Grain bins - what's the diiference...

Dave H (MI) · Jan 18, 2017

...in bolts? I find the 3/8 ? 1" bolts I need for a wide price range. Almost a 30 cent per bolt difference. Some say grade 8 or 16. Obviously I don't want junk. Anything to watch out for?

coonie minnie · Jan 18, 2017

I think I posted here on a bit a go for you about a bin we had that failed because of poor bolts. Learn from our experience.

In most cases, I'd say get the appropriate grade at Fastenal or whereever. In this case though, I recommend you go to the manufacturer and get what it is recommended from them. Your bins are Butler? Butler I believe is now owned by Brock. Brock is a reputible company, and easy to work with.

Don't skimp here. And good luck with your project.

Bob Bancroft · Jan 18, 2017

My bin bolts were 5/16". Some were gr5. Some were gr8. Some have a seal washer. Some have a plastic head/seal combination. I have a steel building which used soft bolts and square nuts. Gr8 seems like overkill.

paul · Jan 18, 2017

Don't skimp on bolt quality. I'd go through a bin place and get USA bolts for this. Bad tho G's happen when a Seam splits open. I beieve your bins aren't that huge, but man. When the 500,000 bu bin started popping bolt heads off on a double seam, they set up so the bin unloaded into a far bin and thry ran semis under that far bin unload to get the bin lemptied out quite a bit. They figured if the bin split it would flood grain out to the highway, but tigress the rest of the elevator structure would take the pressure and shield the semi and driver as the grain flowed around.

It was a big deal.

If a few bolts pop, the rest open up like a zipper.

Paul

Keith Molden · Jan 18, 2017

Dave, I don't know if you got my email or not, but those bolts are 3/8 x 1". Bucket says 3500 pieces, so I would imagine that would be 1750 bolts and 1750 nuts. They do have the plastic washers on them. Yours for the shipping cost. Keith

Keith Molden · Jan 18, 2017

After reading the other posts, I'm not sure they would work because they were for a quanset building & I don't know the grade on them. Keith

Dave H (MI) · Jan 18, 2017

I got your email and responded this afternoon. You thought they might be metric? When you are able, if you could look at the top of bolt heads and describe to me what you see...a series of dashes or a number. If dashes, tell me how many and describe the pattern. Send it to me in email, a picture works too. Thanks!

Dave H (MI) · Jan 18, 2017

I would have to call them. I did not see any hardware on the website. You have to know, though, that they are going be very high for what is most likely a standard grade 8 bolt. I'm not minimizing what you are saying, but keep in mind that these are very small bins and not likely to ever be filled to capacity. I will buy the best I can get, but it only makes sense to shop the price a little. Unless you are thinking a graded bolt is likely to vary greatly in strength from place to place?

Dave H (MI) · Jan 18, 2017

It seems to be what most places are offering. I ran into one place that listed a grad 16 but I have not heard of this. Seems like 8's are what is out there.

504 · Jan 18, 2017

I would try a local bin builder,they would probably sell you buckets full cheaper than you can buy them at full retail.(and be rated for the job)

tomnwoh · Jan 18, 2017

dave , give cliff a call where you got the jacks. he had some new bolts i got from him. not sure if he has enough for a whole bin

Dave H (MI) · Jan 18, 2017

Hi Tom...I asked Cliff. In fact, it was one of the FIRST things I asked Cliff! The bins he sold were a different style, not corrugated. His rings have an overhanging flange on the bottom that bolts into a similar flange below. They match each other and shed water...so no sealing washer. I looked at a hand full of them. One thing I am pretty sure of...anything Cliff had that I thought I would need, I bought on the spot. When I left there he had every bit of folding money that I had in my wallet and I had all his stuff. We haggled back and forth a bit good naturedly. I'm pretty sure when I drove away we both had smiles on our faces. I know I did and I hope he did too.

Dave H (MI) · Jan 18, 2017

You have no idea how hard it is to find a local bin builder here. I do know of one fella...I wouldn't exactly call him helpful, but I suppose I could try.

Dave H (MI) · Jan 18, 2017

Well I wasn't planning on skimpy on quality. I don't generally equate highest price to the best quality, though. Just testing the waters...gathering info...

Bob Harvey · Jan 18, 2017

If you are considering buying new, Grade 8 is overkill. The metal would shear before the bolt/nut. Grade 5 would be my choice, BUT, Grade 2 would probably be the Mfg.'s option (price). HTH

coonie minnie · Jan 18, 2017

The grade could vary by manufacturer. They shouldn't, but they could. Remember, much hardware comes from a country willing to put poison in baby formula to save a few bucks. (Melamine, China, 2008) Having the shoulder and seal is important as well. Also, Brock has been fair to deal with. They probably buy those bolts by the ton. Your local hardware store won't do that.

Don't be afraid to call them.

You are picking an extremely poor place to save money. Sorry to be so direct, but it is true. The "it will never be full" theory never works, either. It usually takes about two seasons to prove that.

I will see if I can find some pictures of our collapsed bin. And then you can decide.

coonie minnie · Jan 18, 2017

Brock Dealer Finder on their website lists about 9 dealers in MI.

Dave H (MI) · Jan 18, 2017

No, I hear you. I provoke these discussions for a reason...to get the answers I need. Thanks again!

Dave H (MI) · Jan 18, 2017

Ok...I will look it up.

Dave H (MI) · Jan 18, 2017

Be interesting to find that out!

johndeere720GA · Jan 18, 2017

Found this in a google search for bin bolts. They seem reasonable and seem that they know what they are doing.
http://binbolts.com/

JD Seller · Jan 18, 2017

Dave I would just look at the OEM bolt already in the bins. I know none of the bins we moved had anything but grade 5 bolts in them. The larger bins are 3/8 but any of the bins under 24 foot are just 5/16. So you need to look at your bins and see what they have. Also the cost difference is usually the type of coating/washer on the bolt. Just the regular zinc plated bolts with two steel washers and two rubber washers and a nut will be your cheapest. The better bolts will usually have a plastic coated head to seal and prevent the bolts from rusting. 95% of the bins will have galvanized sheets but many of the bolts are not anything special and will rust over time. The last bins I put up all have plastic coated bolts so they do not rust.

I will second that in your small diameter bins that anything over grade 5 is just wasting money. The separating forces in a smaller bin are not the great. It takes height and diameter to cause a bin to burst. The bins you bought are not that tall or big in diameter.

Brad Gyde · Jan 19, 2017

Dave, sent a email with a phone number for my neighbor in the grain bin business. He may be able to help you with bolts.

Let me know if you didn't get it.
Brad

Dave H (MI) · Jan 19, 2017

Got the ping, fired one back

Dave H (MI) · Jan 19, 2017

Checked that, thanks. Seem to have lots of choices. More affordable than most.

Dave H (MI) · Jan 19, 2017

And I that takes me back to wondering if I need to worry about country of origin if they are grade 8's. It is getting pretty darn hard to find things made in the USA. I dunno why I did not think to look at the grade on the bins. I know they are 3/8" x 1". That much I checked. One of the bins was installed new by the manufacturer and has it's original hardware, so that would be a good place to look! Duh!!!

So I have been looking around, because I am a fussy S O B, but not seeing any plastic coated bolts. Unless they are a fortune to buy, I would go this route and avoid the rust issue.

Grain bins - what's the diiference...

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