Torque wrenches can take the human "feel" error out of the equation, but most
people will not go through the extra effort to use one. Actually Stainless
Steel falls in an area between Grade 5 and Grade 8, and in fact, is closer to
Grade 8 as far as tensile strength. The slick surface of SS, when lubricated,
is slicker than snot and thus doesn't "feel" like you are applying enough
tension, when in fact, you have may have already exceeded the yield strength of
the fastener.
An additional consideration in using Stainless Steel hardware is the need to
double-nut each fastener for security as lockwashers don't have the desired
effect on the slippery lubricated threads of a Stainless Steel fastener. A
thread locking compound used on Stainless Steel threaded fasteners will provide
the lubrication needed to prevent galling upon initial assembly but will likely
cause galling problems upon any disassembly attempts and shouldn't be used if
any disassembly is ever anticipated. Even when heated to soften the thread
locking compound, the compound, once set, is more abrasive than slippery and
when the residue starts compounding in the threads, it usually causes friction
and galling to occur. Once this happens, the unfastening torque requirements
also compound and the bolt will snap before it ever comes apart.
Stainless Steel has some unique properties and if the proper precautions are
not taken, undesirable results will occur. When lubricated and then double
nutted when the appropriate tension is achieved, it is impossible to beat the
advantages as far as ease of later disassembly and reassembly, anytime in the
future. Don't lubricate it prior to assembly and it will surely gall and cause
much grief in disassembly or even in achieving ample initial tension for the
application
73, -=Rog-K9RB=-
----- Original Message -----
From: Jerry Kincade <w5kp@swbell.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2002 9:13 AM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] U Bolts for TX-2 Rotor
>
> Very true, but one caution probably should be added. Anti-seize or any other
> type of thread lubricant will take away much of the feedback you normally
> expect to get when cranking down on a nut to the point where it "feels"
> right (and you're scared to go any further!). This reduced feedback just
> when things are getting very tight makes it easy to overtighten and break
> something, so some extra caution is in order. Metal experts claim even a dry
> galvanized (zinc) coating flows and provides lubrication under pressure, and
> Rohn and others recommend caution when tightening galvanized hardware for
> that reason. Most grades of SS are also simply not as tough as standard
> Grade 5 bolts, which of course compounds the problem. So where possible, a
> little threadlocking compound and less "crankdown" muscle is appropriate. I
> learned some of this the hard way on my tractor, where I got a lesson in
> using large size easy-outs. :-)
> 73, Jerry W5KP
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Roger Borowski" <K9RB@bellsouth.net>
> To: "Rick Bullon" <kc5ajx@hotmail.com>; "z-TowerTalk"
> <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 6:14 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] U Bolts for TX-2 Rotor
>
>
> >
> > If you use an anti-seize lubricant on them, it will never happen.
> Stainless
> > Steel will gall very easily if dry. Almost any waterproof grease or
> anti-seize
> > on the threads will prevent this galling and subsequent breaking.
> > 73, -=Rog-K9RB=-
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Rick Bullon <kc5ajx@hotmail.com>
> > To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> > Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 5:36 PM
> > Subject: [TowerTalk] U Bolts for TX-2 Rotor
> >
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Well I managed to break the U bolts on my TX-2 rotor. Where is the best
> > > place to get some replacements? MFJ???
> > > I am beginning to hate SS hardware I seem to be able to break them
> fairly
> > > often:-(
> > > 73
> > > Rick
> > > KC5AJX
> > >
> > >
> > > _________________________________________________________________
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>
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Order online at http://store.eham.net.
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