[Shop-talk] recommend a bolt

[Todd Walke]

         I'm a fan of Carroll Smith's book "Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners, And 
Plumbing Handbook".  His beef with the SAE Grade 5, Grade 8 type hardware 
is that they're hard and thus brittle.  He recommends AN bolts which will 
generally bend rather than snap when overloaded.

         A 5/8" bolt is an AN10.  It's available in a wide variety of grip 
lengths.  Grip length is the unthreaded portion under the head.  Any 
aircraft hardware store will stock them.  They'll also have matching 
washers and nylock nuts.

         Page 59 in the book 
(http://books.google.com/books?id=A81HmmRCN7YC&pg=PA59) shows the shear 
strength of a AN10 bolt at 23,000 lbs in single shear and thus 46,000 lbs 
in double shear.

         The key is measuring the grip length you need, including any 
washers you'll be using.  You definitely do not want load on the threaded 
portion, that's asking for trouble.

         The previous page in the book has a chart with the grip lengths 
available.  The "dash" number indicates the length and is added after the 
AN10 designation.  For example, if you need a grip length of 2 1/16", then 
you'd order an AN10-27A part number.  The "A" after the dash number 
indicates no hole in the head for safety wire.  No "A" means it'll have a 
safety wire hole.


Todd
Seattle,WA
'86 GTI, Red of course. (exciting racey car) 269,000 miles
'01 Golf TDI, silver.   (new work car)       208,000 miles
'87 Golf, Polar Silver. (retired work car)   654,000 miles <- Gone to a new 
home :(
http://www.pureluckdesign.com <-Ferrari & VW stuff