Anchor bolts not sitting properly in wall

HandyCapped

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to answer my question.

I am currently attempting to mount a TKO heavy bag wall mount in my basement on a concrete wall.



To do this I've decided to use eight 1/2" x 3" sleeve bolts for each of the holes as since it is an outer wall I want the mount to be as secure as possible so I can work out hard without damaging my home. This is the only place I can place this setup.

I marked out all eight holes using the mount and a level, then used a hammer drill with a 1/2" masonry bit to drill all 8 holes. I thought I did a pretty decent job, but upon placing the anchor bolts in and attempting to put up the mount I realized some of them were off very slightly (no more than 1/8" or less). I did some more research and realized I did not clean out the drilled holes with a wire brush and am pretty sure I can clean these holes up a bit more with my hammer drill, but before I started getting carried away I wanted to see if this sounds like a logical approach. I had to knock through most of my anchor bolts onto the other side of the wall but managed to clear the holes.

I also learned quickly that trying to put up something with anchor bolts by yourself is a pain in the neck. Is there any secret to it, or is just using another person or two to hold the mount while I line it up and tighten up the anchor bolts the easiest way?

My background is I was a 21W in the Army Reserves (carpentry and masonry) and am a bit handy around the house but no other applicable experience.

Daniel Holzman

Anchor bolts in concrete can be difficult to line up, especially if the concrete is hard. Here are a couple of tips. First, place the bracket where you want it, then use a center punch to make a mark at the center of each hole. You can use a pencil to make the mark darker.

Use an anchor bolt that is smaller than the hole by approximately 1/8 inch, so if the hole is 1/2 inch, use a 3/8 inch anchor bolt. Gives you some flexibility when installing the bolt.

If you are using an expansion type anchor, I like the Phillips red head types, since the drill and the expander are all done at once. Two piece systems require you to drill first, clean hole, install sleeve, install bolt, tighten. Or if you use epoxy anchors, the hole must be absolutely clean, and exactly the right size, and you need to follow the mix directions precisely. The Hilti system where you break the bag with the bolt works OK, since the mixing is done as the bolt rotates.

jomama45

If it were me, I would get one of the holes in the upper mount drilled & tightened, and drill the remainder of the holes directly through the mounting bracket. Hopefully, the holes are clearanced for the slightly larger diameter of the drill bit & anchor. Once all the anchors are in on the upper bracket, you should be able to install the lower bracket & repeat.

lowvolter

Jomama is right...get one installed and tightened....then drill through your bracket for the rest. It is also pretty critical that you drill "straight". Hammer drills are touchy and you can find yourself drilling at off angles, ESPECIALLY when not drilling into a floor. You must make sure you are perfectly level if drilling prior to mounting. I personally like the redheads as well, but I don't like the sleeve style. Get the ones that are a bolt with the expansion at the bottom. Then you put your nut on, tighten and done.