The World’s Best Locking Fastener

Since 1985

LOCKING FASTENER PRODUCTS FORRAILROAD INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS

Stage 8 Railroad Product Line

• Cap Screw Locking System for Roller Bearings• Long Travel Constant Contact Side Bearing Locking Systems• Safety Appliance Locking Systems• Deck Bolts• Locomotive Applications

• Traction Motor Gear Case Locking Bolts• Air Horn Locking Systems• Exhaust Port and Fuel Injector Locking Systems

• Track Nuts and Hot Box Detector Locking Systems• Other Products in Development

Stage 8 locking fastener technology has been proven over 25 years of service in a variety of industry applications, including automotive, heavy equipment, military, and railroad applications. We have developed new lines of locking systems applications for railroad equipment, based on the experience of our personnel with extensive railroad industry backgrounds. And we are re-introducing legacy products that have been in railroad service for many years.

Cap Screw Locking System

The Stage 8 Cap Screw Locking System represents a major improvement in roller bearing retention, promising maintenance cost reduction and improved equipment availability. The patented design provides over 10 times the torque resistance to cap screw loosening rotation, compared to the standard locking plate. Roller bearing cap screws can lose a significant amount of preload with only a few degrees of loosening. The Stage 8 locking system is designed to prevent even a single degree of loosening rotation.

Cap Screw Locking SystemThe goal of the locking system is to maintain the bearing's lateral clamp load at a very high percentage of the original target preload, after embedding and relaxation of the cap screw joint. Maintaining high clamp load is the key to prevention of fretting, spun cones, and loose backing rings.

The basis of the high torque strength of the Stage 8 locking system is that the three bend-over tabs resist loosening rotation in shear, rather than in bending. This provides a substantial increase in torque resistance that will prevent even a single degree of loosening rotation.

The Stage 8 Cap Screw Locking System will be undergoing field testing as required by the AAR

WABL Committee in 2010.

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(Chart values are projected results based on industry experience.)

Body Side Bearing Locking Systems

The issue of loosening body side bearing fasteners, especially in double stack equipment, has been in the news recently. Stage 8 has adapted one of our most basic designs, the abutment locking retainer, to solve this dilemma. Our locking system can adapt to a wide range of body side bearing configurations. The AAR Equipment Engineering Committee will review our request for waiver from the S-235 requirement for tack welding the nut to the bolt threads. If granted, that would allow the removal of the locking assembly components without having to torch or cut. This is especially important in double stack equipment, where body side bearing wedges must frequently be re-shimmed to account for wear in the articulated connector. All components can be re-used.

Body Side Bearing Locking Fastener Assembly

Square Neck Plow Bolt,Locking Retainer, E-Clip,

and Grooved Nut

Constant Contact Side Bearings

The long travel constant contact side bearings, now mandatory, are designed to stabilize truck hunting through increased friction between truck and car body, without compromising curve negotiation. This also means increased dynamic loads on the fasteners, and loose side bearing fasteners are an inevitable, costly set out. The Stage 8 Side Bearing Locking System provides resistance from loosening by locking both the bolt hex head AND the nut / weld tab, preventing a single degree of loosening rotation. The Stage 8 Locking System greatly exceeds CCSB manufacturer and AAR M-948 requirements for bolted fasteners to be Grade 5 or better, and "require some means to inhibit loosening".

Locking Retainer & Snap Ring

Top View of Long Travel CCSB Inside Truck Bolster - Weld Tabs

Safety Appliance Locking SystemsFleet owners are noticing increasing costs from loose fasteners on safety appliances. FRA Safety Appliance Standards are more focused on preventing fastener components from "becoming insecure" than preventing loss of fastener preload.

The pre-assembled retainer tab is designed to engage the vertical portion of the running board support even when positioned at the end of the slot. A sufficient amount of bolt length is provided so that the threaded portion can be chisel checked or thread welded to comply with FRA MP&E 98-14. But this compliance will not be an issue because these locking systems will not come loose.

Top View – Running Board Flange

Bottom View – Running Board Support Displayed is the Stage 8 approach to the nagging problem of loose running board fasteners. The flanged bolt and retainer tab is pre-assembled, so it can be fed up through the running board support. Then the nut is run down from the top, and torqued to spec. Finally, the locking retainer is applied and secured with the e-clip.

Safety Appliance Locking SystemsStage 8 has adopted 2 approaches to grab iron fasteners. Displayed is the counter bore application for new equipment applications, where the grab iron bolt hole can be modified to accept the grooved bolt, retainer, and clip locking system. This application has been used extensively in military applications for securing up-armored door systems in personnel transports.The second approach is being developed for maintenance shop repair, where a retainer tab will abut against the grab iron, requiring no modification to the bolt hole.Existing swage / rivet type fasteners, or even chisel checked / welded thread

configurations, must be burned or cut off before replacing. Stage 8 locking systems can be easily removed with the added benefit of providing visual feedback to fastener integrity.

Deck Bolts

A simple modification to the angle clip and nut incorporates the Stage 8 counter bore locking system into the standard deck bolt assembly. When standard deck bolts become loose, open top loads on flatcars can shift, resulting in costly set outs to re-stabilize the lading. As with all Stage 8 locking fasteners, the entire system can be easily disassembled if necessary and all components reused.

Air Horn Locking Systems

Locomotive air horns can cost as much as $4,000 and have been a theft target, especially for locomotives in storage. The Stage 8 locking system can be configured to be either "very difficult" or "impossible" to remove in the field, depending on the type of snap ring applied. The counter bore locking retainer is positioned high enough on the bolt head to prevent any socket from getting enough engagement on the bolt head to allow application of reverse torque. The counter bore block is hardened to resist portable cutting wheels. The added benefit is that the Stage 8 Counter Bore locking system will remain tight and not require re-torquing.

Traction Motor Gear Case Bolts

Experienced locomotive maintenance technicians will advise that loose traction motor gear case bolts are a frequent and costly problem. Stage 8 has been providing gear case locking bolt systems for AMTRAK GE locomotives for over 12 years, without a single report of failure. This is a typical application of Stage 8 technology that improves equipment life cycle costs.

Traction Motor Gear Case Bolts

Other Locomotive ApplicationsGear Case Clamps Exhaust Ports

Fuel Nozzles

Stage 8 locking fastener technology is easily adaptable to a wide range of locomotive applications, and provides the most reliable method of dealing with the high vibration and thermal cycle environment of critical components.

Other Locomotive Applications

Track Nuts

Stage 8 track nuts eliminate the need to re-tighten critical track fasteners. Frogs, Diamonds, Crossovers, Guard Rails and Rail Joints all benefit from the major improvement in fastener integrity. All elements of the locking system can be instantly inspected visually, and as with all Stage 8 locking fasteners, the entire system can be easily disassembled if necessary and all components reused.

Stage 8 Designs Solutions

“Please Give Us The Opportunity To Solve Your Most Troublesome Fastener Problems”

Stage 8 Designs Solutions

For additional information please contact: Robert J. Ahern

DirectorStage 8 Locking Fasteners, Inc.415-485-5340 or 800-843-7836

Robert@Stage8.com