Correct way to bolt stuff to the floor?

[Moab]

I need to bolt something to the floor. I hate to do this. I don't like drilling holes in sheet metal. But I have no choice.

I assume better stainless hardware. Bolt, two washers (top and bottom)and a lock washer and nut or nylon locking nut. Going to spray the hole with paint. Then silicone before placing the bolt?

Any other advice?

 

[TheBoogieman]

I need to know what you're bolting to the floor. I'm nosey.

 

[JMT]

I need to bolt something to the floor. I hate to do this. I don't like drilling holes in sheet metal. But I have no choice.

I assume better stainless hardware. Bolt, two washers (top and bottom)and a lock washer and nut or nylon locking nut. Going to spray the hole with paint. Then silicone before placing the bolt?

Any other advice?

Since I can’t get a wrench on the nut under the floor and on the bolt head on top at the same time I use nutserts.

 

[Gilaguy23]

In 90% of the cases one can start a nut and grab it with vise grips and tighten it while the VG's are wedged against something. Far as washers or?? it depends on what it is and how heavy it is. I might plate the backside. Far as SS bolts, eh..sure. Our hardware supplier always told us their all G5 rated, straight from China. Fine, but they gall easily if tightened up a bunch.

 

[speeding_infraction]

If you use stainless hardware use plenty of antisieze, otherwise if they get stuck you'll have to cut em and use new hardware.

 

[tworley]

I bolted my aluminum box to the floor using nutserts and a little bit of anti seize. That was probably 5 years ago. They havent came loose or seized.

 

[rasband]

Another +1 for nutserts. I've had a packout plate mounted back there for years with them.

 

[Steel City 06]

I need to bolt something to the floor. I hate to do this. I don't like drilling holes in sheet metal. But I have no choice.

I assume better stainless hardware. Bolt, two washers (top and bottom)and a lock washer and nut or nylon locking nut. Going to spray the hole with paint. Then silicone before placing the bolt?

Any other advice?

Don't use stainless unless you really don't care about rust. The stainless fasteners will be fine. But they will massively accelerate corrosion of the surrounding steel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_corrosion

Zinc plated or galvanized steel fasteners are your best bet.

 

[GoldenGorilla]

Stainless is good when the bolt itself is subject to corrossion and the part around it isn't a concern.

But near the ocean with salt in the air, I would also go with that "gold" plated zinc chromate or zinc galvanized to protect the body.

 

[speeding_infraction]

How does everybody feel about black oxide coating?

 

[Rickstar321]

Knowing what you are trying to do would be helpful... I'm nosey too.

 

[Blue Clearwater]

I need to bolt something to the floor. I hate to do this. I don't like drilling holes in sheet metal. But I have no choice.

I assume better stainless hardware. Bolt, two washers (top and bottom)and a lock washer and nut or nylon locking nut. Going to spray the hole with paint. Then silicone before placing the bolt?

Any other advice?

I wouldn't use stainless, for the reasons mentioned. Also would not use a nylock. Spray the hole and bolt liberally with Fluid Film before and after installation. How big of a bolt are we talking about? Just one bolt or multiples? Where in the floor?

 

[Blue Clearwater]

Oops

 

[sab]

How does everybody feel about black oxide coating?

Black oxide is a poor choice for use outside. It was minimal corrosion resistance. It will start corroding as soon as it sees humid air, let alone rain or salt...

 

[speeding_infraction]

Black oxide is a poor choice for use outside. It was minimal corrosion resistance. It will start corroding as soon as it sees humid air, let alone rain or salt...

Good, that means the nuts I used for the transfer case linkage on my truck definitely won't come loose

 

[sab]

Good, that means the nuts I used for the transfer case linkage on my truck definitely won't come loose
View attachment 659890

We call that black loctite.

 

[speeding_infraction]

We call that black loctite.

Right up there with nature's loctite, AKA cross threading the shit out of something until it won't move any more

 

[sab]

Right up there with nature's loctite, AKA cross threading the shit out of something until it won't move any more

Cross-threading (minimal, at that) is pretty much what those prevailing torque lock nuts you've chosen rely on.

 

[lBasket]

Good, that means the nuts I used for the transfer case linkage on my truck definitely won't come loose
View attachment 659890

Dang that looks way nicer than the rube Goldberg TJ linkage.

 

[speeding_infraction]

Dang that looks way nicer than the rube Goldberg TJ linkage.

It's custom. The factory one fell off somewhere between Seattle and Knoxville: