I need some really high quality, really strong 5/16 bolts. What kind/grade do I need to buy? I snapped one from Lowes which was just a standard bolt (long story).
OK, thanks.... looks like my thinking was backwards. I would have thought the cheaper bolts would be softer and just bend instead of snapping in half.
Grade 8 bolts should be plenty strong enough, if they aren't strong enough-I'd suggest going to a specialty supply store that specializes in fasteners
Grade 8 bolts have 5 raised "stars" on the heads. They should be strong enough for most L/S engineering. Try checking if some other fastner has failed and is shifting the load to the bolt that is actually failing.
If you need some really good bolts, look into a company called ARP. They make all sorts of different fasteners for high performance applications. But they are expensive.
different bolts work good in differernt applications, sometimes different grades are more brittle than others thats why some lower grades might be a little more flexible instead of just snapping which usually takes a whole sh*t load of pressure
I am with Rookiemower, it depends on the application. If you have something that takes alot of abuse and shock, you may want a grade 5, a grade 8 will be stronger, but will be more inclined to shear. Look at the bolts on plow rigs...grade 5. Look at the bolts used to mount big strong trailer hitches...grade 5. I don't think there will be much need for anything beside a 5 in a lawn type application. Jay
