It's Risky Business to Use the Wrong Plow Bolt

It’s Risky Business to Use the Wrong Plow Bolt

May 31, 2018

Using the Right Snow Plow Hardware

Using the wrong hardware can result in lost production time, costly maintenance, or expensive equipment damage. The solution? Choose grade 8 hardware to ensure you’re using the highest quality fastener on your equipment. Don’t take a chance on using the wrong bolt when assembling your plow blade and scarifier blade systems.

Here’s everything you need to know about choosing the right snow plow blade bolts.

What Is a Plow Bolt?

Snow plow blade bolts are specialized fasteners designed for heavy-duty applications like snow plowing. Unlike standard bolts, plow bolts have a flat, countersunk head that sits flush with the surface of the blade.

Why the flush design? Snow plow blade bolts prevent the bolt head from interfering with the cutting edge of your blade. This ensures smooth plowing and reduces wear. They’re essential for securing the blade while allowing for consistent and reliable performance.

Using Grade 8 Hardware

When sourcing snow plow cutting-edge bolts, make sure they meet grade 8 hardware standards. A grade 8 bolt is made from medium carbon alloy steel that has been quenched and tempered. Most importantly, it has a minimum tensile strength of 150,000 pounds per square inch.

Grade 8 bolts provide key benefits:

  • Strength – Made of alloy steel, they offer tensile strength that’s perfect for withstanding the tough conditions of plowing
  • Resistance – Grade 8 bolts resist corrosion and wear, ensuring they last longer in winter conditions
  • Safety – Using high-quality hardware reduces the risk of bolt failure, protecting your equipment and those around you

You can’t compromise when installing snow plow blades. Make sure you use grade 8 hardware designed for your equipment.

Types of Snow Plow Blade Bolts

Snow plows rely on different types of bolts. Here’s an overview of the most commonly used kinds.

Plow Bolt

Snow plow blade bolts feature a flat, countersunk head that sits flush with the blade. They’re ideal for securing cutting edges and reducing interference during use.

Carriage Bolt

Carriage bolts have rounded heads and square necks. While not as flush as plow bolts, they are commonly used in areas where you don’t need a low-profile fastener.

Hex Bolt

Hex bolts have six-sided heads, hence the name. They’re typically used for attaching parts that don’t require a flush finish. You’ll find hex bolts on the supports and reinforced joints of your plow equipment.

Installation Best Practices

Here are some tips to make sure your snow plow blade installation goes off without a hitch.

Apply Proper Torque

Snow plow blade bolts hold a lot of weight and face thousands of pounds of force. That means you need to tighten them as much as possible, right? Not quite. Over-tightening can stretch the bolt, weakening its ability to hold parts tightly. Over-tightening can also strip the threads or damage the blade. Under-tightening will cause your bolts to come loose under stress. Either issue can be dangerous.

With that in mind, refer to the plow manufacturer’s guidelines for the recommended torque settings. Use a torque wrench to verify that you’ve tightened your bolts just enough. We also recommend that after installing a new blade, you re-check the torque after the first 10 hours of use.

Don’t Use Lock Washers

While it’s important to guard against loosening, you don’t want to use lock washers on your snow plow blade bolts. Here’s why:

  • Lock washers gouge the backside of the snow plow moldboard because the washer is harder than the moldboard
  • Hardened lock washers act as a cutting tool, causing unwanted “metal shards” on the moldboard where the nut is to seat
  • No matter how hard you tighten the nut, these metal shards will flatten under use, causing the nut to loosen on the bolt and eventually shear the bolt under use

Use a hardened lock nut to fix this problem. If using a standard Grade 8 nut, you can also double nut the bolt to prevent loosening.

If you want to guard against loosening, consider using a thread-locking fluid. This single-component adhesive can give your threads a little extra grip that holds them in place. However, check manufacturer recommendations to ensure you can use thread-locking fluid on your plow blade. You can also contact a professional to help you decide what’s best.

Avoid Mixing Hardware

You don’t want to mix grades or brands when choosing snow plow blade bolts. Here are some tips to help you choose the right ones:

  • Always use Grade 8 plow bolts – They are hardened and will not stretch when torqued. Number 3 head plow bolts (with self-locking nuts) will greatly reduce the likelihood of blade chatter and bolt failure.
  • Watch your torque – Over-torque will cause bolt heads to pop off. Under-torque will let the blades move during use, causing the bolts to shear and break. Calibrate your impact wrench regularly to ensure you are applying the proper torque.

You’ll also need to choose matching nuts. Here are some tips to get the most out of your snow plow blade bolts and reduce the risk of any issues:

  • Use Grade 8 nuts – They are hardened and will not “mushroom” or flatten during use
  • Lock nuts are preferred because they lock to the bolt and are always Grade 8
  • Standard nuts, if used, should be Grade 8
  • We recommend you double-nut when not using locking nuts

Choosing the correct 5/8″ Grade 8 Plow Bolts with matching nuts and washers will keep your plow operating efficiently through the toughest conditions.

Be Wary of Cross-Threading

You are going to feel some resistance when installing snow plow blade bolts. However, it shouldn’t be extremely difficult to thread your bolts. The first several turns should be relatively smooth and easy.

If you are feeling a lot of resistance, stop and back the nut off. You may be cross-threading it, which happens when the threads of the nut don’t line up with the bolt. Cross-threading can damage both pieces of mounting hardware and cause the bolt to get stuck before it’s secured and flush with the blade.

Maintenance Tips

Nuts and bolts require maintenance. Take care of your fasteners, and they will take care of you. Here’s what you need to do.

Regularly Inspect for Wear and Tear

When inspecting your snow plow blade, pay close attention to all of the fasteners. Look for any signs of wear and tear, such as:

  • Rust – Corrosion weakens bolts over time
  • Damage – Inspect threads for stripping and bolt heads for rounding
  • Loosening – Check for any bolts that have shifted or backed out

While some wear and minor damage is normal, you can’t ignore red flags like severely worn bolt heads or too much rust. Take your equipment out of service until you fix any damaged hardware.

Replace Damaged or Rusted Bolts

Even a single damaged bolt can put the performance and safety of your plow at risk. Replace damaged or rusted bolts quickly to prevent bigger issues.

We recommend that you install new hardware every time you install a new blade. Bolts are relatively cheap compared to other snow plow parts, so it’s better to replace them than risk failure.

Source High-Quality Snow Plow Blade Bolts from Winter Equipment

Snow plow bolts don’t get nearly as much attention as your blade and cutting edge. However, they are critical components of your plow. Choosing the right fasteners and following these best practices for installation and maintenance can make all the difference in your plowing performance.

Are you ready to gear up for winter? Contact Winter Equipment and order your snow plow blade bolts today!

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