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Grade 8 Bolts

Bill W

Well-known member
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I stopped in lowes and home depot for 1/2" grade 8 lockwashers for my axle hubs, HD wanted .51cents ea and lowes .31cents ea. As mentioned went to tractor supply and grabbed a handfull of ea, 5/16",3/8" & 1/2" (3/4lb ) for just over $3
 

wreckerman893

Possum Connoisseur
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Akenback acres near Gadsden, AL
Bama Lady works for TSC......we get 15% off the stuff we buy...they have great deals if you watch the sale papers.
They also match prices on identical items sold at other stores and can do special orders from a huge catalog they have.
 

Coal Cracker

Member
469
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16
Location
Weatherly, Pa.
Watch the grade 8's from tractor supply, lowe's etc.

they work well in most situations, but if I we're putting them on for a winch or suspension fix, I'd be wary.

If I find the article I'll post it on here, but they're chinese made, and may be gold(tractor Supply) but the tolerances of breakage on some might be a grade 3.

If you need a true Grade 8 stick with a Company called Winzer, or Wurth.

I'm guilty of using them, but for a real grade 8 application, I go the winzer route.
 

m16ty

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Dickson,TN
If I find the article I'll post it on here, but they're chinese made, and may be gold(tractor Supply) but the tolerances of breakage on some might be a grade 3.
If this is true I'd think that would be illegal and could set them up for a big lawsuit if somebody got hurt when one of the bolts break. I would think TSC would have more sense than that.
 

AaronW

New member
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Location
Napavine,WA USA
Watch the grade 8's from tractor supply, lowe's etc.


If you need a true Grade 8 stick with a Company called Winzer, or Wurth.
The company I sell for, Midwest Fastener Corp.(www.fastenerconnection.com), assigns a testing lot # to all graded bolts we sell. With this number, any claim of a faulty fastener can be tracked back to identify the problem. Try this with a "big box store".

There is some truth to what CC says. Often times domestic companies under rate their bolts just to make sure.

Chances are that if you see 6 dash lines on the head of your bolt, It will meet minimum testing standards for proof load(120,000psi), Yield strength(130,000psi), and Tensile strength(150,00psi).
 

Coal Cracker

Member
469
2
16
Location
Weatherly, Pa.
If this is true I'd think that would be illegal and could set them up for a big lawsuit if somebody got hurt when one of the bolts break. I would think TSC would have more sense than that.




The bolts TSC sells are chinese , again I use em, but just trying to save a life/limb.
 

Coal Cracker

Member
469
2
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Location
Weatherly, Pa.
Thanks aaron, you had the specifics at the end of your tongue, my good friend is a Winzer rep, and I was chastized for having chinese bolts in my bins. I now have seperate bins for my good true Grade 8's
 

garp

Member
128
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Location
black hawk sd
Again I may be accused of being biased, so be it. If its grade 8 hardware your after, Caterpillar has the best, bar none. And they arent that much more. The old saying you get what you pay for is so very true. plus they have a taller head, your wrench has more to bite on to.
 

73m819

Rock = older than dirt , GA. MAFIA , Dirty
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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if i need a good bolt,nut, ect, i go to fastenal, or a place like that, ill pay a bit more if needed, but know that i dont have to worry about the hardware in the pinch,
 

Jakob

Member
722
5
18
Location
Louisville, KY
When I lived in Missouri, I'd go to the local store. They're kind of like a Tractor Supply, but locally owned. They sell all bolts by the pound instead of by the bolt. I use that hardware for anything except very important parts; suspension and etc. For the important hardware, I go to Fastenal so I KNOW I have hardware I can count on. That, and the customer service at the Fastenal here is pretty good.
 

NEIOWA

Well-known member
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Location
NE IOWA
If this is true I'd think that would be illegal and could set them up for a big lawsuit if somebody got hurt when one of the bolts break. I would think TSC would have more sense than that.
Wrong. Demostrate the source of a broken bolt. Where it came from or where manufactured. Once installed a bolt is a bolt.

Provenance issues on fasteners became a huge problem in aviation more than 20 years ago with fradulently marked crap coming in from the Far East. You absolutely can't trust the quality by looking at it. You must know purchased from a legitimate source. And any such out of China is a nogo.

Alloy, heat treatment is what makes a grade 8 bolt. not the head stamp. there is zero chance you're geting a Yankee quality grade 8 bolt that was made in China or purchased at any retail outlet.
 

jesusgatos

Active member
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Location
on the road - in CA right now
Again I may be accused of being biased, so be it. If its grade 8 hardware your after, Caterpillar has the best, bar none. And they arent that much more. The old saying you get what you pay for is so very true. plus they have a taller head, your wrench has more to bite on to.
There was a good thread on race-dezert.com about fasteners recently, and Cat hardware was highly recommended.
 

m16ty

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Dickson,TN
Again I may be accused of being biased, so be it. If its grade 8 hardware your after, Caterpillar has the best, bar none. And they arent that much more. The old saying you get what you pay for is so very true. plus they have a taller head, your wrench has more to bite on to.
I've been told by several bolt people that Cat bolts are stonger than grade 8. They are tough as nails but they are pricey.

NEIOWA, I'm not doubting that bolts from China may not hold up but I can't belive that there isn't legal ramifications for taking a grade 3 bolt and stamping it grade 8.
 
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