A little more than 10 years ago Caterpillar Tractor sent out an SOS to all of the major fastener manufacturers R & D departments. It had a problem with the pinion nut loosening on one of its largest earthmovers. The consistent stopping and starting of these huge machines was putting considerable reverse torque on the drive trains. Caterpillar needed a locking spindle nut system that would withstand 150 ft. lbs. of reverse torque. Stage 8 threw its hat in the ring.

Once the proposals were in, the Caterpillar engineers began conducting a variety of reverse torque tests on the submissions. There were five tests per submission. None passed all of the tests, including the necessary 150 ft. lbs. of reverse torque, except Stage 8. Without a single failure the Stage 8 fastener withstood 1,000 ft. lbs. of reverse torque on every single test. A relationship was born.

Using the Stage 8 fastener, Caterpillar began sending its technicians out all over the world to rebuild the gearboxes of the machines under warranty at a cost of $30,000 each. As a result, two sizes of the Stage 8 Locking System have now been included as original equipment on all of its earth moving machines that use its largest differentials. With these installed, $30,000 repairs are no longer needed. It has been 10 years and not a single failure has been reported.

Stage 8 manufacturers all types of active, fail-safe mechanical locking fasteners including locking header bolts.

For more information, call 800/843-7836 or visit www.stage8.com.

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