Cadillac Crag | Land of Ra - temp closed

Went to replace the lead bolts. Removed the old ones, prepped the holes. AC100+Gold tube was defective and only had the white component after 10 full clicks. Checked the back of the cartridge, fumbled it and dropped it 200'. Cracked it open. 

Going back tomorrow morning to install the new bolts with glue from a different batch. Stay off until Monday.

Carry on,

[done]

Are these glue-ins easier to replace than the "standard" bolts that have mostly been used in Eldo previously? Or is there a different reason to go for these ones?

There has been a progression from 1/4" bolts->3/8"->1/2" over the years, and now the emphasis is on using stainless since the plated bolts can become impossible to unscrew after 20 years. The issue with 1/2" stainless mechanical bolts is that they are more difficult to keep them up to torque. Plated 1/2" could be torqued up and they didn't budge. The surface of the stainless bolts is slippery, and often they are only finger-tight a year after installation. Glue-in bolts are maintenance-free and likely to last many, many years longer. 

Removing them isn't impossible now since core bits are readily available, but if one needed to be replaced it would more likely have another glue-in bolt installed at the same location by chopping it and drilling along the top surface of the old bolt.

I'm looking to replace the remaining Triplex bolts at this crag because they are not a very good design. Although they are very simple (3 pieces), if the nut is loosened at all, the entire bolt can slide out of the hole. One lead bolt fell out on The Web a couple years ago while the leader was being lowered off the top and the rope wiggled all the draws below. 

Thank you for all your hard work Greg!

Gregger Man wrote:

Glue-in bolts are maintenance-free and likely to last many, many years longer. 

In Eldo a stainless glue-in bolt's lifetime due to corrosion is "indefinite" meaning there's no way to calculate it.  It should last a "qualified forever". So Patrick, et al, unless it's damaged somehow, we'll all be long-dead before it needs replacing.

Removing them isn't impossible now since core bits are readily available, but if one needed to be replaced it would more likely have another glue-in bolt installed at the same location by chopping it and drilling along the top surface of the old bolt.

An alternative that has worked with other glues is to heat the bolt eye with a propane torch (being careful to not burn the rock surface) until the glue softens, then pull it out.