Installing split couplings

[pschauss]

Are the flange bolts supposed to be stainless or mild steel? The old ones look like mild steel, grade 5.

Should I tighten the pinch bolts before I tighten the flange bolts?

[Bruce]

Use tef gel on all bolts. Tighten pinch bolts first. There should be a partial groove in the shaft to align flange with shaft.

I used steel bolts and tef gel'd them.

[Stephan]

I don't think that is a good application for Stainless - it is too prone to galling.
Good Luck,
Stephan

[Carl]

Flange bolts should be fine thread grade 8 with lock washers.

SS is great when you do not want them to rust, but they are not as strong.

My preferred method is to locate coupling by finding shaft dimple than lightly snug set screw. Tighten the couplings clamp bolts then snug the set screw.

[Rawleigh]

Grade 8 bolts don't rust as bad as Grade 5, at least in my experience with heavy equipment.

[Carl]

I have found similar results machining high alloy steels (stuff your grade 8's are made from) compared to the free machining grades (like your grade 5 bolts). The free-machining material rusts soon as our coolant solution comes close to the low end of the scale.