Rules for Reusing Bolts - Portland Bolt Page 1 of 4

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Rules for Reusing Bolts

QCan a bolt be reused? If so, what grades and in what scenarios?

A A bolt that has already been used in a given application may or may not be reused, depending on the grade,
application, and recommendation of the “Engineer of Record”. There are a tremendous number of conflicting
opinions on this subject, but the only definitive published information we can find on this issue from a reputa-
ble source is in regards to ASTM A325 and A490 structural bolts.

According to the Research Council on Structural Connections, Section 2.3.3:

“ “Reuse: ASTM A490 bolts and galvanized ASTM A325 bolts shall not be reused. When approved by the
Engineer of Record, plain finish ASTM A325 bolts are permitted to be reused. Touching up or re-tightening
bolts that may have been loosened by the installation of adjacent bolts shall not be considered to be a
reuse.”
“Pretensioned installation involves the inelastic elongation of the portion of the threaded length between
the nut and the thread run-out. ASTM A490 bolts and galvanized ASTM A325 bolts possess sufficient
ductility to undergo one pretensioned installation, but are not consistently ductile enough to undergo a
second pretensioned installation. Plain ASTM A325 bolts, however, possess sufficient ductility to undergo
more than one pretensioned installation as suggested in the Guide (Kulak et al., 1987). As a simple rule of
thumb, a plain ASTM A325 bolt is suitable for reuse if the nut can be run up the threads by hand.”

When reusing bolts, it is critical to involve an engineer since the reuse of the fastener depends on a variety of
factors including bolt type, application, grade, finish, installation method, etc. If the bolts have been tensioned
beyond their yield point, they enter the “plastic zone” (where they elongate and do not contract once the load
is removed), which means they may be subject to premature failure. Since it is virtually impossible to deter-
mine visually if a specific fastener has entered its plastic zone when previously used, the decision to reuse a
fastener will be determined by the price to replace it versus the potential cost and/or liability of that fastener
failing.

Spending a few hundred dollars replacing structural bolts supporting an overhead sign structure on the free-
way makes sense when evaluating the potentially devastating consequences and liability involved in reusing
bolts that may ultimately fail. On the other hand, attempting to reuse a few hundred dollars worth of bolts in-
stead of replacing those fasteners on a noncritical pump or other piece of equipment might make sense when
a failure would only result in the piece of equipment not working.

Share  
Written April 13, 2010, modified September 9, 2016
Anthony Porreco
Phone: 800.599.6926
Email: anthony@portlandbolt.com

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14 comments

Irshad
August 8, 2017 at 1:06 am
Mr.Dane,
Can We perform Bolt torque (100%) more than once at construction for 4″ gate valve installation?

Dane McKinnon
August 8, 2017 at 9:25 am
@Ishad- Once a bolt is torqued to 100%, it should not be reused unless the engineer make an allow-
ance for it. Galvanized A325s and plain A490 bolts should never be reused, plain A325 bolts can be
reused at the discretion of the project engineer.

Daman
August 2, 2017 at 1:02 am
Nuts and washers can be reused??

Dane McKinnon
August 3, 2017 at 7:28 am
@Daman- High strength structural nuts that have been fully tensioned should not be reused. Nuts
that have not been fully tensioned are acceptable for reuse at the discretion of the project engineer.
Washers can be reused provided they are not deformed from initial use.

tanvir ahmed
July 14, 2017 at 10:07 am
sir we torqued new hsfg bolt in steel girder but due so.e mistake in length of girder we open the bolt
can we reuse it

Dane McKinnon
July 14, 2017 at 10:14 am
@Tanvir- ASTM guidelines allow for the reuse of plain steel A325 bolts at the discretion of the engi-
neer. Reuse of galvanized A325 and A490 bolts is strictly prohibited. For other grades we are not cer-
tain.

Simranpal Singh
August 2, 2017 at 6:55 am
Hello Dane,

Can you let me know about A325 Bolts for Derrick Base bolts Use log time?

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Dane McKinnon
August 3, 2017 at 7:34 am
@Simranpal- There are no specific parameters for use time on A325 bolts. In many applications they
are used for decades. For your application, you should consult an engineer as vibration and fatigue
can have adverse effects.

Mark
May 19, 2017 at 5:22 am
Thank you for sharing this information Mr. Porreco.

reza kasraian
February 4, 2017 at 2:38 am
is it harmful for bolts and screw to torque it several times?

Dane McKinnon
February 6, 2017 at 9:53 am
@Reza- It depends on the application. Some screw grades and applications allow for loosening and
re-tightening, whereas others specifically prohibit the reuse of fasteners. You will have to consult with
an engineer familiar with your application in order to determine that.

Fred Homes
August 4, 2011 at 11:37 pm
Is head bolts included in this subject matter? I meant head bolts cannot be reused too? I am just a
second hand user and the person where I bought my car gives me a set of head bolts. I don’t have
any idea if this is reusable or not but your article made me confuse. The bolts look like good and still
on a great shape and loctite is still visible on all the bolts. So I want to know if I can reuse them or
not?

Sarah Kemp
August 23, 2011 at 11:36 am
@FredHolmes Unfortunately, we are unable to answer this question. Portland Bolt manufactures non-
standard construction fasteners to ASTM specifications. SAE graded bolts for automotive applications
are beyond our area of expertise. Sorry we can’t help.

Alex Heppner
June 18, 2015 at 12:31 pm
I realize that I am responding to Fred Homes’ question several years after the fact, but if someone
else like myself finds this it might help them.

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Generally automotive manufacturers will stipulate in their technical service information wether or not
bolts have been torqued to their yeild point. If the bolts have been torqued to yeild then they must be
replaced.

If a bolt is reused you risk failure of the bolt when retorquing and the bolt will no longer provide the
same clamping force as it did originally increasing the risk of leaks ect.

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