WTB crab spring tension bolts

[R.E.Co.]

I'm looking for the bolts that allow you to put the crab and bogies back together.  They are the two that come in from the top of the cast iron supports and tighten the springs. I belive they are 1" diameter. Anyone have them?

[8683jb]

I got some 1"-8 all-thread at Tractor Supply and cut two pieces to about 11". Use a flat washer under the nuts. It works fine.

Jon

[R.E.Co.]

Jon, was it standard grade 2 material? Those Springs are really tight, i thought grade 2 would be way too soft and end sup stretching the threads.

[HenryVIII]

I used 1 inch threaded rod to assemble my crab springs also. I don,t know what grade the rod was but they worked just fine. I just cleaned the threads in the crab assembly with a tap so I could get the rod in as far as possible. Just draw the sides up evenly. those springs are not as strong as they look.

Henry   

[8683jb]

I just grabbed what they had in the rack - I assume grade 5, but as Henry said they don't take much. Even a 1" butter bolt, if there is such a thing, would be hard to strip out I think. I had to blow out the holes pretty good with an extended air nozzle because they were packed with decades of road dirt, and then oiled the threads of the rods to get them to go in deep enough. I sure wouldn't shortcut the thread engagement. Lock two nuts on a rod and thread it in as deep as you can before you start to pull them up. It's pretty easy if you pull them up evenly.

[coreyelliott]

Here is what I made.  I just took some all thread and cut it in half.  Then I welded a nut to the end.  Used another nut and washer against the assembly.  Worked great.  Pretty sure I grabbed all of this at Tractor Supply, so I don't think it was any special grade or anything.

Corey

[Cleprechaun]

I did mine just as everyone else has on this post, but definitely clean out those old nasty threads with a tap. If the pivot point in your crab is froze up solid, I have a jig that will free it up