I don't recall any comments on using elastic stop nuts on tower bolts. I
use them on my R25 tower. They can be tightened to a slight compression
on the tower leg and they certainly are not going to fall off.
They can be bought at your local Eagle Hardware store or similar
place. I always put a bit of Alox or some stiff wheel bearing grease on
the threads to retard rusting.
Regarding SS bolts and nuts: I assembled a self supporting Aermotor
tower with 3/8-24 nuts and bolts in Texas. Several years later when I
moved, at least half the bolts seized when I attempted to unscrew them
and had to be broken off to get them out. I did not use any lube when
putting them together and they looked like new at the time.
I was told once by a machinist that it is common for threaded parts to
seize if they are made of identical metals. Believe it had something to
do with forces between identical atoms very near together at the
surfaces. Don't know if there is anything to this explanation but I
think we are saved from this problem by the plating (different metal) on
our hardware.
This tower was purchased over 40 years ago and came with galvanized
3/8-16 bolts. The nuts were square and ratheer loose fitting on the
bolts. The nuts looked like they were threaded after galvanizing and you
can see raw steel in the threads. This tower has been taken down and
moved 5 times over the 40 years and those bolts work just fine. The big
mistake I made was using the SS bolts and nuts that one time.
73, Dan, N5AR
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