I'm starting the reassembly and I'm trying to replace all the bolts with stainless steel new ones. Problem is theres some I forgot to bag and label Anyways I looked to my Corvette Assembly Instruction Manual by Mid-America and it has a series of numbers next to each bolt, nut etc. Is there a database online or anywhere that I can lookup to see what is what (length, fine/course, etc)?? Also how about the brake and fuel self-threading bolts, are those something I could pickup at a hardware store or is there a place I can order them in the stainless variety and if not just new because alot of them were pretty rusty. Thanks!

Bry

 

stainless??? Bad idea for structural fasteners like suspension. Also, stainless in steel > remember the galvanic table. Do not install dry.

 

Even if it's grade 8 (i think thats right)? I know mixing stainless and regular is a no-no which I'm keeping in mind for stuff like the forward lower control arm bolts and the frontmost sway bar bolts. And by do not install dry do you mean use anti-seize?

Bry

 

Bry,

PARAGON Reproductions has a really nice plastic poster which has a picture on one side and full breakdown of almost every corvette bolt on the back. It lists size and use. They were giving them out at Carlisle. I won't part with mine but if you give them a call they may send you one, or someone local may have an extra.

I used regular stainless steel bolts to hold the fuel line. Boating stores sell them but they are expensive. Try to find a fastener store that specializes in bolts etc. hardware stores only sell what sells the most not neccessarily what you will need. Fastener stores can also speical order bolts in odd sizes.

For the bolt to use on a fuel line etc ..Put a nut on the bolt then grind a small chamfer on the tip so it is a similar shape to the tapered bolts that came out. It also helps to put a small "V" in the tip ie notch the threads so it is like a thread TAP so if it does cut on the way in it has room for any junk from the frame to go instead of seizing the bolt. Remove the nut and run it up an ddown a few time to remove any burrs on the bolt.

Almost all NON-load bearing bolt in my car are SS. Load Bearing are all GRADE 8. Do not use SS for load bearing roles.

Cheers,

Pete

 

Ordered the poster, thanks Hopefully I can find a vendor for the self-threading ones if not I'll look into local stores ordering them. And I understand now about the SS vs grade 8. Thanks

Bry

 

I'll second that. My understanding is that stainless steel is normally much less stronger than Grade 8. For instance, if you look at tables of recommended installation torque values you'll see that stainless steel bolts cannot be torqued as high as Grade 8. Also, grade 8, because of it's hardness and because grade 8 bolts are normally plated (with cadmium?) they won't rust very readily. After I install my grade 8 bolt, just to provide extra protection against corrosion/rusting, I give them a spray of Krylon clear paint or a spray of gold cadmium paint. Actually, I paint every thing under my car (exception stainless steel brake lines) with clear or gold/silver cadmium paint. Eastwood is a good source of the cad paints . You can also buy a black metal coating from them if you want to duplicate black phosphate coatings on bolts.

If you want even stronger bolts you can look up aircraft parts supply houses. I just mentioned that as point of interest. I'm not aware that you need anything above grade 8 for automobile use. Also, one contributor to the forum said that grade 5 was the best for trailing arm pivot bolts. The rationale was that grade 5 provide a little beneficial flexibility for this application. (I'm just reciting an interesting contribution from someone else. I don't personally know if it's true.)

 

The tensile strentgth of quality stainless is similar to grade 5 steel.
Use accordingly.
Eddie

 

Now you can use premium quality ARP® stainless steel or chrome moly fasteners to install most anything on a car, boat or trailer. Both the specially alloyed “ARP®300” stainless and heat-treated 8740 are nominally rated at 170,000 psi to provide a substantial extra margin of safety over Grade 8 and other hardware.

 

Actually grade 6 would be the preferrable fastener in suspension systems, it has more "give" than grade 8 to put it simply, the suspension fasteners are dynamically loaded, static values give you nothing.

 

Bryan,

Where did you order it from?

 

I have one I believe came from Paragon

 

When you say gold cad paint - do you mean the 4 rattle can system they sell? I'm not familiar w/ a gold cad paint they offer in a convenient single can setup - did I miss it?

thanks,

 

Paragon

Bry