tjm bar - bolts loose

[BongoBerry]

Hi guys

I was fitting my spot lights to my winch bar and I noticed that the mounting bolts had worked themselves loose....

they have spring washers on hem so I cant imagine they were locked down properly when fitted...

is it recommended to use loctite or a specific torque when tightning these suckers up?

thanks and advice appreacited

 

[Terranosaurus]

A lot depend on the thickness of what you're bolting through but given a typical winch installation, I would use BOLTS (with an unthreaded section) rather than Set Screws (fully threaded). And then either brand new self lockers (with nylon insert, Aircraft nuts (deformed section so acts as self locker) or put locktite on them. Also would use good quality washers and make sure all surfaces are lean before attaching.

Might be worth upgrading the bolts to 10.9's or evn 12.9's. Easiest way is to use cap heads instead of hex bolts.

If you need any PM me the sizes I might have some loose ones, can't really break bags open for small quantities I'm afraid.

EDIT

Scratch all that I thought it was your winch that had come loose.

They should stay tight really if done up correctly, nylocs are the rel answer, doesn't warrant thread lock. Clean up the area new plain washer and new nyloc, do it up properly shouldn't come undone.


Do you have any sort of steady on the lights? If they are free to vibrate this is what will have loosened the fasteners off.

 

[BongoBerry]

i should have been clearer in the post... its not the spots that were loose... its the mounting bolts of the bar

 

[Terranosaurus]

Yeah, thats what i realised, done up right the bar shouldn't come loose, as i say clean up and new nylocs. Steady bars are a good idea though, they keep your lights pointing where you want them, not bouncing up and down.

 

[BongoBerry]

indeed

thakns for the advice