buying nut & bolt assortment

[d33pt]

Where's the best place to buy an assortment of nuts and bolts? Mainly the expensive grade 8 stuff in both metric and inch. Getting tired of getting nickled and dimed at the hardware store for grade 8 nuts and bolts.

 

[ihredo4]

Check with your local high school and see if they have an FFA class. When I was in FFA we sold hardware to help support the class. The set We got had 30 or so plastic tubs with hardware and metal brackets to mount them. IIRC it was like $25O but it was grade 5. We just replaced everything with grade 8.
You can get these same racks at Harbor Freight and build your own. Just go out and buy the sizes you need when they are on sale. When a sale hits today I just mix a bunch of stuff together and sort it when I get home.

 

[alex71]

see my sig

 

[Art From De Leon]

Tractor Supply may still have quality bolts and nuts in Grade 8, available in bulk.

I bought my Grade 5 bolt assortment and storage bins from NAPA (Rockford)

 

[sberry]

Just out of curiosity, why grade 8? I run across very few of them.

 

[E.rodz]

think i would stick with the grade 5 bolts. if you go with the grade 8 and you ever need to pull one apart that is rusted you can but it is very dificult to drill without carbide bits.grade 5 is a very strong bolt still eaisily workable.grade 8 is more for suspension stuff.just my 2 cents worth. fastenal has pkgs avail.or building fasteners.

 

[Fubar]

Grade 8?

Hell, I go with grade 9..

 

[Flathead Red]

I second for Alex. I just made an order and he was very reasonable and easy to deal with. If doesn't have what you need try boltdepot.com. Good prices but shipping is a bit rough.

Flathead Red

 

[Stuey]

If Alex cannot set you up, wait for MSC to have a sale. Every month or so they seem to have a fastener sale, and sometimes offer even better discounts on USA-made fasteners.

 

[FANTASY FACTORY]

There is no such thing as a grade 5 nut, in fact nuts are NOT graded at all.
they are sacrificial, and shoud not be reused in a stressed member.

All my hardware comes from McMaster Carr

 

[alex71]

There is no such thing as a grade 5 nut, in fact nuts are NOT graded at all.
they are sacrificial, and shoud not be reused in a stressed member.

All my hardware comes from McMaster Carr

everyone please disregard this. this is not true at all.

 

[ihredo4]

Sorry I didnt thnk of you Alex. Now that you posted I remember you mentioning that before but somehow (**** for brains) I forgot it. lol

 

[nutjob]

There is no such thing as a grade 5 nut, in fact nuts are NOT graded at all.
they are sacrificial, and shoud not be reused in a stressed member.

All my hardware comes from McMaster Carr

This is WRONG!

McMaster-Carr lists Grade 8, Grade 5 and Grade 2 hex nuts, the most common used general purpose nut.


http://www.mcmaster.com/#hex-nuts/=5seim1

Many of the other types of nuts have the same grades plus other materials.

 

[Scout Driver]

Nuts AND washers can be graded! On the farm we use primarily grade 8 fasteners. Buy most of it from Mac's Hardware by the pound. Odd stuff is purchased from Fastenall.

Scott

 

[sberry]

It seems I could count on one hand the times in last 30 years the real need for 8 hardware. One in memory on a bulldozer trans or frame and the previous mechanic used soft stuff where the manual spec 8 but for most people its a waste, the DIY types and most general mechanics are not even qualified to design something that required it.
I have seen shops use all 5 though as a general practice so someone doesn't replace soft bolts where there should be hard. We stock 2 and 5, 8 is for special apps.

 

[alex71]

It seems I could count on one hand the times in last 30 years the real need for 8 hardware. One in memory on a bulldozer trans or frame and the previous mechanic used soft stuff where the manual spec 8 but for most people its a waste, the DIY types and most general mechanics are not even qualified to design something that required it.
I have seen shops use all 5 though as a general practice so someone doesn't replace soft bolts where there should be hard. We stock 2 and 5, 8 is for special apps.

Certainly makes sense... You have to think about it this way, however--most non-engineers (which includes almost all of us general mechanics and DIY types) overcome the lack of engineering with overkill, which includes using better hardware than may really be required, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Art From De Leon]

And the only reason most of the DIY types want Grade 8 is because they have learned a new term, and want to be able to use it. It fits right in with their 'genuine' Snap on 'cordless' drop light, their Harley Davidson T-shirt, their Caterpillar work boots, and their John Deere cap, only the grade 8 bolts might not be genuine chicrap.

Has Popular Mechanics ever run a 'story' on this, as that would be the most likely source for the yuppies to learn a new word, and give them the incentive to impress their equally clueless neighbors. They could stand around and banter about the virtues of grade 8 AND the latest shaving cream and deodorant ads in the last issue.

 

[sberry]

Number one mistake with nuts and bolts is not using light lube on threads, one never knows how much torque is used to overcome friction. Many dry seize or quit turning before providing the right tension. Main reason 8's are used is when the bolt needs to be tightened to provide extra clamping power. Most of these are highly engineered connections with specific torque requirements.

