Replacement Bolts

[Sonic dB]

While attempting to remove the bolts that hold the rear shocks to the trailing arms, with a breaker bar and socket.... the socket slipped off and slightly "rounded" one of the bolts.

This is the bolt as seen on section 420-2 (#6, M14 x 1.5), in the diagram and photo, of the Bentley Carrera manual.

Do any of you guys know a good source where I can order replacement bolts for these? Would any good hardware store have these? I checked with the local one here, and they had nothing even close.

I'd like to get some of identical size.

Thanks in advance.

[IROC]

M14 x 1.5 merely describes the thread diameter and thead pitch - you'll need to know the length also. As long as you get an equivalent strength bolt, you'll be fine. Hardware stores don't usually carry big stuff like that - check for specialty fastener places in your area or you can order them from McMaster Carr. I would suggest using a strength class 10.9 if no markings are on the head of the bolt (look for "8.8" or "10.9" or something like that).

Mike

[Zeke]

Just ask for some on the Parts4sale BBS. I might even have some. Have to look.

[Hetmann]

A hardware store probably won't have them, but a commercial/industrial supply will. It you live in a metropolitan area you should seek one out. It is so much nicer to be able to go pick a fastener out of a bin and compare it to the one you removed than to order them over the net.

[Sonic dB]

Thanks guys for the tips. !

[HarryD]

Something else to think about in your shopping for fasteners.

If they are high strength fasteners (8.8, 9.8, 10.9), the higher number indicates higher strength but as they get stronger, they also get more brittle and this affects how they fail (bending vs. snapping off). If you are replacing an 8.8 bolt, going to 9.8 or 10.9 is not necessarily an improvement because of this trade off. The engineers who designed these systems are aware of these issues and made their design decisions accordingly.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Thank you Harry, you beat me to it!

[vash]

this topic, is one of the reasons i miss living in EL Paso, texas. there is a store there called SWIFCO fasteners. they have everything! i used to take screws and bolts there and they would simply ask, what grade i wanted, and tell me they even have it in stainless. it was the best. i would love to test their inventory with my 911 fasteners. i went to a store downtown san francisco looking for a stud. the dude behind the counter saw me holding it. and yelled back to me in line and said, "we dont carry automotive hardware". i guess all they sold was house hardware? WTF? ah good ol El Paso, that and the tacos.

[Randy Webb]

The strength-brittleness tradeoff is generally true, But, OTOH, it depends on the alloy used. Some alloys are both stronger and no more brittle than "lesser" alloys. There is a HP book that gives an intor to this type of stuff.

If it is a critical bolt, then use the factory part. Or a known upgrade (e.g. RaceWare or ARP rod bolts).

That bolt can probably be gotten here or from your dealer.

[vash]

i think the design engineer calculates a required capacity needed for a connection and then flip through a book to find a fastener that meets it, and fits. so a bunch of manufactures make these fasteners. the automotive company buys them off the shelf somewhere. so i believe, you can used bolts purchased from some ruputable shop in confidence. having said that, any engine hardware, i would use factory or upgrade as randy states. there is more involved, like factory torque values.

[HarryD]

Originally posted by unfixed
this topic, is one of the reasons i miss living in EL Paso, texas. there is a store there called SWIFCO fasteners. they have everything! i used to take screws and bolts there and they would simply ask, what grade i wanted, and tell me they even have it in stainless. it was the best. i would love to test their inventory with my 911 fasteners. i went to a store downtown san francisco looking for a stud. the dude behind the counter saw me holding it. and yelled back to me in line and said, "we dont carry automotive hardware". i guess all they sold was house hardware? WTF? ah good ol El Paso, that and the tacos.

Look for a well stocked ACE Hardware. They usually have an aisle of fasteners that include parts such as this. Whenever I am at the Autoparts store and need a fastener, they send me there if they do not have the size I need and I am rarely disappointed.