Bad Bolts

The common denominator for tightening a clamp for pulling seems to be to immediately replace the 5-grade bolt the tool comes with. Replacing the bolt and putting in an 8-grade bolt seems to be the norm. The bolt is harder, lasts longer under extreme hammering with an impact wrench. After all, since the 8-grade has a higher grade rating it must be better.

Let the truth be known!

To begin with, you will void warranty on a Mo-Clamp if you use an 8-grade bolt on a self tightening clamp. The 5-grade bolts supplied are there for a reason. They are softer and will “pull” apart rather than snap and fly apart like their 8-grade cousins when they are tired and abused.

The way a bolt ends up looking like these and having to be cut off to be replaced or worse, burned off with a torch is because proper grades and care were not used during the life of the bolt.

A nut, when spun at high speeds with an impact tends to “pull” metal off the threads as it travels up and down the bolt. The impact then “wads” the metal up and proceeds to hammer it into the threads at the end while tightening. This metal builds up and soon enough the nut will only travel part way up and down the bolt leaving the clamp still not tight enough to do the job it was intended for.

By holding the socket in your hand and causing the speed to slow down considerably you will extend the life of a bolt and nut a hundred times over. Add some Lithium based grease to the threads and there is no telling how long the nut will perform. The same goes for any bolt/nut combination. Your pinch weld clamps are what comes to mind next. An extra couple of seconds will save bolts and burning or cutting replacement efforts.

Finally, to help the clamp stay at peak performance, take a minute once in a while and wire brush the teeth of the clamp. This will help them to stay sharp and last longer which means they will be ready to perform when you need them according to the way they were designed.

Larry Evans
Tech Support/New Product Development