Keel bolt
- Thread starter Triple B
- Start date
You will most likely find two different bolt sizes. Measure each one to be sure.
Measure the bolt diameter with a tape measure looking down on the bolt and measure the bolt pitch (threads/inch) by marking a 1" length on the bolt and counting the number of threads in that inch.
If the bolts are stainless steel, the purchased nuts MUST be stainless as well. They must be installed with a torque wrench (borrowed) to the following torques:
This is for a Hunter but is the maximum allowable torque for SS bolts.
Care to share why you're swapping out keel bolt nuts ?
Measure the bolt diameter with a tape measure looking down on the bolt and measure the bolt pitch (threads/inch) by marking a 1" length on the bolt and counting the number of threads in that inch.
If the bolts are stainless steel, the purchased nuts MUST be stainless as well. They must be installed with a torque wrench (borrowed) to the following torques:
This is for a Hunter but is the maximum allowable torque for SS bolts.
Care to share why you're swapping out keel bolt nuts ?
It was suggested to pull the worst looking to see what’s under it? Plate has a lot of pitting and some rust around the plate.
My friend, who’s an experienced sailor suggested I take a look at the corrosion and hopefully not have to go any further and also to torque all of them correctly.
I just finished sanding bottom paint off to gel coat. I’m starting blisters next week and this week is prep and etc but need to buy a socket to check the situation
Thank you for your time and information
My friend, who’s an experienced sailor suggested I take a look at the corrosion and hopefully not have to go any further and also to torque all of them correctly.
I just finished sanding bottom paint off to gel coat. I’m starting blisters next week and this week is prep and etc but need to buy a socket to check the situation
Thank you for your time and information
I gotta come clean here and admit that checking the torque can be a supreme bitch.
I had to fabricate this little marvel to get to the nuts as the bolts are extremely long and I didn't want to risk cutting them when I didn't know the reason for the length. Re-installing the keel ? ? ? ?
Is everything SS or do you know at this point ? Check with a magnet.
Will find out tomorrow when I go to yard
Mine are very available meyraught up and down for all of them but the one I really want to check is easily accessible and a torque wrench will fit no problem
Hope Don’t have to Drop the keel
The one plate has a lot of Pidek and some rust so I need to remove the nut to check the bolts. Go from there
Mine are very available meyraught up and down for all of them but the one I really want to check is easily accessible and a torque wrench will fit no problem
Hope Don’t have to Drop the keel
The one plate has a lot of Pidek and some rust so I need to remove the nut to check the bolts. Go from there
I had to have these made to tighten the bolts on my O’Day 322. 1” and 3/4“ bolts.
I found the 1 1/2” socket on the boat when I bought it, but no way 1 1/8” socket for the 3/4” bolts. Very long bolt, so no standard store-bought socket was deep enough. Rather in law owns a machine shop, so asked him to make that one. Painted them up so they wouldn’t rust (not SS).
Getting to the correct torque is another story. I put a cheater on my torque wrench (but it doesn’t go to 325 foot pounds). So I lean into it pretty hard and and lucky if I can get a 1/4 turn on the nuts. I check it every year otm2 when the boat is on the hard.
I found the 1 1/2” socket on the boat when I bought it, but no way 1 1/8” socket for the 3/4” bolts. Very long bolt, so no standard store-bought socket was deep enough. Rather in law owns a machine shop, so asked him to make that one. Painted them up so they wouldn’t rust (not SS).
Getting to the correct torque is another story. I put a cheater on my torque wrench (but it doesn’t go to 325 foot pounds). So I lean into it pretty hard and and lucky if I can get a 1/4 turn on the nuts. I check it every year otm2 when the boat is on the hard.
Mighty fancy tools ya got there
!I know what you mean about getting enough torque on the nuts. I get my feet up against the base for the head wall and then lean back for all I'm worth. Fortunately the handle on the torque wrench is pretty long so I can get 325 lb-ft without a hernia.
Mighty fancy tools ya got there
I know what you mean about getting enough torque on the nuts. I get my feet up against the base for the head wall and then lean back for all I'm worth. Fortunately the handle on the torque wrench is pretty long so I can get 325 lb-ft without a hernia.
A trick for figuring out the thread pitch is to place a piece of paper against the bolt or screw and press it onto the threads. It is easier to measure and count the threads marked into the paper than it is on the bolt.
Any time you use stainless bolts, nuts or screws, use anti-seize to avoid galling. Even if they don't corrode, galling will lock the nut in place and it would need to be cut off.
Any time you use stainless bolts, nuts or screws, use anti-seize to avoid galling. Even if they don't corrode, galling will lock the nut in place and it would need to be cut off.
Hmmmmmmmm !
That just might be easier than standing on one's head, upside down, in the bilge, with no room, gagging from the smell, heaving up your breakfast, in terrible lighting, and counting the threads between a couple of 1" marks. Thanks for detailing the easiest method of figuring out pitch I've heard of to date. Just way too simple
.@Ralph Johnstone
Enjoy a B-52 Bomber Breakfast before doing acrobatics. An instructor told me that before doing acrobatics in the Navy. Did not do that. Grew up around Army Aviation and early NASA and heard that story as a child
Enjoy a B-52 Bomber Breakfast before doing acrobatics. An instructor told me that before doing acrobatics in the Navy. Did not do that. Grew up around Army Aviation and early NASA and heard that story as a child