I need to fit new bolts to the rear spring hanger on the Modified (see below). The ones fitted are 1/2" UNF but are too long now the spring pack has had leaves taken out. I was thinking of using M12 in Grade 10 or 12 as they are less than half the price over here in the UK - they are a very slightly smaller diameter but that should be OK?? The other thing I was wondering is whether there is a grade of stainless I could safely use in this application?
There is a stainless version of a grade 8 bolt, or in your case grade 10/12 for metric stuff. Only problem is they are a little difficult to find and will cost you roughly 20 pounds each or more. Personally I would try not to go with a slightly smaller bolt...
Stateside : http://www.summitracing.com/search/...efault&SortOrder=Default&autoview=ProductName Not sure about places, where petrol, is burned! At least you've got the clamps, keeping the longer leaves in line.
It should be fine. They just hold the spring in place and don't carry weight. Even a grade 5 bolt would likely be much stronger than the originals.
On this side I often buy from Bolt Depot - Nuts and Bolts, Screws and Fasteners online. . There must be a comparable seller in the UK with a large stock of fasteners.
If you want some 1/2 inch and they are too hard to source there in the UK, just let me know what you want length-wise, and I'll buy a quartet of grade 8's and ship them to you. PM me if interested.
UNF fasteners are available here but at a considerable price. Typical price for a 1/2" UNF x 4" stainless hex head is $7. M12 x 100mm is $1.60. Easier to get too. Thank you very much for the kind offer to source them in the US but I will go with the metric ones - I can also open up the holes a little and go M14. I run a club for Citroen based specials in the UK and I often help out US based club members who have similar difficulties getting hold of the odd number metric fasteners (M7, M9, M11) preferred by Citroen.
They're bolts and not set screws - so there wouldn't be enough thread left. I took 4 leaves out of the spring pack because it was from a sedan.
Try these folks, always had good service in the past. http://www.a2a4.com/acatalog/VINTAGE-BOLTS.html k
I wouldn't expect to pay much less over here, without mail-ordering. UNF in SS is not real common, especially in a bolt 4" long. Could you just flip your bolts over, the nuts and extra threads are out of sight?
The spring pack is thinner than the threaded section of the bolt so they can't be reused. I've gone M14 stainless - considerably bigger than 1/2" UNF and a quarter of the price.
I agree with this. They arent carrying any weight, basicly just there to keep your car from jumping off the spring.
If the existing bolts are usable, why not put some small short shim leaves in the stack? I do this whenever I pull leaves from a pack in one of the Model A's.
I see that you got it figured out, but what would have been wrong with threading the bolts an inch or so more then cutting off the excess?
300 series stainless is like a 1/3 of the strength of grade 5. You would want something like 17-4 if you were going to have them made.
WRONG!!!!! Those bolts are under considerable load when cornering or on rough road surface. They hold the body to the running gear. They didn't make the originals from heat treated SAE3140 just for the heck of it..
If I was on a very tight budget then I probably would too, but original threads are rolled on and not cut so they are stronger.
For SS. UNF and UNC contavt a local Custom Bike shop. But for the rear-end bolts, don't go for lesser grade as Pete1 pointed out. For really good grade bolts and nuts, contact you local Catepillar dealer. They have UNC and UNF in most dimentions K ................................ Taildragger&fenderless
If the idea is to keep the car on the road while you sort this out, just make spacers to go under the head of the bolts for now, take the dimensions and order good quality bolts of the correct size to swap in upon arrival. Don't cheap out on any suspension hardware - not worth the risk.
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