Bolts

[akitagandy]

What size bolts does everyone run thru the clevis on radius rods, I just got the brackets from RPM and they look like 3/8 hole thats kinda small

 

[RPM]

We use 3/8 front and rear on the radius rods. There are some 1/2 hole clevis out there also. I think Speedway has them.

 

[akitagandy]

if everyone is running 3/8 I will too,I'm used to big stuff on drag cars

 

[akitagandy]

Ron ,Thanks for the brackets

 

[der Spieler]

if everyone is running 3/8 I will too,I'm used to big stuff on drag cars

I used grade 8 3/8 bolts in mine.

 

[T4TWO]

I used grade 8 3/8 bolts in mine.

I always use grade 8 bolts! Most of the time I will buy and install SS ones.

 

[Nas T]

I used grade 8 1/2" stainless and polished them but i guess my car don't count, everything on it is overkill anyway.

 

[akitagandy]

I have a good idea on how to get better MPG ,Send me half the engine:lol:

 

[Ted Brown]

The Radius rods will fold up before even a grade 5 bolt will shear... So, whatever floats your boat works for me...

 

[butch27]

I use 1/2" grade 5-- Hey I live in Michigan.LOL

 

[RPM]

A good friend of mine here has drag race chassis shop. They build pro mod cars. We were talking bolts one day and he was saying that in the 4 links in the rear. They have switched from 3/4" bolts to 1/2". He went on to say they have had no failures at all. The reason behind all this was to save unsprung weight. Now how much weight difference can there be in 3/4 to 1/2 bolts? We are only talking grams here I would think. I also know a lot of the bolts he uses are titanium.

 

[GAB]

One thing to keep in mind if you are increasing the bolt size by drilling larger holes in the clevises is that unless you increase the size of the clevis, you are just shifting the possibility for failure from one part to another. Just a little something to think about.

 

[Martin]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that while grade 8 bolts have a higher tensile strength than grade 5 bolts they are comparatively brittle, and that in an application that was liable to encounter shock loads grade 5 bolts were preferable. Anyone know if there's any truth to that?

 

[butch27]

Yes that's true. Used 5s on some of my old circle track cars. The bent in a crash NOT broke.

 

[Youngster]

i have found this too. i had the heads on grd8's break off. i tend to use grd5's where there is no movemnet and 8's for bushed ends in double shear.

Ron

 

[akitagandy]

so if I use grade 8 on the radius rods,tie rods,drag link and grade 5 on bracket I'd be good

 

[putz]

Yes grade 5 in a place that might take shock. And 8 in places where you worry about wear.

 

[kcfatdawg]

Every nut,bolt and washer on my bucket is stainless,polished. Most of the chassis bolts are ARP stainless. Don't know why. Grade 5's are good as general purpose and suspension. Tensil strenghth PSI-120,000..Grade 8's must be used for brake parts. Tensil strength-150,000 PSI. Grade 8's can't handle vibration very well and will break. I'm not sure anymore but NHRA would not pass anything that used a grade 8 in any of the suspension.

 

[butch27]

I 'm pretty sure stainless bolts are only grade #2.

 

[Martin]

Stainless comes in a variety of alloys, some hardenable, and to high tensile strengths. Probably wont find them at the corner hardware store though. Not cheap either!