Cab bolts: A comedy of errors

[AaronW]

All:

A few months ago, I got my flat dump bed going, and mounted a tray for a second battery, to the frame behind my cab. (V3500, 1989). I recently noticed that my tray was on a weird angle. I live on a really bad road, and I hadn't welded it well enough, to the c channel. I go to re-weld it, using a really bad helmet that my grandfather last used in the 60's, when he built a 1 ton ford flatbed with a 4 cyl mercedes diesel, with two transmission in it--an entirely different story, I digress.

Because I couldn't see very well, I accidentally poked my welding wire into my main rear brake line.

80 bucks later, I have a tube flaring kit, and all the parts to splice my brake line back together. In the course of fixing the brake line and doing the job I actually started out to do, I notice that I'm missing both of my rear cab mount bolts and the big round washers. I've got to check tonight to see if I'm missing any more, hopefully not.

Anyway, I had this problem once before, a couple years ago when I originally got this truck put back together. Thoughts on how to get these bolts to stay put, granting that I live on a pretty bad washboard road? I followed the torque specs, used loctite, etc.

Aaron

 

[Snoots]

Drill the bolt heads and use Safety Wire.

 

[AaronW]

Drill the bolt heads and use Safety Wire.

So just attach the other end of the wire someplace, and recheck the bolts periodically?

Aaron

 

[Ricko1966]

So just attach the other end of the wire someplace, and recheck the bolts periodically?

Aaron

Do you have a mig? Tighten them then put 1 tac per bolt. Yep you'll have to cut the tacs to remove them,but they are going to stay put.

 

[Bextreme04]

So just attach the other end of the wire someplace, and recheck the bolts periodically?

Aaron

Weld on a washer to the body next to it. Then run wire through a hole drilled in the head and to the washer. Honestly never seen one properly torqued and loctited that vibrated out on its own though. Just put a bunch of blue loctite on it and give it a few ugga duggas.

 

[Old Guy Bill]

How about some Loctite?

 

[AaronW]

Weld on a washer to the body next to it. Then run wire through a hole drilled in the head and to the washer. Honestly never seen one properly torqued and loctited that vibrated out on its own though. Just put a bunch of blue loctite on it and give it a few ugga duggas.

I think this is the direction I'm headed. I did learn something interesting the other day, that loctite won't set up if it has air on it. Probably not an issue here, but still kinda interesting. I do wonder if I had those correctly torqued, but I think I'm going to do the belt-and-suspenders routine here.

Aaron

 

[Bextreme04]

I think this is the direction I'm headed. I did learn something interesting the other day, that loctite won't set up if it has air on it. Probably not an issue here, but still kinda interesting. I do wonder if I had those correctly torqued, but I think I'm going to do the belt-and-suspenders routine here.

Aaron

It won't set if it is very loose(allowing air to contact) and it will set but not grip if the bolt or hole is very dirty or rusty. You need to make sure both the bolt and hole threads have been chased and cleaned thoroughly before you apply the loctite.

 

[Fat 454]

From research I had to complete from heavy machinery maintenance planning, "loctite" is the best way to ensure fastners do not come undone ( other than a mechanical wire or tack weld ).
Both Nylocs and spring washers fatigue over time and will loosen.
As stated above, make sure to prep threads and clean adequately BEFORE applying loctite, and torque correctly whilst within the "set-up" time window of loctite.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

I've never put a thing on cab bolts but some torque lol.

Haven't lost one in half a dozen swaps and thirty years.