead of fighting it, I would buy galvanized (tapped oversize) hex nuts and use them instead of the locknuts.  I don't know when they started using locknuts, but for decades they did not use them.  There are thousands of towers installed without locknuts and without problems as a result.
>
> 73... Stan, K5GO
>
>> On Jan 25, 2016, at 8:03 PM, StellarCAT <rxdesign at ssvecnet.com> wrote:
>>
>> Sorry guys – I wasn’t clear ... the issue isn’t the bolt going in the hole. I have a taper pin and I know how that is done .... the issue is the nut on the bolt! IT won’t go on. It – the nut, has 3 dimples that Rohn now stamps in to provide a locking mechanism. But its so aggressive that once the dimpled part of the nut – the outside of the nut gets to the bolt you’re done turning at least with the larger bolts. I don’t see how I can turn this without some form of air wrench and then all the galvanizing is going to be stripped off! I managed to get the nuts on the small ones in place – small bolts that is – but it is pretty shiny where the threads are and not sure there’s a great deal of zinc there.
>>
>> Gary
>> K9RX
>>
>>
>>
>> From: StellarCAT
>> Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 5:24 PM
>> To: tower
>> Subject: Rohn Bolts
>>
>> I’ve done a good share of towers over the years – all R45 (soon that will include a 55) ... both new and used ... and I’m starting to put a new tower up at my new location. This is R45. It is used. I bought new Rohn (yes – Rohn) bolts and I’ve never had bolts that were SO tight before. These have a dimple on one side – actually a set of 3. I’m sure it’s a self locking mechanism. You can’t thread them on at all starting with the dimpled face – they won’t go – so I’m pretty sure I’m doing it the right way ... the small bolts went on with lots of effort seeming to strip the galvanizing off the bolt as they went on .. the large ones don’t want to go much more than when the dimple gets on to the bolt.
>>
>> Is this correct? Should I expect this much effort now with their new bolts? Boy if one had to put up a good deal of sticks in a day their arms would feel it at the end of it. Hate to have to haul an air wrench up there :>)
>>
>> Gary
>> K9RX
>>
>> [I called Hill Radio, where I got the bolts, and they called Rohn while I was on the phone (I didn’t talk to Rohn myself) ... Rohn says yeah they’re tight but should be doable. They also said I’m probably putting them on backwards – which isn’t possible as you can’t even thread them on on the dimple side!]
>>
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-- 

73

Roger (K8RI)


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