Lifting Eye Bolts

Choosing the right lifting eye bolt

Lifting eye bolts thread into a tapped hole to create a fast, reliable attachment point for slings, hooks and shackles. They are ideal for vertical, in-line lifts on machinery, molds, motors and fixtures.

Shoulder vs. plain-shank eye bolts

Shoulder (machinery) eye bolts have a forged collar that seats flush against the load. Only shoulder eye bolts should be used for any angular loading, and even then their capacity drops sharply as the sling angle increases. Plain-shank eye bolts are for straight, vertical lifts only.

When to switch to a swivel lifting eye

If your lift involves sling angles, side loading or turning the load, use swivel hoist rings or swivel lifting eye bolts. They rotate 360° and pivot 180° to align with the sling and keep their full rated load.

Lifting eye bolt safety checklist

• Confirm the rated load stamped on the eye bolt meets or exceeds the load on each lifting point.
• Use shoulder eye bolts only for angular lifts, and apply the manufacturer's angle reduction.
• Seat the shoulder fully against the load surface; never shim or use washers to align the eye.
• Load in the plane of the eye, never side-to-side across it.
• Inspect before every lift and remove bolts with bent shanks, worn threads or cracks, per ASME B30.26.

Need help sizing?

Tell us the load weight, number of lifting points, sling angle and thread size. We'll match the right lifting eye bolt or recommend a swivel hoist ring if the lift calls for it. See our swivel hoist ring capacity chart for typical rated loads by thread size.