 

[larry_g]

A few years back a bolt seller stopped by the farm shop wanting to be our supplier. Brother Jack asked if he had a sample 1/2" grade 8 bolt. The guy produced one and Jack clamped it in the vise and hit it with the big rattle gun. Twisted it right off. The Guy protested and Jack grabbed a genuine Cat bolt from the bin and clamped it in the vise. He handed the rattle gun to the seller and let him have a go at it. The guy hammered away at it for a time and the bolt held. We continued to stock genuine Caterpillar bolts. So as you do your shopping for bolt stock take some time to do a bit of testing. All graded bolts are not equal.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Danglerb]

I like to use the correct grade, since "sometimes" the bolt is a fuse, designed to fail so something much more expensive doesn't. I'm also fussy about what goes on the threads, especially in a torque situation, and generally follow the manual or ask somebody with more experience.

 

[crewchief888]

for the most part, grade 5 bolts are more than enough.
but....
if i replace hardware in a high stress or shear situation (ie: trailer hitch, tow points,spring hangers ) i use grade 8 bolts.
more than once ive seen tow hooks held on with grade 5 bolts become missles.
i belong to a 4x4 club, and the clubs safety director, and our safety rules state " factory grade bolts or better on OEM applications" any aftermarket or fabricated tow points must have grade 8 hardware. my gneral rule, the heavier the truck the more secure tow points have to be,
personaly, i use grade 8 whenever i can, and then tack weld whatever i can reach for added insurance.
over the years wheeling ive seen more than one poorly attached bumper or hitch come flying off, and have seen spring shackles ripped off frames.
even back when i was racing ATV's i replaced my factory rar wheel studs with grade 8 fine thread bolts and locking nuts after finding a broken wheel stud on my right rear wheel.
what carnage would have happened if the rest of the studs had broken @ 50+MPH mid pack in the middle of a turn?

 

[sberry]

down about the second post, I was looking for grade 2 but wasn't on this chart. Notice how the shear is not substantially better on 8, maybe 15% or so. Dont assume its WAY greater. http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/communities/mboard/showthread.php?t=20627 I usually design with another bolt or larger one vs a harder one.

 

[sberry]

Here is example of this factory connection that kept working loose, an option would have been to put hi tensile bolt in and torque the **** out of it, I bite the bullet and add 2 more bolts so installation wasn't critical science.

 

[Garys Garage]

This is where my hardware comes from. No issues.
http://www.lawsonproducts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Home?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001

 

[phildb4]

What?? A discussion of fasteners, and no mention of China. I think some big names (i.e. Dorman?) are made offshore. How can we tell, and is there a difference between grade 5 USA made, and those made offshore. (by offshore, I don't mean Germany, Japan)

 

[dede2897234]

Number one mistake with nuts and bolts is not using light lube on threads, one never knows how much torque is used to overcome friction. Many dry seize or quit turning before providing the right tension. Main reason 8's are used is when the bolt needs to be tightened to provide extra clamping power. Most of these are highly engineered connections with specific torque requirements.

Sberry,

Which light lube do you apply on the threads of nuts and bolts before installing them?


Thanks,

Dave

 

[Elroy]

There is no such thing as a grade 5 nut, in fact nuts are NOT graded at all.
they are sacrificial, and shoud not be reused in a stressed member.

The record has been set straight on this. Nuts are indeed available graded as are washers and all thread.

Hell you can even get grade 8 sheet metal screws.

 

[Vinko]

And the only reason most of the DIY types want Grade 8 is because they have learned a new term, and want to be able to use it. It fits right in with their 'genuine' Snap on 'cordless' drop light, their Harley Davidson T-shirt, their Caterpillar work boots, and their John Deere cap, only the grade 8 bolts might not be genuine chicrap.

Has Popular Mechanics ever run a 'story' on this, as that would be the most likely source for the yuppies to learn a new word, and give them the incentive to impress their equally clueless neighbors. They could stand around and banter about the virtues of grade 8 AND the latest shaving cream and deodorant ads in the last issue.

I doubt yuppies discourse on the merits of the Grade 8 bolt.

 

[sberry]

I use almost anything in a spray can, Kroil, PB, liquid wrench, even WD40 is better than no spray at all. This is to prevent seizing during installation. Tire stores are terrible, they zip nuts on fast with air guns, fast makes heat and many seized nuts. Finer the thread worse the problem.
I took some old bolts off a truck recently, they were factory installed where they had QC practice. They were rusted badly and one would have thought no way but they cane right off as they were lubed at assembly. I can even tell on our own stuff where some were missed and installed dry, even after years in the weather it becomes obvious. Somewhere I have a link to forum by engineer with some specs, dry may require 8 times the torque or more to provide the same tension. Old instruction manual that come with my snappy torque wrench says values are for lightly oiled bolts. Get used to doing it and you can feel the difference.
A bud that works at auto parts store was over, bought a trailer ball. He was putting it on and I say, spray the bolt. Of course in one ear and out the other, a couple minutes later he wants to make a change, finally manages to get it off, galls the threads, strips them off. Thats why all those are stuck, isnt that they rust on so bad but were installed dry.