The primary duty of Eye Swing Bolts is providing a rated lifting or anchoring point on a threaded hole or stud, within a stated working load limit. Below: the sectors that specify them in volume, the checklist used to select the right size and material for the application, installation notes, and the known limits of the type.
Typical Applications for Eye Swing Bolts
The most common settings where these are specified:
- Fabrication & metalwork: bench and on-site assembly of steel frames, enclosures and weldments.
- Structural steel: bolting beams, base plates and bracing where a defined preload and property class are required.
- Automotive & transport: chassis, suspension and powertrain mounting points subject to vibration.
- Heavy machinery: securing gearboxes, frames and guarding on plant that sees shock loads.
- Energy & infrastructure: tower, pylon and pipework supports exposed to weather and long service life.
How to Specify Eye Swing Bolts for Your Application
- Size: Match the size to the mating part — see the dimension table below for each option.
- Strength class: Choose the property class (e.g. 8.8, 10.9, 12.9 or A2/A4 stainless) for the load and environment, and tighten to the matching torque so the joint relies on preload, not friction.
- Environment: For damp, coastal or chemical exposure prefer A4/316 stainless or a suitable coating; indoors, plated steel or A2 is usually sufficient.
- Standard: This product is supplied to Trade series (rotatable eye swing bolts). Quoting the standard on your order guarantees interchangeable dimensions between suppliers.
Installation & Assembly Practice
- Tighten to the torque for the size and property class with a calibrated wrench — the joint is held by preload, not by the thread friction alone.
- Ensure at least one full thread projects beyond the nut after tightening, and never re-use a bolt that has been tightened into yield.
- Under slotted or oversized holes, fit a hardened washer so the preload does not relax into the hole edge.
Common Selection Mistakes with Eye Swing Bolts
- Specifying class 12.9 "to be safe" in a corrosive environment — high classes are more sensitive to hydrogen embrittlement and stress corrosion; 8.8 hot-dip galvanized often outlasts them outdoors.
- Choosing a length that puts the shear plane through the threaded portion when a plain shank (partially threaded bolt) was available.
- Mixing stainless bolts with plated-steel nuts: the joint loses its corrosion logic and can gall or seize.
Where Eye Swing Bolts Are Not the Right Choice
Not for permanent joints that will never be opened (a rivet or weld is cheaper), and not where the head must sit flush — use a countersunk screw instead.
