5/8 Eye Bolt (5/8 in. Diameter)

A 5/8 eye bolt is a 5/8 in. diameter through-bolt anchor for tree cabling. It passes through the leader and is held with a washer and nut on the far side, giving the cable a strong attachment point.

How eye bolts are used

Through hardware is the strong option in a cabling system. The eye bolt passes completely through the leader, so the load is shared by wood on both sides. A flat or beveled washer and nut on the far side seat the hardware against the bark, and the cable attaches to the eye.

Choose a length that passes through the stem with enough thread for the washer and nut. Drill the hole in line with the direction of the cable so the eye does not bend under load, and size the hole per ANSI A300 Part 3.

Through hardware such as a 5/8 eye bolt is common in cabling and in some bracing setups. Using the same diameter hardware throughout a system keeps the drill bits, washers and nuts consistent in the kit and makes it easier to inspect.

Install and inspect

Use drop-forged, galvanized hardware rated for the job, and use a thimble where the cable passes through the eye. Do not set the eye deep into the wood or cut away bark to seat hardware. Inspect for corrosion, bending and wood decay around the hardware on a regular schedule. Cabling and bracing is structural work on a living tree. It should be specified and installed by a trained arborist following ANSI A300 Part 3, ANSI Z133 and the hardware maker's instructions, and inspected on a regular schedule after install. Find the rest of the system in our cabling hardware section.