Description

Key Features

Controls Overturning Load

Built to resist overturning moment at the base of exterior kneewalls, parapets, and interior partial-height walls. That matters when the connection has to do more than just sit there and hold parts together.

Flexible Anchorage Layout

The RCKW5.5 version uses three large anchor holes, giving you a one-anchor option at slab edge or center and a two-anchor option when the design calls for higher capacity at slab center.

Heavy Steel Build

Made from 171 mil, 7 gauge steel with a G90 galvanized finish. You get the stiffness needed for cold-formed steel work plus corrosion resistance for real jobsite conditions.

Overview

The Simpson Strong-Tie RCKW5.5-R10 Rigid Kneewall Connector Clip is a cold-formed steel connector built for resisting overturning moment at the base of kneewalls, parapets, and interior partial-height walls. This is a rigid kneewall connector clip designed for cold-formed steel wall anchorage. Model Number: RCKW5.5-R10. If you are detailing or installing a connection where wall stability and anchorage options matter, this connector is doing a very specific structural job that a generic angle clip is not made to handle.

What sets the RCKW5.5 apart inside the RCKW family is its anchorage layout. Simpson designed the RCKW5.5 and RCKW7.5 with three large holes for added versatility. The center hole supports a one-anchor solution at the edge or center of slab, while the outer holes support a two-anchor solution for applications that need higher capacities at the center of slab. That gives engineers and installers more flexibility when slab location, embedment limits, or anchorage demand changes the plan.

The connector body is made from 171 mil, 7 gauge steel with a 33 ksi material specification and a G90 galvanized finish. In plain terms, this is not light sheet metal. The thicker section helps the clip resist deformation under load, and the galvanized coating helps protect the steel in typical construction environments. Simpson also calls out stiffened flanges in the anchorage legs, which are there to improve overturning moment resistance where the connector meets the support.

On the fastening side, the RCKW system is built around real field use in cold-formed steel construction. The larger-diameter anchor holes are sized to accommodate 1/2 inch concrete screw anchors and wedge anchors, including Simpson options such as Titen HD heavy-duty screw anchors and Strong-Bolt 2 wedge anchors. Additional smaller-diameter anchor holes allow attachment to structural steel with #12 self-drilling screws. Simpson also notes that attachment to CMU can be achieved with Titen HD or Titen Turbo concrete and masonry screws. That broadens where the connector can be used without changing to a different clip style.

Installation details matter with this kind of connector, and Simpson is clear about that. To achieve published load values, you need to use all specified screw fasteners and all specified anchors. For the larger-diameter anchor holes, the bottom track must be predrilled or punched with a 3/4 inch hole. For concrete anchors, Simpson states the installation torque must be at least 17 ft-lb or the torque requirement of the anchor, whichever is greater, to achieve the tabulated stiffness values. That is the kind of detail that separates a connection that performs on paper from one that performs in the field.

This specific package includes 10 connector clips, making it a practical fit for contractors, steel framers, and engineers working through repetitive wall conditions on commercial and residential projects. It is especially relevant for jobs involving kneewall reinforcement, parapet anchorage, or partial-height wall support where the connection has to resist moment and not just simple shear. If you are working in cold-formed steel and need a tested, purpose-built base connection with multiple anchorage paths, this is the right kind of hardware.

At a Glance

5 1/2 in.

Length (L)

171 mil

Steel Thickness

7 ga.

Gauge

10

Pack Quantity

Anchorage Options That Fit the Job

This connector earns its keep when the wall base condition is doing real structural work. The multiple anchor-hole layout gives you more ways to solve slab-edge and slab-center conditions without switching hardware families.

• Three large anchor holes support one-anchor or two-anchor layouts depending on design needs
• Designed for exterior kneewalls, parapets, and interior partial-height walls in cold-formed steel framing

Heavy Steel, Purpose-Built Geometry

The details on this clip are there for a reason. Thick steel, stiffened flanges, and mixed hole sizes give the connection the rigidity and fastening flexibility required for kneewall and parapet work.

• 171 mil, 7 gauge steel with 33 ksi material specification
• G90 galvanized coating helps protect the connector in typical construction environments

What’s in the Box

• (10) Simpson Strong-Tie RCKW5.5-R10 Rigid Kneewall Connector Clips

Key Specifications

Application	Cold-Formed Steel
Material	Steel, 33 ksi
Thickness	171 mil
Gauge	7 ga.
Dimensions (in.)	2 13/16 x 3 1/2
Length (L)	5 1/2 in.
Finish	Zinc Galvanized, G90
Packaging Quantity	10

Compatibility

Concrete Anchors

Large-diameter anchor holes accommodate 1/2 in. concrete screw anchors and wedge anchors, including Simpson Titen HD and Strong-Bolt 2 options.

Structural Steel Attachment

Additional smaller-diameter anchor holes allow attachment to structural steel with #12 self-drilling screws.

CMU Installation

Can be attached to CMU with Simpson Titen HD or Titen Turbo concrete and masonry screws.

Built For

Cold-Formed Steel Framing Construction General Contracting Exterior Kneewalls Parapet Walls Interior Partial-Height Walls Anchorage Detailing Commercial Framing

Pro Tip

If you are using the larger-diameter anchor holes, predrill or punch the bottom track with a 3/4 in. hole before you start setting anchors. It saves rework, keeps the layout clean, and helps you stay on track for the published load values.

Tool Nut’s Take

Tool Nut’s Take

Simpson Strong-Tie RCKW5.5-R10 Rigid Kneewall Connector Clip is the right part when a basic clip is not enough

This is a purpose-built structural connector for cold-formed steel wall bases, and the extra anchorage flexibility is exactly why you buy it.

• Who it’s for: Steel framers, engineers, and contractors working on kneewalls, parapets, and partial-height wall conditions that need tested moment resistance.
• Why it stands out: The three-hole anchorage layout gives you more installation options than a simple one-hole connector, and the 171 mil 7 gauge steel build is serious hardware.
• Worth knowing: This is a 10-pack of clips only. Fasteners and anchors need to be selected and installed exactly as specified if you want the published numbers to mean anything on the job.

Common Questions

• What is this connector designed for? It is designed to resist overturning moment at the base of exterior kneewalls and parapets, as well as interior partial-height walls in cold-formed steel construction.
• Can the RCKW5.5-R10 be anchored to concrete and steel? Yes. The large holes accommodate 1/2 in. concrete screw anchors and wedge anchors, and the smaller holes allow attachment to structural steel with #12 self-drilling screws.
• What finish does it use? The connector has a zinc galvanized G90 finish.
• What installation detail is easy to miss? Simpson specifies that the bottom track must be predrilled or punched with a 3/4 in. hole when using the larger-diameter anchor holes.