What are Lockbolts?

Bolt fasteners are useful components for securing assemblies, ensuring that two or more items are kept together while taking on their structural loads. In some applications, the amount of vibration that is present during operations may pose a risk to a bolt in terms of loosening. With a type of bolt known as a lockbolt, the fastener can lock itself in an assembly to prevent loosening and provide increased strength and a longer service life as compared to conventional fastener variations. In this blog, we will discuss the lockbolt in detail, allowing you to better understand how such fasteners are used across various applications.

Lockbolts are a two-piece component, featuring both a pin and collar. Replacing either a bolt and nut or a rivet, lockbolts offer high strength and the ability for assembly without the need for cotter pins and lock washers. Adding to their benefits, lockbolts are capable of being installed from one side of the assembly, allowing for an individual to set the fastener from the collar side while pulling and swaging the collar onto the bolt. This eliminates the need for applying torque from both sides of a workpiece such as would be required with a bolt and nut, easing the installation process.

Depending upon the application in question and one’s particular needs, lockbolts may either be designed with a separating pintail or without a pintail. Lockbolts with a pintail are specifically constructed with a breakpoint that ensures that the tail becomes separated upon completing installation. Once separated, the pintail may then be discarded or collected. For more flexibility, some lockbolts with separating pintails will feature multiple breakpoints, ensuring that installation may be carried out for joints that exhibit varying thicknesses. Instead of relying on a nut for installation, lockbolts with separating pintails have their collar set and swaged to secure the fastener in place to prevent turning.

Lockbolts without a separating pintail are devoid of a breakpoint, meaning that the pin remains after installation is completed. While the separating pintail can assist in securing the assembly, there are some advantages to removing such features. For one, the lack of a breaking pin means that it does not need to be discarded or collected. Secondly, the lack of a break reduces the fatigue of the operator during installation and minimizes noise.

Generally, lockbolts are most beneficial for applications that face heavy amounts of vibration. Exhibiting strength that surpasses rivets and screw joints, the toughness of lockbolts ensures that they avoid loosening even under large amounts of stress. Much of the strength and performance comes from the collar lockbolt assembly, that of which creates a permanent bond with the bolt grooves when installed. Beyond such benefits, lockbolts also save time, labor, and costs, making them quite beneficial. With the use of a lockbolt installation tool, operators with no special experience can implement such fasteners in an assembly with ease. When you are in need of filler pivot pin lockbolt components, pin lockbolt shear parts, and other lockbolt types, there is no better alternative to ASAP 3Sixty.

ASAP 3Sixty is a premier purchasing platform for parts, offering items that have been sourced from thousands of top global manufacturers that we trust. Take the time to explore our vast offerings at your leisure, and all items are readily available for purchase at any time. As the only independent distributor with a NO CHINA SOURCING pledge, we stock items from manufacturers that we trust and subject all items to rigorous quality assurance inspections, testing, document verification, and more. If there are particular items on our website that you wish to procure, first begin with a competitive quote for your comparisons which you may receive through the submission of an Instant RFQ form as provided on our website. 


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