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Bolt of the Day! Fasteners Too !

kshansen

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Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,129
Location
Central New York, USA
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Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
This is one that has given me grief on more than one occasion:
scket head.png

This is used to hold a small cover on the transmission of my Sportster where you add transmission oil. Two little 1/4 -20 allen heads threaded end open to the oil inside so no rust or corrosion to deal with and at least half the time need to fight to get one or both out. Last friday had to drill out the head till it fell off the turn the threaded section out with fingers. SOB was tight enough to strip the hex out. I always put them in just snug but the taper on the head manages to lock it in the cover. This time I bought three extras so I was all set for next time!
 

fixou812

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Joined
Dec 17, 2013
Messages
677
Location
Buffalo NY
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Millwright Equipment Mechanic Welder
Since I can't post pictures of bolts from my phone lately. ....
Lately I installed some new tracks on a New or rebuild chain. ...?
Well think it was a pc200 or such. ...New bolts new' chain. ...
after installation the central scrutinizer says. ...
hey cupcake weld those old grousers to that new' chain. ....umm ok sugar.
Maybe it was driving over bricks scrap iron or rock... or all...
...or he didn't want them coming loose. ...?
..."last time around. ...last rodeo. ....sumthn ....or selling the machine soon.
 

DB2

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Joined
Jan 4, 2015
Messages
1,008
Location
Winnipeg MB Canada
This is one that has given me grief on more than one occasion:
View attachment 138452

This is used to hold a small cover on the transmission of my Sportster where you add transmission oil. Two little 1/4 -20 allen heads threaded end open to the oil inside so no rust or corrosion to deal with and at least half the time need to fight to get one or both out. Last friday had to drill out the head till it fell off the turn the threaded section out with fingers. SOB was tight enough to strip the hex out. I always put them in just snug but the taper on the head manages to lock it in the cover. This time I bought three extras so I was all set for next time!

I always find heating the head red hot and letting it cool works on that countersunk style bolt. Not sure if you can put heat where it is in your application though

I always dab some antiseize on the taper of the bolt when reinstalling
 
Last edited:

kshansen

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,129
Location
Central New York, USA
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Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
I always find heating the head red hot and letting it cool works on that countersunk style bolt. Not sure if you can put heat where it is in your application though

I always dab some antiseize on the taper of the bolt when reinstalling

Don't think the aluminum case of the Sportster would take too kindly to the red hot steel!:eek:

But yes, have had a problem with a larger version of these that held a planetary gear set in a Dresser Loader, heat to dull red, let cool and they would almost screw out with fingers.

Also think part of the problem I was having could be due to wanting to change oil while engine was hot. As we know aluminum expands more than steel at the same temperature. This may have cause the fasteners to get tighter than when installed.
 
Last edited:

fixou812

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Dec 17, 2013
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677
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Buffalo NY
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Maybe Teflon tape on the underside of the funnel?
 

fixou812

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677
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Buffalo NY
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Millwright Equipment Mechanic Welder
Airliner Crashed. ...many lives lost

That news report from many years ago probably long forgotten.

Mechanic failed to install 47 bolts in tail. A true story. (and probably some desk jockeys fault)
 

old-iron-habit

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Nov 22, 2012
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Moose Lake, MN
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Retired Cons't. Supt./Hospitals
That news report from many years ago probably long forgotten.

Mechanic failed to install 47 bolts in tail. A true story. (and probably some desk jockeys fault)

Maybe this is when they started requiring having a inspection of repair work. My brother once worked a number of years for an airline and after every repair they had to have two separate inspections and sign off.
 

fixou812

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Dec 17, 2013
Messages
677
Location
Buffalo NY
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Millwright Equipment Mechanic Welder
I was pulling the rusted thru axle cover off a 3500 Chevy panel van last week.
The six point socket fit very loose. Maybe because it was so rusted.
Don't know if it was metric or standard.
Socket fit loose so i gave the heads the.....
"Ball Pean Massage. ....till the socket fit just nice.
 

kshansen

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Mar 11, 2012
Messages
11,129
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Central New York, USA
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Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
I was pulling the rusted thru axle cover off a 3500 Chevy panel van last week.
The six point socket fit very loose. Maybe because it was so rusted.
Don't know if it was metric or standard.
Socket fit loose so i gave the heads the.....
"Ball Pean Massage. ....till the socket fit just nice.

That same process has worked many times on Phillips screws to reconfigure them after they have slipped. Tape with hammer till recess is almost closed and then insert screw driver and tap it in to reform the recess. All the tapping also helps free up any rust or corrosion.

Some times on Allen head screws using a Torx bit will give a little better bite to remove a bolt.
 

nowing75

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898
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coatesville indiana
When I worked in the hanger most repairs got inspected. On the line most things the mechanic can sign off. Not sure what accident your talking about but there was a 747 that the pressure bulkhead was not fixed properly and it blew off at altitude. The bad part other than loss of life is it was repaired by Boeing.
 

old-iron-habit

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I seem to remember an accident where the root cause was believed to have been bolts were not thought to have been safety wired properly and came loose or out causing the crash. Been a long time ago and the memory is fuzzy.
 

Taylortractornu

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Nov 13, 2003
Messages
481
Location
Iuka, Mississippi
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Privvate landfill operator/manager
The landfill i manage is owned by a motorhome mfg. I also do most of our mechanicing. Im a hardware hoarder. The make most of their frames and the othe day i got a 5 gallon bucket of 7/8 grade 8 new bolts. Then the other day i was at the plant looking at one of my cans and a trip dumpster there at the back of the frame shop was full of half inch grade 8 nuts bolts and washers. i loaded up. At the scrapyard i frequent they handle industrial accounts. Theres a heavy fab shop that drops there and they often drop sealed gallon buckets of b7 7/8 bolts nuts and washers
 

nowing75

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898
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coatesville indiana
There was an incident where the mechanic used bolts a few grip lengths to short on the captain's window and it blew out and the first officer landed the plane with the captain hanging out.
 

OCR

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fixou812

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Dec 17, 2013
Messages
677
Location
Buffalo NY
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Millwright Equipment Mechanic Welder
Excellent idea KH Thanks I'll definitely use that one!
That same process has worked many times on Phillips screws to reconfigure them after they have slipped. Tape with hammer till recess is almost closed and then insert screw driver and tap it in to reform the recess. All the tapping also helps free up any rust or corrosion.

Some times on Allen head screws using a Torx bit will give a little better bite to remove a bolt.
 

OCR

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Feb 21, 2008
Messages
1,195
Location
Montana
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Rancher/Farmer, Wildland Fire Fighter, State snowp

fixou812

Senior Member
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Dec 17, 2013
Messages
677
Location
Buffalo NY
Occupation
Millwright Equipment Mechanic Welder
On the crash I'm thinking of i believe the whole tail came off because of missing bolts.
 
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