Gone bolt crazy, Need help

[JimR]

I just spent 2 hours on the net looking for a dozen 14mm x 1.5 x 60 hex head bolts for my Cub cadet. these are what I will need to install my rear wheel spacers when I get them. The best deal and only deal that I have found was to buy 80 bolts for $63.00 + shipping. they also sell 10 bolts for $143.00. Go figure on that deal. Any help would be gratefully appreciated. I am also considering just tapping out the flange holes on the axles to 16mm x 2.0 x 60 which is a more common bolt sold anywhere. I think that the axles may be hardened not be tapable. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[beenthere]

I found 14mm x 2 x 60 at this site.

http://www.boltdepot.com/product.aspx?cc=20&cs=80&cm=20&cd=1255

Not what you wanted, but they do sell singles or boxes of 25.

Appears that the thread pitch is wrong though.

 

[Henro]

My first though? Use the correct bolts and forget the tapping idea. Save that for when you really need it in the future.

Now hopefully someone will come up with a place to buy what you need at a reasonable price. If not what is the worst you can expect? To pay $63 and have a life time supply of spares?

If you think that hurts, wait till you start buying fittings and adapters for a hydraulic addition like a T&T or whatever... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If a better option doesn't appear, buying the right bolts and pleanty of spares my end up being the least painful long term option.

I have a friend who always trys to do what is cheapest, no matter how much it costs him in the long run. Knowing him helps keep me in balance.

It would irk me too to have to pay $63 for 80 bolts when I only need 12, but it would irk me even more to have to pay $4 per bolt if it came to that. My guess is that if the best price you found was $4 per bolt, and you later stumbled on the place that would sell you 80 bolts for $63 you would be pretty happy about that.

It really is crazy though. I think grade 8 bolts at Tractor Supply, even with the huge increase in steel prices over the last months, are going for less than $4 per pound. But they are not metric.

Hope someone can give you a source of better priced bolts for your application. I would do my best though to avoid enlarging the holes...only because I would fear the need to do it in the possible future...for unknown, unexpected reasons...

 

[JimR]

I just went there and found the 1.5's I was looking for. I missed them before. Now I have one more question about wheel bolts. Do tractor wheels use grade 5 or 8 bolts?

 

[JimR]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My first though? Use the correct bolts and forget the tapping idea. Save that for when you really need it in the future.

Now hopefully someone will come up with a place to buy what you need at a reasonable price. If not what is the worst you can expect? To pay $63 and have a life time supply of spares?

)</font>

Henro, Need and Metric bolts? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I do see what you mean about buying twelve for $40.00 versus 80 for $63.00. I could always sell the rest on Ebay right. Another thought would be to open them up to the next size US thread. Boy would that confuse the next owner if I ever sold my Cub. At least he wouldn't have a hard time finding spares. I probably have 12 US bolts in my stockpile of junk that would work.

 

[beenthere]

The way I was reading that table, metric fine thread didn't include a grade 5 (that was not metric) but did include the Grade 8.8 and the size you wanted was only in the grade 8.8 fine thread. The higher grade (10.9) changed the thread pitch back to only 2.0 in 14mm.

Glad you found them so fast. I was not looking in the 'fine thread' table. Looks like you are 'good to go'. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[JimR]

Yup, Now all I need is for my spacers to be made and I'll be all set. That was fast. I don't know how I missed it the first time either. I went back after I read your message and hit fine thread. I would prefer the higher grade bolts as I think they are hardened. What the heck, if I buy a box I'll have plenty of spares.

 

[beenthere]

If you are having the spacers made, could you inset (and use) the original bolts in the spacer, and then drill and tap new bolt holes in the spacer between those, to add new 'off-the-shelf' bolts? Then bolt the spacer to the axle, and then bolt the wheel rim to the spacer.
That is how I have seen some wheel spacers, but it would depend on the room on your spacers that you have to do the hole work.
For the 6 bolt holes would now be 12 bolt holes around the spacer. May run out of room.

 

[JimR]

I don't think there would be enough room for all those bolts in a six inch circle. The spacers are only 3/4" thick. If they were thicker I might consider doing that. This company also puts studs into thicker spacers like you mention to mount the wheels.

 

[beenthere]

I would agree. Not enough thickness at ¾" for threads and recessed heads of hex bolts. Also, not a problem with the longer bolts with only an additional ¾" length either, I imagine.

Apparently ¾ spacer is enough? what for, chains?