ENGINEERING REFERENCE

The contents of this document are proprietary and confidential. They are the
property of Ariel Corporation and may not be disclosed, reproduced, or used for
manufacture in part or in whole without written permission from Ariel Corporation.

Hold-down Bolting to Resist Shaking Forces and

Couples in Reciprocating Compressors
Requirements
1. To use the torques in the tables, the ultimate strength (Su) of the stud material must equal or exceed
100,000 psi (690 MPa); higher strength stud material is preferred. In all cases, torque the nuts to
stress the stud to about 55% of the ultimate strength of the stud material; higher strength materials
require higher torques than shown in the tables. Material strength and torque are directly proportional. Example: for 120,000 psi (825 MPa) ultimate strength material: 120,000 100,000 = 1.2 x
min. torque from table = required torque for given nut size. To use a different stud diameter, consult
Ariel for feasibility and torque.
2. Compressor frame foot hold-down studs and crosshead guide to support bolting should be as long
as possible. Ariel recommends a minimum 12 to 1 length to diameter ratio.
NOTE: Bolting long enough to reach only through the compressor foot and a deck plate
or flange of an I-beam can loosen if not provided with engineered devices to maintain
bolt pre-load.
3. Tighten nuts as recommended above to maintain fastener pre-load during operation. Ariel also recommends rolled threads and hardened spherical washers for hold down bolting to help compensate
for fastener to frame bolt surface angular misalignment.
4. Use grade 8 or 9 bolting to hold crosshead guides to supports.
5. Re-preserve any fasteners subject to corrosion after installation.
6. Follow lubrication guidelines and recommended procedures for torque accuracy in ER-63.

For the most recent edition of this document, visit www.arielcorp.com.

15

Transferred document to Flare, Added links to referenced documents. Added "F" to

all references of JGC:D frames.

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ER-26

ENGINEERING REFERENCE

The contents of this document are proprietary and confidential. They are the
property of Ariel Corporation and may not be disclosed, reproduced, or used for
manufacture in part or in whole without written permission from Ariel Corporation.

TABLE 1 Hold-down Bolting - Minimum Torquesa

Frame Foot
Compressor
Model

Crosshead Guide to Supportb

Hole Diameter
inch (mm)

Recommended
Stud Size
inch--TPI

Minimum Nut
Torquec
lb-ft (Nm)

Bolting Size
inch--TPI

Bolting Torque
lb-ft (Nm)

JGI

7/8 (22)

3/4--10

175 (235)

---

---

JGM:N:P:Q

3/4 (19)

5/8--11

100 (130)

5/8--11

90 (120)

JG:A

7/8 (22)

3/4--10

175 (235)

5/8--11

90 (120)

ACFd, JGR:J

1 (25)

7/8--9

280 (380)

3/4--10

160 (215)

JGW

1 (25)

7/8--9

280 (380)

5/8--11

90 (120)

JGH:E

1-1/4 (32)

1-1/8--7

600 (805)

7/8--9

255 (345)

JGK:Te

1-1/4 (32)

1-1/8--7

600 (805)

1--8

380 (515)

JGC:D:F

1-1/2 (48)

1-3/8--6

1100 (1500)

1-1/4--7

765 (1040)

JGZ:U

1-7/8 (48)

1-3/4--5

2300 (3100)

1-1/4--7

765 (1040)

KBZ:U

1-7/8 (48)

1-3/4--5

2300 (3100)

1-1/4--12

780 (1055)

JGB:V, KBB:V

1-7/8 (48)

1-3/4--5

2300 (3100)

1-1/2--6

1340 (1815)

a. See #1, "Requirements".

b. Not applicable to directly-opposed compressors.
c. When using a stud pitch other than those listed above in the same nominal diameter size, use this formula to determine required torque: Torque = (TABLE 1 fastener torque) x (target fastener root area TABLE 1 fastener root
area).
d. For directly-opposed compressors, use frame foot values.
e. For JGT compressors with ET crosshead guides, use the 7/89 TPI bolting size in TABLE 1 as a minimum torque to
bolt the crosshead guide to the support.

TABLE 2 Crosshead Guide Support Foot Hold-down Bolting - Minimum Torquesa

Compressor Model

Hole Diameter
inch (mm)

Recommended Stud
Size, inch--TPI

JGM:N:P:Q:I

Minimum Nut Torqueb lbft (Nm)

N/A

JG:A

3/4 (19)

5/8--11

100 (130)

JGR:J:W

1 (25)

7/8--9

280 (380)

JGH:EK:T

1-1/4 (32)

1-1/8--7

600 (805)

JGC:D:F:Z:U

1-1/2 (38)

1-3/8--6

1100 (1500)

JGB:V, KBB:V:Z:U

1-7/8 (48)

1-3/4--5

2300 (3100)

a. See #1, "Requirements".

b. When using a stud pitch other than those listed above in the same nominal diameter size, use this formula to determine required torque: Torque = (TABLE 2 fastener torque) x (target fastener root area TABLE 2 fastener root
area).

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