Stainless bellhousing bolts vs grade 5 bolts

L

Lloyd

• Dec 30, 2003

• #1

I don't believe stainless bolts have a grading. Would I get myself in trouble replacing the zf to bell housing and bell housing to engine with stainless socket bolts. I had the ZF done over in stainless socket and cap looks great trying to keep the theme going forward. the current bell house bolts are grade 5.

LLoyd

 

M

Mark Worthington

• Dec 30, 2003

• #2

As long as they are cap screws (internally wrenched hex head) you'll be fine. I would give ARP a call and see what they have available in polished stainless to match your gearbox. My transaxle has polished stainless ARP fasteners and they really do enhance the appearance.

 

L

Lloyd

• Dec 30, 2003

• #3

Mark

Did you use the stainless cap screws on the bell housing?
LLoyd

 

M

Mark Worthington

• Dec 30, 2003

• #4

No bellhousing on my setup, as I have an adapter plate. I have not yet mated my engine to my transaxle, but will probably upgrade the grade 8 fasteners when I do.

 

D

Dave Wharran

• Dec 30, 2003

• #5

Hey Lloyd,
I used ARP 12 point stainless for the bell housing to the engine. The bolts from the ZF to the bell housing are metric socket head cap screws supplied by ERA. I powder coated mine so they matched the rest of the non stainless bolts on the engine/transaxle.

Dave

 

L

Lloyd

• Dec 31, 2003

• #6

Thanks Guys
I found a place in Gettysburg Pa. Totally stainless that sells grade8 polished stainless socket head bolts. Dave you're right about the bellhouse to the zf is metric they had metric sizes also. 10mm by 150 mm on the trans side.

I think the polished stainless has such a great look.
Let me think does anal-retentive have a "-" or not?

LLoyd

 

M

Mark Worthington

• Dec 31, 2003

• #7

[ QUOTE ]
Let me think does anal-retentive have a "-" or not?


[/ QUOTE ]

Only when it is used as an adjective to modify a noun. Examples:

"Because I have stainless-steel fasteners on my transaxle, some people may think I'm anal retentive."

"The use of clear powder coating to keep uprights looking new is a sign of an anal-retentive builder."

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T

Steve Toner

• Dec 31, 2003

• #8

[ QUOTE ]
grade8 polished stainless socket head bolts

[/ QUOTE ]
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I didn't know there was such a thing. I thought the grade was an indication of tensile strength (grade 8 = 150,000 PSI), and stainless doesn't come in that kind of strength.

From Carroll Smith's Nuts Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook:
[ QUOTE ]
Contrary to popular belief, the stainless items are useless for our purposes simply because they are weak (about 90,000 psi UTS) and should be used only on boats, and then with a great deal of caution

[/ QUOTE ]
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J

Jim Rosenthal

Supporter

• Dec 31, 2003

• #9

Stainless is not nearly as strong as 4130 or whatever it is that ARP uses. In marine use we put up with that because it doesn't rust. On land you don't need that capability, it is cosmetic only. Couldn't you get chromed ARP bolts? They would look great and be just as strong.

 

P

• Dec 31, 2003

• #10

Mark, thanks for the grammer lesson. I've always been a sparse user of the hyphen, kind of used it when it felt right. Now I have a rule to go by!

By the way, I can recommend a great book if you would like to dive into the whole issue of "you and me" as opposed to "you and I".

Have a great night.

 

C

Gary Gibbs

• Dec 31, 2003

• #11

In general Stainless fasteners are weak as ****. They are effectively grade 2. However ARP does have a line of Stainless bolts as I mentioned above that has a UTS of 170,000. They look and work great. They are only available in course thread as they are generally made to mount the intake, exhaust, etc. I like the 12 point with washer style head.

 

D

Dave Wharran

• Dec 31, 2003

• #12

A visit to ARP's website is most informative. See for example
http://www.arp-bolts.com/pages/tech/matspec.html
and
http://www.arp-bolts.com/media/pdf_files/BF_60-64.pdf

ARP stainless fasteners are a quality product and are certainly not cheap to buy. ARP rates their tensile strength greater than grade 8. I've bought a ton of them for everything from valve covers to axle bolts. They are quite sufficient for connecting a bell housing to an engine, even in high HP/torque applications.
Think they aren't tough? Cut them off with a hacksaw.

I'd be warry of other grades of stainless from other manufacturers. Stainlesss comes in many grades and isn't necessarily a hard material.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of ARP's products.