Bolts

[ptexer]

I have a farmall cub that I push snow with. It has a 5/8 - 14 inch bolt that attaches most of the pivoting pieces. I have been using a soft bolt from Lowes that break far from my shop and require repair in the cold and wind.
The bolt always breaks in the same place. I was considering taking the bolt and grinding 4 slots around the bolt at this place and filling with 7018. Do you think this would make it stronger.
The other question is which is stronger stainless steel or grade 8 and does anyone know where to order bolts this size.

 

[Shield Arc]

Fastenal has a great selection of hardwear.
Home | Fastenal

Here is a helpful chart.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Grade 8 is stronger than most stainless. Most socket head cap screws are stronger yet. McMaster is fairly priced, quick to ship, and their web site lists the yield strrength of each fastener for comparison. Fastenal may have a store near you.
McMaster-Carr
Home | Fastenal

 

[Craig Clayton]

I was thinking that there must be some Farm supply businesses around that would carry grade 5 or grade 8 bolts. Any tractor dealer should have something even in the odd bin. Dump truck spring shops use bolts of that size for the chassic springs.

Craig Clayton

 

[Brad_Blazer]

14" long?
You may have trouble finding a high strength bolt that long. Fastenal will have high strength allthread rod.
If it functions more as a shaft with shear loading, you can get a piece of oil or water hardening drill rod, drill holes for cotter pins or thread the ends, and then harden it. I like W1 just because water in no-mess. Heat it orange hot, quench in water, then heat it to just 500F (not yet red) and let it cool slowly to temper it.
McMaster-Carr
Part Number: 8890K48 $13.10 Each Grade W-1 Water-Hardening Tool Steel Overall Length 36"

Enco has it for even less.
Enco - Guaranteed Lowest Prices on Machinery, Tools and Shop Supplies

 

[Shield Arc]

That drill rod is amazing stuff! I used it on the fair leads for the travel winch on my bridge crane, I never even heated them. Been up there 10-years with the wire rope running against them. :thumbsup:

 

[LD1]

Are you really talking a 14" long bolt?? I dont think I have ever seen anythign that big at lowes???

And even the soft grade 2 bolts I believe are harder than 7018 ro, which is 70,000psi tensil strength. So I dont think grinding and welding to the bolt is going to help.

But my question is, WHY is it breaking?? Is this how this plow is supposed to be set-up? Is this something you fabbed up??? Perhaps a picture of the bolt and where it goes???

It takes a HUGE amount of force to break a 5/8 pin/bolt. Even if it is only a grade 2. We are only talking a little farmall cub here:confused2: 5/8" pins are used to secure the hitches that pull HEAVY trailers. How is it possible you are breaking so many???

 

[ptexer]

fastenal didn't work for me the young clerk didn't think he could get one. Then a man with a very large construction company tried fastenal and he said it was coming that was 6 months ago.
The blade is not quire square to the tractor.I had to add an inch of washers as it was rubbing against the cast steering unit. I have used this set up for 30 years and there is some give in the whole unit. I have another used blade that I am rebuilding.
I think I will look at the rod mentioned.

 

[lostcause]

nobody likes a bolt breaking, because it always happens at the worst time. even so, i tend not to use hardened bolts or pins in place of ones that wear or break too easily - unless it used that same grade originally. if i did, the next time the bolt/pin would not break or wear, but instead the steel that the bolt passes through might break/bend/wear. it's easier to replace bolts (even odd size ones) than it is to fix a worn, bent, or broken part.

 

[ptexer]

Thanks everyone I will work on. Lost Cause I gave similar advice in another post. However I believe the wear and tear is a slow process and not caused by extreme hard shots to the bolt. The bolt run through cast tube with steel insert in the cast. It always breaks about an inch after exiting the steel insert. This is where all the peices that pivot are attached to the bolt.