bolts for spikes

[jp233]

Hey y'all, what kind of bolts do you use for your spikes/dogs ?

Obviously my Stihls have the obligatory Torx heads.

I'm putting some spikes on some Macs that I have, and wondering if I can get away with straight-slots, or better yet hex, or if I should go find some Torx head ones so they look more authentic.

Of course Torx is great, but those bolt heads always tend to fill up with pitch/gunk too.

Since the inner spike threads into the oil tank/case - do you use lock washers or just threadlocker on them? (loc-tite or permatex - assuming blue at the most) Or both...

 

[heimannm]

What saw(s) are you dealing with?

Large frame direct drive saws use 1/4-20 x 3/4" flat head screws with an internal tooth lock washer under the self locking nuts. Large frame gear drive saws use 1/4-20 x 3/4 hex head screws and self locking nuts in pockets in the gearbox.

Most 10 Series use 10-24 x 3/4 hex head screws that may be slotted as well, the nuts are captive in the clutch housing. Most of the time they are affixed with an internal tooth lock washer under the screw head and self locking nuts.

600 Series saws use M5 screws if I remember correctly, the inner spike is attached to tapped threads in the oil tank. The outer spike attaches to the clutch cover like the 10 Series with the metric screws. The hex pocket for the nut is too small for a 10-24 hex nut and only accepts the M5 nuts. They also use an internal tooth lock washer under the head of the screw.

Mark

 

[user 122190]

I used what I found at the HW store. They don't fill up with gunk or anything, and I have never even thought to take them off once I put them on. Just cinch them down tight.

 

[jp233]

Yeah this is for 600 series saws. For now, I was looking only to put an inner spike on, so it threads into the oil tank/case and so at the moment don't need any nuts for the clutch/bar cover.

A 10/32 screw fits fine so far in the tapped threads (1" length which would account for the thickness of the spike plus a lock washer), I'll check M5x0.8 though to see if there's any difference there. Other screws from the saws all measure 32 TPI for sure (32 TPI and 0.8 are so close)

 

[jp233]

Yep, well on the PM 600 series saws a 10/32 runs all the way in there nicely by hand on the inner spike tapped holes, M5x0.8 feels tighter on the threads a little bit, but it'd go if I was using a wrench...

They definitely don't take a 1 inch length though, the tapped hole does not go as far in as it appeared. I'll find the right size/length later this week, thanks!

 

[Cliff R]

I use Metric on mine vs 10-32 as it is difficult if not near impossible to find hardened fasteners in the smaller SAE sizes. I remember running into this when I installed a spike on my Mac 10-10. Pretty sure it had to do a little grinding on the encapsulated nuts to get them to fit but the hardened Metric fasteners will hold torque better than the SAE stuff I was finding in those smaller sizes......

 

[jp233]

Yeah, basically I was hoping not to have to order something from McMaster Carr or something. I could get some gucci-looking Torx head bolts, or just use hardware store stuff.... with a lock washer and maybe a tiny dab of Blue threadlocker, it'll all be secure and it's not like I think anyone is going to ever take this spike off.

I just didn't really want to use Flat-head/ straight-slot or Hex head stuff I have lying around... the hex can strip too easily and the flatheads might not be much better than they are that small. Torx or hex is my go-to to be sure

 

[lone wolf]

Hey y'all, what kind of bolts do you use for your spikes/dogs ?

Obviously my Stihls have the obligatory Torx heads.

I'm putting some spikes on some Macs that I have, and wondering if I can get away with straight-slots, or better yet hex, or if I should go find some Torx head ones so they look more authentic.

Of course Torx is great, but those bolt heads always tend to fill up with pitch/gunk too.

Since the inner spike threads into the oil tank/case - do you use lock washers or just threadlocker on them? (loc-tite or permatex - assuming blue at the most) Or both...

Stihl's Torx head screws. That way it is faster to work on because less tools are needed.

 

[jp233]

quick update, the outer spike on the clutch cover definitely takes M5x0.8 (10-32 nuts are too large to fit in the pockets). But I didn't install an outer spike yet, not sure I will just yet. Once I get another PM610 fixed up, I may get a 24" bar and skip chain for big diameters. And would want 2 spikes on that one.

I ended up using some allen head 10-32 on an inner spike, with tooth washer + dab of blue threadlocker -- I installed it and ran the saw this past weekend. Buried a 20" bar on a PM 610 to cut up this nasty old rotten oak, because I had a score to settle with that tree (it puked nasty blackwater all over my 038 Super when felling it a month or 2 ago). It was a 22-24" diameter and all rotten in the middle, full of dirt/ground-up soggy wood (and lots of ants). But I got it all cut before the rain came