easy way of making solid jhooks

[owasM]

just though i'd post up how i've done my jhooks for my rack ,

grade 10.9 m24 bolts with washers welded on (still need to have that done with mine) ..

total cost is around $16 off ebay for the bolts,nuts and washers.

the welding should be next to nothing, my welder usualy just does things like this for free.

[817boy]

I did this to my rack a year ago. My rack has 1 1/8 inch hole and all tractor supply co had was 1 inch grade 8 bolt. I bought them and it wasnt too long till they started to bend a lil. Now I just use them to hold some spring collars

If you get some that are a snug fit, it should work fine. However if they are off even a lil bit like mine, once the weight gets heavy they will start to bend. But i didnt get mine welded, so if you get yours welded it should be fine.

[boxertim]

I used a few spinlock dbell handles...just hacksaw them off at the right place.

[owasM]

I did this to my rack a year ago. My rack has 1 1/8 inch hole and all tractor supply co had was 1 inch grade 8 bolt. I bought them and it wasnt too long till they started to bend a lil. Now I just use them to hold some spring collars

If you get some that are a snug fit, it should work fine. However if they are off even a lil bit like mine, once the weight gets heavy they will start to bend. But i didnt get mine welded, so if you get yours welded it should be fine.

how did you stop the side the bolt head is on sliding back into the rack without welding washers down?

personaly, i don't think i'm ever going to get to the point where i'd be worrid about the bolts strength, my jhooks on my strut rack where made from 40x40x2.5mm channel and didn't move with 300kg+ on.
...

i was going to use dumbells first too, but couldnt find out how a dumbell is put together so i wasn't too sure of the strength, i am using them to put my 20kg plates on at the bottom of my rack.

[Seatard]

Alternatively to welding, a spacer cut from a steel tube can be cut to fit between a washer at the head of the bolt and a washer at the upright.

[817boy]

how did you stop the side the bolt head is on sliding back into the rack without welding washers down?

personaly, i don't think i'm ever going to get to the point where i'd be worrid about the bolts strength, my jhooks on my strut rack where made from 40x40x2.5mm channel and didn't move with 300kg+ on.
...

i was going to use dumbells first too, but couldnt find out how a dumbell is put together so i wasn't too sure of the strength, i am using them to put my 20kg plates on at the bottom of my rack.

I used some gorilla strength duct tape. Not the prettiest thing but it worked.

You know the old saying......... If you cant duct it, f**k it

[cthulhupun]

Alternatively to welding, a spacer cut from a steel tube can be cut to fit between a washer at the head of the bolt and a washer at the upright.

This is what I did with mine. I made the spacer out of steel conduit pipe (which is fairly thin). Of course, part of my reason for that was that I used a fully threaded bolt and didn't want the threads tearing up my bar.

[f0rbidden]

You could use a piece of UHMW tube as well, could be cool.

[Cleveland33]

I did this to my rack a year ago. My rack has 1 1/8 inch hole and all tractor supply co had was 1 inch grade 8 bolt. I bought them and it wasnt too long till they started to bend a lil. Now I just use them to hold some spring collars

If you get some that are a snug fit, it should work fine. However if they are off even a lil bit like mine, once the weight gets heavy they will start to bend. But i didnt get mine welded, so if you get yours welded it should be fine.

I'd use a grade 5 instead of 8 next time.

I am genuinely surprised your grade 8's bent - they usually will snap before they bend.

[Accutron]

What kind of bolt grade is the strongest? Can you get a strong bolt in a smaller diameter, or is there a minimum diameter to each grade?

Yeah Im surprised they would bend being so short.

[owasM]

What kind of bolt grade is the strongest? Can you get a strong bolt in a smaller diameter, or is there a minimum diameter to each grade?

Yeah Im surprised they would bend being so short.

i'm guessing the duct tape was giving way rather than the actual bolt bending,

not sure if they don't make certain sizes in sone grades but im sure grade reffers to the material used (tensil strength, yeild strength etc)

the pipe idea is good but the only pipe i have in my scrap pile has a 24mm ID, so won't fit, will still just be welding it on tomorow.

[817boy]

I'd use a grade 5 instead of 8 next time.

I am genuinely surprised your grade 8's bent - they usually will snap before they bend.

I guess i should have been more specific. they didnt bend but they are angled and if you put the bar on the hook it slides down to the head of the bolt. Like i said its because i needed a 1 1/8 inch bolt and tractor supply only had 1 inch. sorry for the misunderstanding. Its not the bolts fault its the fact that the bolt is a size to small.

[ICEcap2]

That makes more sense, you would have a hard time bending even a grade 3 1" diameter bolt.

[Cleveland33]

What kind of bolt grade is the strongest? Can you get a strong bolt in a smaller diameter, or is there a minimum diameter to each grade?

Yeah Im surprised they would bend being so short.

it depends on the application, there is no one all, be all strongest. Some are strong in one area while sacrificing in others, ex: B-7 bolts are for pressure situations, have more yield strength than you will likely ever need, but have very little shear strength.

A grade 8, however, being hardened, will generally snap before they bend. Whereas a grade 2, not being hardened, will bend before breaking.

[ProtienandIron]

Nice job Owas, I'm really tempted to do the same for my rack now. I looked into it before but I couldn't find the right size, now ebay has loads.

[Skidmarx]

When I opened this thread I was expecting to see j-hooks for some reason

[owasM]

When I opened this thread I was expecting to see j-hooks for some reason

wasn't sure what else to call them,

got it welded down, he did them for free,
chose to get the washer welded from behind, seems to work fine even hitting the bar into the upright then sliding into the hooks

[Stasher1]

I probably would've welded a larger diameter fender washer to the head of the bolt just to be sure the bar wouldn't roll off.

[owasM]

I probably would've welded a larger diameter fender washer to the head of the bolt just to be sure the bar wouldn't roll off.

at first i was thinking the bolt head would be too small, but it works perfectly, it's really hard to make the bar roll off, you have to nudge it from underneath the bar to do so,

i actualy like it being small, less off a lip to catch the bar on when re-racking.

[TheDude8734]

I used a few spinlock dbell handles...just hacksaw them off at the right place.

This is what I did for my rack, but I use them to hold my spring clamps and chains.
I'd recommend using an angle grinder with a cutting wheel for the sake of time
It's a good use for the cheap spinlocks that were just sitting around collecting dust

[owasM]

my old bars knurling was non existent because theese (still got $50 for it though ) but now i dont want to mess my new bar up now,
what can i put on the bolts that will actualy stay on? i cant imagine tape lasting.

[f0rbidden]

UHMW Tube if the washer isn't welded on and preventing you from sliding it on:

[owasM]

UHMW Tube if the washer isn't welded on and preventing you from sliding it on:

didn't know that existed,
the washer is welded on but i can just make another set and put the tube on first.

now why can't i find anything uhmw apart from tape in the uk, has it got another name here?

[Accutron]

UHMW Tube if the washer isn't welded on and preventing you from sliding it on:

Very good idea...my bar is getting killed when I have to slide it to position on my ptec j-hooks...

[irongrandpa]

What size is your bolt? You can get pvc schedule 40 pipe in 1/2, 3/4, or 1 in. ID.