Has Anyone Used these New Style Rawl Bolts?

According to the Powers (2013-2014) catalog, Part No: 6932SD (and all the PB+ bolts) are only available/offered carbon steel, not stainless steel. They should probably not be used for climbing purposes. (The "old style" Power-Bolt is available in carbon-steel and 304 Stainless.)

Kirk Miller wrote:Never had any trouble placing the older style 1/2 inch powers bolts. When I've removed them, the old style sleeves came out pretty easily. Will the new design be harder to remove when they need to be replaced someday? Anybody tried taking these out??? Will the plastic sleeve in the center of the hole be a problem? After removing the initial steel sleeve and the plastic sleeve, will it be a pain to remove the expansion sleeve (buried near the bottom of the hole)?

If someone is ever to encounter these in a replacement scenario...

I don't believe they'll be any harder unless they are maybe 4" or longer. I was accidentally shipped some of these from an online outdoor shop (read as, they advertise power bolt and ship the PB+; something I will follow-up with them on). I just wanted them for more practice removing 5-pieces with the c-clamp puller I built following Greg German's design.

Back on topic...since I'm on-call for my job this weekend I have time to kill. I placed one of these (3" length) in the test boulder on my porch and was able to remove all the components with a hook tool. The cone and plastic nut on the end actually came out by hand after I re-threaded the threaded bolt into them.

I doubt they'll be this easy to remove if you encounter them after any significant use or if they are corroded, but I think Gary Ballard's method of removal that has been improved upon by Greg German and ACE will still work. Longer models that would put the sleeve deeper than the depth your tap could reach may pose a problem.

One thing to note, the internal bolt is now 1/4" (still UNC threaded) instead of 5/16". So that's what the cone and stopper nut would take. You may also have to use a different size tap for the sleeve and spacer. I didn't try but a 3/8" tap might leave too little material to use the puller with.

Thomas Beck wrote:These are 1/2" dia by 3 1/2" long Powers Rawl bolts bought on Tuesday. What a surprise when I opened the box this evening! They are a little awkward to assemble. I wonder about the plastic end.

I would not use the PowerBolt+ in the 3/8" version period. It is only rated for 17kN in 8000PSI concrete, with a 4kN safe working load. The UIAA requirement is 25kN. The original Power Bolt in the 3/8" x 3.5" version is rated to a whopping 39kN. In fact, the 3/8" PowerBolt is actually slightly stronger than the 1/2" PowerBolt+ making the new PowerBolt+ a step backward, not forward.

Is this thread still active?

The last comment by Administrator is critical......that the new Power Bolt+ is not as strong as the old, especially in the 3/8" size.

Engineering test data and performance specs are complicated to decipher.....perhaps Powers is using a new protocol to test their bolts and list the results?

It's always been hard to compare the strengths we need in our anchor/belay systems with the regular engineering world. Even the official UIAA specs are not easy to apply out on the crag.

It seems we need a re-evaluation of this popular bolt, by an experienced climber - engineer, before we start merrily placing them for all and sundry to use?
We certainly don't want another 1/4 stud type situation......

Meanwhile, perhaps we should just use glue-in bolts, made by a climber/manufacturer, which are way better anyway and designed specifically to keep our butts off the deck!

These bolts are no longer being manufactured and should no longer be used for rock climbing life support anchors. Not only are they inferior in strength , but they will not hold up to rust and corrosion as long as others. They also don't torque out enough to keep bolts from spinning. Anywhere I have put these in the wall I have replaced them with better product. No reason to debate this fact. Just don't use them. It's not worth its future issues.

Now this is a hell of a post...

D.A. LeBaron wrote: These bolts are no longer being manufactured and should no longer be used for rock climbing life support anchors. Not only are they inferior in strength , but they will not hold up to rust and corrosion as long as others. They also don't torque out enough to keep bolts from spinning. Anywhere I have put these in the wall I have replaced them with better product. No reason to debate this fact. Just don't use them. It's not worth its future issues.

Fixe still sells these garbage bolts in 3/8.    I also see them poppIng up at crags.  So your post about not being manufactured seems incorrect.

http://www.fixehardware.com/shop/bolts/powers-ps-3/8-x-3-5-piece-bolt-6913-sd/

Inadequate specs can be seen on page 4:

http://www.fixehardware.com/specs-manuals/Powers-Power-Bolt-Specs_6930SD.pdf

dnoB ekiM wrote:

Fixe still sells these garbage bolts in 3/8.    I also see them poppIng up at crags.  So your post about not being manufactured seems incorrect.

http://www.fixehardware.com/shop/bolts/powers-ps-3/8-x-3-5-piece-bolt-6913-sd/

Inadequate specs can be seen on page 4:

http://www.fixehardware.com/specs-manuals/Powers-Power-Bolt-Specs_6930SD.pdf

dnoB ekiM wrote:

Fixe still sells these garbage bolts in 3/8.    I also see them poppIng up at crags.  So your post about not being manufactured seems incorrect.

http://www.fixehardware.com/shop/bolts/powers-ps-3/8-x-3-5-piece-bolt-6913-sd/

Inadequate specs can be seen on page 4:

http://www.fixehardware.com/specs-manuals/Powers-Power-Bolt-Specs_6930SD.pdf

Oops!! I was told that by a nationwide distributor. Even if they did stop making them, they would be in circulation for quite some time. And it wouldn’t be something that would be recalled like a carabiner. Either way they suck. I’m not sure if I mentioned in previous posts that they are also highly susceptible to crevice corrosion. It’s important that developers are increasingly aware and concerned of the longevity of the hardware they use. Cheers everybody :)