KTI polar mount

[mr3p]

After years of procastination, finally started process of refurbishing my 10ft KTI dish today New pole mounted so it's on to the polar mount. I can probably soak the rust off and re-use but does anyone know where are I can source polar mount hardware, mainly bolts? Please see attached pictures.

 

[FTA4PA]

After years of procastination, finally started process of refurbishing my 10ft KTI dish today New pole mounted so it's on to the polar mount. I can probably soak the rust off and re-use but does anyone know where are I can source polar mount hardware, mainly bolts? Please see attached pictures.


View attachment 144977
View attachment 144978

You should be able to find what you need at Home Depot, Lowes or Fastenal. That's where I got any that I needed to replace. PB Blaster is what I use to get the old ones out. Soak for several days if necessary and re-spray them daily.

 

[mr3p]

With some PB blaster and brute force, I was able to get everything disassembled. Some of the bolts I can certainly source at Home Depot although some of the others may take creative searching. Fastenal is a good thought. I'm about to drop the rusty nuts and bolts in a bucket of vinegar, hopefully that will at least get me back to clean parts. I'll probably lightly sand down some of the mild surface rust on the mount and then probably spray with Rustoleum black.

 

[phlatwound]

Don't worry about exactly matching all of the ones you want to replace, as long as the diameter and/or thread are the same they should work, you can usually vary the length some.

And the head type can change also...for instance those square-headed bolts that tighten the mount to the pole can be hex-heads.

Besides the good sources FTA4PA mentioned I have a non-chain hardware place locally that has a huge inventory, also most of the farm supply-type stores (like a Tractor Supply or Rural King) have a lot of common plated Grade 5 hardware.

Parts is parts.

 

[primestar31]

Buy a jar of Permatex ANTI-SEIZE lubricant, and slather the bolts with it before putting it all back together.

 

[mr3p]

Thanks everyone. I've sourced stainless steel or zinc replacments for everything except the long flat head fish eye bolt. Not really sure of the correct name. Overnight in vinegar did make a little progress but not enough so I switched to an Evapo-rust bath. Other than rust, long bolt is in good shape so if no replacement found I'll take your advice and just coat in lubricant gel.

 

[FTA4PA]

Thanks everyone. I've sourced stainless steel or zinc replacments for everything except the long flat head fish eye bolt. Not really sure of the correct name. Overnight in vinegar did make a little progress but not enough so I switched to an Evapo-rust bath. Other than rust, long bolt is in good shape so if no replacement found I'll take your advice and just coat in lubricant gel.

View attachment 145000

If it doesn't clean up good enough to use and you know someone with a welder you could buy threaded rod and a small square of flat iron, drill the right size hole and have them weld the two together. Not elegant looking but it would work.

 

[Cham]

Those bolts in the picture look ok, just run the nuts up and down the whole length a few times especially on that long "eye bolt" so they turn freely. Some thick grease (gel?) should minimize rust once re-assembling; all good advice above. Spray some lube on the bolts yearly when assembled to minimize moisture getting into the threads causing siezing. Painting everything flat black seems to help hide dust etc where bolts are greasy etc. The steps you have already taken indicates you have a good handle on the situation. Just don't over-torque the bolts/nuts when re-assembling.

 

[RimaNTSS]

except the long flat head fish eye bolt.

As FTA4PA says, it is simple to fabricate. I can make one for you out of stainless steel.

 

[mr3p]

Thanks RimaNTSS. I think another day in evapo-rust bath will likely get most of rust removed although I would prefer to replace it with stainless steel. I do have a sheet metal shop locally which I'll visit if needed.

 

[primestar31]

Thanks RimaNTSS. I think another day in evapo-rust bath will likely get most of rust removed although I would prefer to replace it with stainless steel. I do have a sheet metal shop locally which I'll visit if needed.

Stainless Steel bolts and nuts are NOT a good thing to use on old-school C-band dish installs. They have an issue with galling, (cold-welding) together if you even slightly over-tighten them, and then break or strip. I had it happen a few times myself.

I don't use them, and I highly suggest you shouldn't either.

 

[RimaNTSS]

You are right primestar31 seizing could be an issue, it happened to me many times, but that was mostly on small size nuts&bolts. To prevent seizing some people use special ani-sieze grease. I, personally prefer to use brass or galvanized nuts on ss bolts, but that is only in case if serious tension and many times tighten/untighten should be done.

 

[mr3p]

Thanks Primestar, good to know. I picked up some galvanized replacements at HD today but couldn't find everything so I'll probably try another hardware store tomorrow.

 

[mr3p]

Regarding seizing, is this an issue if the bolt is stainless and the nut regular steel? the mount has 4 square head set screws which locks it in place on the pole, see first picture in thread. I'm guessing the bolts welded on mount are non-stainless so just wondering if a stainless square head bolt replacement could be used as thus far I haven't found a galvanized version.

 

[RimaNTSS]

I'm guessing the bolts welded on mount are non-stainless so just wondering if a stainless square head bolt replacement could be used as thus far I haven't found a galvanized version.

Nuts welded to the mount are regular steel. You can use hex-head galvanized bolts there or ss bolts, does nor really matter.

is this an issue if the bolt is stainless and the nut regular steel?

there are no issues in such a combination.

 

[mr3p]

Thank you RimaNTSS. Thanks to Evapo-rust, everything cleaned up pretty well but I'm going to make one more trip to the hardware store to see if I can find galvanized replacements. If not I'll use what I have and coat with some grease
After pictures of nuts bolts:

 

[FTA4PA]

Thanks to Evapo-rust, everything cleaned up pretty well but I'm going to make one more trip to the hardware store to see if I can find galvanized replacements. If not I'll use what I have and coat with some grease
After pictures of nuts bolts:
View attachment 145025

Great job!

 

[ZetaMale]

Fastenal is a good source if you want to spend the extra bucks and go stainless steel. Or at least go galvanized.

 

[Comptech]

Stainless Steel bolts and nuts are NOT a good thing to use on old-school C-band dish installs. They have an issue with galling, (cold-welding) together if you even slightly over-tighten them, and then break or strip. I had it happen a few times myself.

I don't use them, and I highly suggest you shouldn't either.

I cam believe that. My 12 footer I assembled with brand new tractor Supply cheap bolts. After 10 years it came apart with no issues when I moved. The brand spanking new 10 footer had stainless hardware and had to break 80% of them off.
And the 10 footer had benn up less than six months.

 

[mr3p]

The original spade bolt cleaned up pretty well but a friend of a friend agreed to fabricate a ~12inch spade bolt. I was thinking of using galvanized rod or would you choose stainless? You can see for yourself in the picture in the first post but the original bolt was diffusely rusted with the spade spared so wondering if that was galvanized welded on steel bolt? If it was a unibody or stamped spade bolt from a single rod, I would have though the whole thing would rust.