Fastener list

[Austin Healer]

[redacted poor advice]

do not use grade 8 bolts for the lower fulcrum (a-arms) retainers. They don't have right tensile strength and can snap... as I found out travelling over a rail road crossing when 2 snapped at the point where the shank met the bolt head and the a-arm dropped... I lost one of the cleats, but the other held and I didn't lose control. The broken ends of the bolts unscrewed easily (by hand) from the crossmember. Original bolts at this location were grade 5.

 

[michael-king]

do not use grade 8 bolts for the lower fulcrum (a-arms) retainers. They don't have right tensile strength and can snap... as I found out travelling over a rail road crossing when 2 snapped at the point where the shank met the bolt head and the a-arm dropped... I lost one of the cleats, but the other held and I didn't lose control. The broken ends of the bolts unscrewed easily (by hand) from the crossmember. Original bolts at this location were grade 5.

Jarrid Gross who was an engineer who used to be active on the SAOCA forum once wrote a good description of why "upgrading" to grade 8 bolts within the suspension was dangerous due to the tensile strength issues.

The bolts as spec by Rootes were to allow for the forces and stresses in use... Going to a harder bolt that didn't have the give designed would risk leading to failure.

 

[Austin Healer]

Jarrid Gross who was an engineer who used to be active on the SAOCA forum once wrote a good description of why "upgrading" to grade 8 bolts within the suspension was dangerous due to the tensile strength issues.

The bolts as spec by Rootes were to allow for the forces and stresses in use... Going to a harder bolt that didn't have the give designed would risk leading to failure.

exactly!

 

[IvaTiger]

exactly!

I agree with the brittleness of grade 8 bolts. This list mentions grade 8 so I question who decided that specification
Also the using of anti seize which acts as a lubricant throws all torque settings out of the window so you have to lower the setting

 

[Austin Healer]

I agree with the brittleness of grade 8 bolts. This list mentions grade 8 so I question who decided that specification
Also the using of anti seize which acts as a lubricant throws all torque settings out of the window so you have to lower the setting

stainless should never be used for any part of the suspension, steering, or brakes. EVER. it isn't safe. Precisely for the same reason as why you shouldn't use grade 8. I only use it for trim screws.

 

[IvaTiger]

The lower arm used 3/8-24 x 2 1/2 not 2 1/4 Photos of bolts taken out of my mk1

 

[65beam]

For curiosity's sake, how many folks continue to use original bolts when repairing or when doing a restoration of a car. I know several including myself that use them for things such as bulk head braces ,radiator, etc. but where else do you use them? In my younger days back in the 70's /80's when I did the work myself I did but now I leave that decision to the folks that do much of the mechanical work. Is there any company that has reproduced bolts with the original markings?

 

[Austin Healer]

I have collected British fasteners for a long time and have them replated at a company called Novation in Spokane. Namrick is a fastener company in the UK that can supply some original fasteners

 

[65beam]

My reason for asking is that I know of owners that have asked myself and others for original bolts. Over the last 40 years I haven't seen anyone selling new original style bolts at places like the Carlisle import festival or other swap meets. I never throw away anything from cars that I part out and I have a lot of misc. stuff.

 

[Austin Healer]

namrick.co.uk They do have bolts with British head marking and a depression in the center (which denotes UNF/SAE). it does not appear they have bolts marked "AUTO". While the majority of the bolts on Tigers and Alpines are marked "AUTO", I have also seen bolts marked "SPARTS" and some with single letters... Rubery Owen manufactured most of the fasteners in the UK from the 40's through, at least the early '70's. In late1973 most auto manufacturers had made the switch from UNF/SAE to Metric.

Namrick can supply BSF and whitworth (coarse) fasteners as well as UNF/UNC (SAE/USS) and metric fasteners.

 

[66TigerMK1A]

I bought mine from Totally Stainless and it's a great kit. They don't list it in their catalog ( you have to ask ) as they only list kits for things that they have created in house

The original article is here... http://www.tigersunited.com/techtips/KJensenBolts/rt-KJensenBolts1.asp

The article lists all the bolts but when you buy the kit, it only contains the items marked SS in the list. You are on your own for the other steel bolts