A kinda strange grain bin question...

Why replace the bolts? These bins I am looking at have like new bolts. I was just gonna reuse the old ones. Of course, I have not removed any yet. Maybe they has some kind of seal built in that will be destroyed? Just curious...lots of you mentioned it.

just depends ,,.. if the bolts are like new and are easy to work with ,,. I would reuse them , my 1930s gov mt bin , had slotted screw heads,. so those were replaced ...

we reused the bolts on one about that size, they were in good shape.

Most grain bin bolts have either a rubber coated head or a rubber washer to seal the hole against water getting into the bin. I usually DO NOT reused them because the seals usually are not good on the old ones. On the last few bins I have setup I used the Brock covered bolts. (picture) I like that they will never rust. Some of my older bins have rust stains down the sides from the bolts rusting.

New regular bin bolts are about $.10-.12 each with the nut. IF your bolts look good then you can buy the seal washers for around $.04 each. You have the labor/time taking the old ones off and installing the new ones. The coated bolts are around $.20 each.

The first two bins I moved I used the old bolts over and used silicone caulk under the old seals. What a PAIN to do. I also later had to remove one sheet from one of those bins and the caulk was in the nut. So basically the nuts would not come out easy. They acted like lock nuts and turned hard the entire bolt length. So what ever you do I would recommend NOT using sealer under the bolt heads.

I have also started using rolled caulk at the bin sheet joints, ends and top/bottom. This makes the seam more weather tight. Moisture is the enemy of stored grain. It will wick in places you never think it will until you go to empty a bin and have 3-4 inches of rotten grain along the side seams.


I buy most of these type of products off a local bin installer/seller. The freight makes online stuff higher. Plus you do not know the quality of the products.

Dave I would use the ones with the neoprene washers. We have an old Stormor with the plastic seals and they are starting to deteriorate. I have found a leak in one seem bolt row. I guess we will need to replace all the bolts in that bin down the road. I have reused some of the old neoprene washers if it was a place where if would not matter if it might leak.

Dave sorry number should have been 989 413 5684. This is the correct number.

Here's why you replace the bolts...

In March of 1976 there was an ice storm in SE WI. Loads of ice on things, power out for days, it was a nightmare. One month later, the 10 year old MFS bin (full, holding 30k bushels) ruptured in our yard in the middle of the night. No one was hurt, but it leaned over the adjacent corn dryer and rolled the propane tank quite a ways. And there was the mess of all that corn in amongst the steel.

The cause? It was thought to be the strain from the ice the month before, plus the bolts used for construction were found to be the wrong grade!!!! The ice caused fatigue, the warming and cooling in the April sun caused expansion and contraction, and those bolts unzipped like a zipper!

Sooo, after hearing that, I hope you understand why I suggest using new bolts, bought from a reputable manufacture of the correct grade. It will be a lot cheaper in the long run.

PS... in case you are wondering, I was 3 at the time. There is a nice picture of me on my tricycle trying to ride into that corn...

As everyone else has said, use new seal washers, and make sure you use the calk at the seams. Personally, I would just use new bolts, unless you have some young helpers that will put the new washers on the bolts. I have taken enough used bins apart to know that about half the bolts will strip the nuts, or at least make them difficult to reuse.

Plus 1 on using new bolts. Time saved not cleaning up bolts or fighting
stretched threads is worthwhile. Knowing bolts are torqued properly makes
sleeping easier. Use of a battery powered impact that can be set to torque
specs is the other advice I would offer.

OK...I'm sold. We have "farm meetings" periodically here with the family because, realistically, even those who are busy with college and no longer participate as much as they probably should need to know what is going on. Once we get past the usual resolution that I be forbidden from using the chain saws anymore (long story, always voted down because I have veto power), we move on to more sensible subjects. One thing we decided a while back was that if we were going to do a project or repair, it would be done in such a way that it would not likely have to be done twice or more. So I will be scaring up good bolts and I cannot tell you all how much I appreciate your patience and info!

The guys I work for moved a 30 foot bin a few years ago. They put new seals on the bolts and reused them. There's noting wrong with them.

There's a lot of bolts in those bins. I would have to ask again but I think they spent all winter doing those bolts. You can do some while watching your favorite shows if you so inclined.

That was back around 1990 and you can't tell now but I think they lapped the sheets opposite of what they were so they didn't have to stand there and scrap all the caulking off of the sheets.

RT(my 2?)