GRTSCTT Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Great Forum you have!! Hi, I am Scotty. I have only welded a little in life, but I do like to mechanic/spin wrenches. I have a jet ski trailer that I wish to make more theft proof. I have always thought of welding the threads shut to nuts/nuts-bolts-threads together and nut to bolt so you cannot remove nut and thiefs cannot steal jet ski trailer---anyway my father used to build Highway-freeway Bridges and he mentioned to me that they used to do this on bridges, but the welding would cause the bolts to crack internally and fail. I do not know if these bolts/nuts were exrayed or not, but I know they failed/cracked internally or otherwise. Does anyone know/or have tips on welding nuts to bolts after torquing them so a sleazy thief cannot remove the bolt, or nobody can remove it without cutting bolt in half or grinding/cutting weld off????????????????? I need tips so my muffler shop guy can weld these nuts and weld the exposed threads near nut so nut cannot be removed???????????????? Welders are Best/My Grandpa and Uncle welded for living. I wish I could do it better. Never know him as he died at 47 from Smoking and maybe welding. He invented first Idaho Potato Harvester, but after he died his bro could not go it alone and they never made $, but they are in the Idaho Potato hall of Fame. They say i am like him, Gotta love welders/you guys have fabricated some rad motorcycle stuff for me over years and i love you guys who torch. I want to weld these, but do not want the bolts to crack and lose their torque and fail later/down the road/dangerous. Please help if you can. Thank you all very Much. Regards, me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike-hr Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 That's a great question. The point on liability/cracking is probably valid. I'm wondering about what bolts you want secured, and if they can be replaced with rivets, or, can you put some skip welds along the framing to join the two pieces in addition to the bolts.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Have you considered 2-Ton Epoxy, 1oz Tube by DEVCON, "Resistant To Chemicals, Waterproof, Extremely High Bond Strength, 2,500 PSI For Heavier Objects "? Amazon.com: Clear 2-Ton Epoxy, 1oz Tube: Toys & Games Years ago I called Devcon and asked what they recommended for holding a critical application of wood and iron together to keep the steel bearing in heavy canon wheels, they put the engineer on the phone and he recommended their two part epoxies. The longer the cure time the stronger the hold. I used some over lag bolts that held two security grates in place. First I glued the bolt in place, then covered the head of the bolts with round blobs of epoxy, then painted to match the grates. Remember, you don't have to make something un-stealable, just so difficult to steal that it is too much of a bother. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Yeah, I agree. Loctite makes several grades of industrial thread lockers that cannot be removed without an OA torch - and if a thief has one of those, he can just as easily cut the bolt. I probably would not weld the nuts on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy seale Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 how about drilling through the nut/bolt and driving in a roll pin and grinding it flat withthe nut? bol jimmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unkle spike Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 Just a few small tacks in the exposed threads will go a long way to make them theft proof, at least more "theft resistant". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagedude Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I hammer the exposed thread which makes removal difficult. You could also file the corners off the nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Just a note on securing things. Had a neighbor bought a nice harley. Picked up a large anchor chain and monster padlock. Chain thru the frame and around a 2 foot oak tree. Came home 2nd day.Bike and chain gone tree laying on/in his garage. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 A common and traditional trick that doesn't involve welding is to cut about half way through a nut, screw it on, and then hit the top of the nut with a punch and a strong hammer stroke. Bends the nut enough to prevent it being removed with a wrench and doesn't mess up the screw thread. If some one does defeat that then welding isn't going to stop them either. You are just trying to keep honest folks honest. As Dragons Lair pointed out. Not much stop a determined thief. I used to leave my trucks door unlocked. I didn't want to have to replace a window for a thief to find out that I didn't have a radio worth stealing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Charlotte: Yeah, we used to laugh at folks with convertable tops who locked their doors. LOL thinking about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbillysmith Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 If you're so worried about the trailer being stolen and you don't know how to weld the nuts and bolts properly without the weld possibly have underbead cracking or things to that nature, then just put a glob of JB Weld on the bolt, and then torque the nut down on top of it. Besides, (and I'm not doggin' any muffler shops) they probably won't have the proper filler metal and/or process depending on what kind/type/grade/alloy the bolts are. Just a little thought from a welder. -Hillbilly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 The reason the bolts are cracking is that the weld heat brought the weld area above AC3 and it re hardened part of it upon cooling. With out a proper tempering of the newly formed martensite it will be very brittle. This is a reason for post heating of the weld zone. You also have to remember if you did not entirely reheat and re harden the bolt you have uneffected areas, and the middle zone to account for also. Welding nut to bolt is only 100% predictable for mild steel bolts, not the harder grades. Read up on heat treating and you will understand more about this effect. Most people do not understand this unless they work in an area that deals in heat treating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 (edited) I have built a few different trailers for use around the farm, being that I sometimes need to pull them with the implement bar on the tractor and sometimes with the tow hitch on my vehicle, I have welded a square tube receiver to the drawer bars and mounted a hitch or a ring to another square tube that fits inside it, held in with a pin. Works exactly the same as removable tow ball on some tow bars. When not using the trailer take the hitch out . You could also use locking hitch pin in the hole to stop an enterprising thief from putting his own attachment in. Like this one http://www.haymanreese.com.au/index.htm Edited August 2, 2009 by mod07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 A determined thief will leave the trailer and take the jet skis after cutting the straps. They weigh only a few hundred pounds and 2-4 people can lift them into a pickup easily. There is no practical way to secure the machines to a trailer that cannot be defeated with a set of bolt cutters. Even though the trailer may be worth more, the jet skis are more desirable. Get a properly sized hitch ball and set it into a block of concrete, you may need to extend the shank. There are also welded stands like this that can be set into concrete. When you are not using the trailer hitch it to this very difficult to move structure and lock the hitch to it. If your hitch doesn't lock, replace it with one that does. Just use permanent locktite or get the bolts that are designed to be flowered out on the ends AND use permanent locktite. Better still, store the machines in a garage or lockable storage unit. At some construction sites I have seen the safety boats stored in over sized dog kennels while people were off site. Hope this helps. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Phil, Helps even more to have an oversized dog in the kennel. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Yea, oversized dogs are nice to have around at times too. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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