Don't use cheap bolts!

I always use hardened bolts for the important stuff...Your life depends on it !!!!!!

Must remember to use graded washers and nuts to go with the bolts. Cheap nuts and washers don't save money.....

That could have made for a bad day. Be glad it happen in the shop.

If there no marking on the head of the bolt It is most likely a Grade 3. Not every strong at all. Could it be that the guy swap out the bolt?

I use to rely on the hardware that comes with the parts. But any more I check it. The stuff is being made overseas and I do not know the quality control.

I seen shocks on motorcycle held on with those bolt. Nothing like going down the road and your fender becomes part of the tire. There some scary stuff out there.

I guess that why I call them weekend warriors. No clue to want there buying.

HOT40ROD said:

The stuff is being made overseas and I do not know the quality control.

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If it will fit in the box, they send it. [S

Youre right with the markings, Don. Now from what I have read, its not always the best to use grade eight bolts on everything.Stuff that has a lot of flexing or vibration can fatigue and crack the higher grade,and more flexible grade 5 bolts are better for those application.

glad to hear

So man that is not cool and good you found out sooner then later. Good to know.

hotrod preacher said:

thought i'd add... if you don't see any markings or "lines" on the head of the bolt, stay away from it!my local hardware store only carries grade5 or grade 8
grade 5 has 3 "lines" on its top, grade 8 has 6 "lines" and the prices aren't bad at all for the extra piece of mind!

if i'm wrong on the grade info please correct---that's what i was told anyway.......
glad you weren't involved in any accident due to that cheap bolt, dmw maybe someone was lookin out for ya!

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all i know is the hardware store i use has it marked on the little pull drawers what grade the are and that the 8s are easy to distinguish by color from any other bolt.

cantwell.colton said:

all i know is the hardware store i use has it marked on the little pull drawers what grade the are and that the 8s are easy to distinguish by color from any other bolt.

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HRP is absolutely correct-3 radiating dashes on top denote Grade 5. 6 radiating dashes equals Grade 8. You can't always rely on colouration, as they're not always gold anodized. Some have a black finish. GOTTA look for the markings on the heads. Nuts, if I recall correctly, have tiny dots stamped around the perimeter of the hole...i.e. 3 dots for Grade 5, 6 dots for Grade 8.

If I'm wrong about the NUT markings, hopefully someone more "in the know" will post and correct me.

I wouldn't mind a refresher course on washer markings, either, as I can't remember how they are marked as to Grade rating.

Regards,
Shea

Talk about "dodgeing a bullet", glad your story ended as it did, man. Great point about the nuts also, a often overlooked issue. I am gonna bring up another issue and thats stainless fastners. Here in Florida, we use alot of them, I buy and use a boat load of them, but remember, regardless of what the person in the hardware store says, they are NOT Grade 5 or better, they are just UNDER grade 5 in strength. They look great, hold up nice appearance wise, but again, NOT for brakes, suspension, frames, steering etc. Wonder if you have a stainless fastner, just test with a magnet, it shouldn't stick. I know there are some obscure stainless alloys that will slightly corode and have some magnetism, but we are talking general terms here.

Graded stainless fasteners are available, they are just worth a bucket full of money.

olcarguy said:

Graded stainless fasteners are available, they are just worth a bucket full of money.

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So true, olcarguy, thats like going to the bicycle store and buying your first Ti {titanium } bolt, " that bolts how much......... quick someone call the paramedics "

Haven't found specifics for washers but this will help.....

http://www.portlandbolt.com/technicalinformation/fastener_identification_markings.html

Fastenal bolts

hey guys go to your local Fastenal store we have grade 5,8 and 9 bolts. also have all the stainless fastenrs to. We also carry Auveco products.

vist www.fastenal.com

quick example about the chinese import quality
mack went to chinese made wheel bearings.
With the Timkins, you can replace any bearing set or either race independantly. their tolerances are such that a new set of rollers is good with a used race or whatever the mix...
The chinese bearings are not interchangeable...
Not that you just cant mix used components with new...
You cant mix new components from one box to the other too much difference between each new set of the same part
My brother is a mechanic and he uses moog spicer dana and timkin on all his stuff
when he does a front end with top shelf he does it once. when he uses chinese knock offs it comes back a couple years or three later with worn parts

I'd like to find a steel table like my dad's. it's an old marine surplus from Korea times
The vice that's on it is american forged steel not cast.
I have shattered several cast vices
I'd also like to find some old American made C-clamps and such

Pauley044 said:

hey guys go to your local Fastenal store we have grade 5,8 and 9 bolts. also have all the stainless fastenrs to. We also carry Auveco products.

vist www.fastenal.com

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I quit buying from Fastenal. I was ordering all grade 8 bolts for the parts we manufacture and found out they were all made in China. Paying big bucks for made in China bolts. When I ask the manager about it he said yes the stuff we keep in the store is all made in China. If I wanted the good stuff, it would have to be ordered and it was about twice the price.

Now you got me thinkin,I use only grade 8 from Tractor Supply . Guess i will have to check where they get their bolts from . Why does China keep popping up in my mind . Does anybody know for sure where the Gr 8 bolts they are using come from . Price can not be an issue here as we really don't use " that " many bolts on a rat rod .

RPM said:

I quit buying from Fastenal. I was ordering all grade 8 bolts for the parts we manufacture and found out they were all made in China. Paying big bucks for made in China bolts. When I ask the manager about it he said yes the stuff we keep in the store is all made in China. If I wanted the good stuff, it would have to be ordered and it was about twice the price.

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I run a store for Fastenal and we carry both kinds China and US made. I get most of my bolts from maufaacter in Cleveland OHIO. We also have are own manufacter plant in Minnsota. WE STAND BEHIND ALL THE PRODUCT WE SELL!!!!!

OK I got one.

New years weekend i hosted a Jeep outing. Some joker brought an '89 suburban with a diesel motor(ex-firetruck) Less than 5 minutes off the paved road he got stuck. I hooked my Jeeps 12K pound winch onto him and anchored my rear to a tree. Wouldn't ya know it..... the grade 2 bolts supplied with my winch sheared and the winch came off.

Chances are if you buy bolts by the pound they ARE from the Orient.

Here's a pretty good layman's article on GR5 vs GR8 bolts, stresses, failure modes and a chart with specs:

http://www.rockcrawler.com/techreports/fasteners/index.asp