Antisieze on Blade Bolt

[MGO]

Is there any reason I cannot put anti-sieze compound on my mower blade bolt???

Had a heck of time with one of them siezing up.

Thanks,
Mike

[digger3700]

I use it on every bolt I take out.

[Woody]

Lubricating a bolt changes the amount of stretch (for the same amount of torque) by a HUGE factor. I wrote a dissertation on bolt torque a year or 2 ago. You would be wise to use the search feature and read it. Otherwise, you will be overtorqueing the fastener and setting yourself up for bolt failure.

Woody

[GeeVee]

I use a magnetic parts dish, and there is no way anything I throw in it is going to escape the antiseize.

Woody may be so technically correct, but functionally incorrect, you decide.

I prefer to tighten things up, not spend preventable hours fighting a stuck fastener.

[Woody]

"Technically correct" is correct. There is no gray area when something is done correctly, or is done incorrectly.

Now I'm sure many will chime in with their infinite real-world experience here. But I am going to state a flat out, scientifically provable FACT here. If you read the torque specification on a fastener, it is for DRY, UNLUBRICATED THREADS, unless it is otherwise stated.

Torque is actually an attempt to measure fastener stretch in the real world. It isn't feasible to try and measure fastener stretch, especially when it is threaded into a blind hole, like a spindle.

When you LUBRICATE the threads and use DRY THREAD torque values, you will OVERTORQUE (and overstretch) the fastener. Plain and simple. Now I am sure that many feel they "know better" than the fastener manufacturer, who employs dozens or even hundreds of engineers to control everything from the chemical formulation of the fastener material to the heat treating and hardening processes, but believe me, the fastener manufacturers KNOW BETTER THAN YOU DO.

A properly torqued fastener is stronger and more reliable than an improperly torqued one. Values for both dry threads, AND LUBRICATED THREADS, are available ALL OVER THE INTERNET.

Now my question is this... Are you too lazy to look them up and adjust the torque value to the PROPER one, or just too stupid to do so? This is a serious SAFETY and LIABILITY issue as well, so maybe you should put SOME thought into it.

Gee Vee, you say that you "prefer to tighten things up." So in essence, you have no problem WEAKENING the fastener? If this is the case, I advise you read your own signature.

Once again, I have given sage, sound advice. If you choose to piss it away into the toilet, that is your choice. Remember, the tip speed on the SLOWEST commercial mowers is 180 miles per hour or greater. And there is but ONE THING that keeps it attached to the spindle and operating in relative safety. And that thing is the fastener. Abuse it at your own peril.

Woody

[R0n1n]

Has anyone ever witnessed a dealer mechanic use a torgue wrench on the bolt when putting a blade back on?

I can not recall ever seeing this happen.....

[hardboiled]

No, but I have had to go back to a dealer and get a new blade bolt because they overtorqued it on assembly. My first blade change resulted in destroying the threads upon removal of the fastener.

[GeeVee]

Change them blades once a day, like underwear.

I live in a very hostile climate for disimiliar metals and electrolosys...

I must use antiseize.

[Woody]

My point is not "don't use antisieze."

My point is, if you DO use it, find the PROPER (now much reduced) torque for the bolt.

Think about this. Where a bolt will stretch the most is between the first 3 threads or so, and the bolt head. This is also the same place where it is exposed to the greatest stress.

If 100% of torque DRY=PROPER bolt stretch, then 100% of DRY torque applied to a lubricated bolt=OVERSTRETCHED bolt, and premature fatigue failure. As a matter of fact, overstretching the bolt by such a high degree (and it is too) will set you up for the bolt to fail when you most need it, like when striking a solid object.

If you want to do it the RIGHT way, then CLICK HERE and use the torque rating for a waxed bolt. It is the same "tightness" as a much higher torque on dry threads. Also, notice something on the chart. A properly torqued bolt is at 75% of tensile yield strength.Lubricate the threads, and you now achieve that SAME 75% yield strength at about HALF of the torque.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the defendant ADMITS to knowingly tightening the bolt to 150% of its tensile yield strength, thus INTENTIONALLY ignoring the bolt manufacturer's advice, and creating a dangerous condition!"

Do as you wish. You have been properly instructed.

Woody

[steve-o]

Is there any reason I cannot put anti-sieze compound on my mower blade bolt???

Had a heck of time with one of them siezing up.

Thanks,
Mike

what do you use to take them off ???? once i bought the right equipment i had no problem at all and no, i don't use an impact wrench. proper equipment is a must and you have to pay for it. i agree with woody totally on this one.

steve

[hardboiled]

Always great advice from Woody!

[GeeVee]

Yes, good advice, straight and narrow, black and white.

I wasn't inferring your advice was not good, nor incorrect Woody.

I must use antiseize.

Never had any catastrophic events from NOT finding the proper torque of a lubed fast'ner.....