What's your favorite online place to order bolts/washers?

[robroy]

Hi!

I'm looking for some grade eight hardware that they don't stock at the local hardware store. In particular, I'm looking for 3/8" bolts that are 3 and 3/4" long. I'm also looking for some rather large hardened washers (about 3.5" wide with a hole in the center that's about 13/16" wide).

Does anybody know of an especially good place to order high quality, odd sized hardware?

Thank you very much!
-Robroy

[oldschoolrods]

http://www.mcmaster.com/#

also if you have a tractor supply near by, they stock grade 8 bolts. McMaster should have everything you need though.

[robroy]

OldSchoolRods,

Thanks for the quick reply! I'm browsing through that site now. It looks like they have a really wonderful selection! It makes me wonder why I keep going back to the hardware store every time I need something.

-Robroy

[robroy]

Found the bolts!!! Now looking for the odd, large washers.

Here are the bolts: http://www.mcmaster.com/#91257a639/=bj2fy

Thank you!
-Robroy

[Merlin68F100]

threads of the south. http://www.tftsonline.com/

If they don't have it, you don't need it.

[robroy]

Hi Merlin68F100! Thanks for the suggestion; that looks like a really great site too. I'll keep track of both of these for all my odd hardware needs in the future!

-Robroy

[robroy]

So are you supposed to order a printed catalog from Threads for the South? Their web site doesn't have any actual product listings.

Thanks!
-Robroy

[oldschoolrods]

Were you able to find the washers? If not you might be able to find something close and drill it out to the right size ( not easy but i've done it in a pinch) not knowing the application you might be able to use a big washer and another smaller washer

[robroy]

Hi OldSchoolRods,

Yes I was able to find several washers that may work. I found two 3" wide washers with 13/16" center holes and some 2"x2" and 3"x3" steel square plates with 13/16" center holes. I think one or the other of these will work.

Here's the application: I plan on using one or two of these instead of the factory coil spring retainer (the part directly under the big nut). If the bottom spring coil is the turkey and Swiss' and the "bell shaped" part under it is the bottom slice of bread, the part I'm replacing is the top slice of bread.

The factory used a funny shaped washer that's about 2 and 3/4" wide. I want something a little wider to do a better job of grabbing my after market coil springs.

Thanks very much for the great recommendation OldSchoolRods!
-Robroy

[robroy]

Here are some random goodies I bought from mcmaster.com. It seems like a truly excellent place!

Grade eight lock nuts for my disc brake anchor plates to spindle connections. These are part# 90636A060 and were $5.86 for a pack of ten. Made in Taiwan! Bummer!




100 cotter pins made in USA for $8.36 (what a great deal huh?). Part# 90158A100.




Channel Lock insulated electrician's pliers, for Hugh. Part# 57775A34 for $38.10. All the similar pliers I could find at OSH were at least partially Made in China. These are 100% made in USA.



1 and 1/8" six point impact deep socket. They didn't even mention what brand it would be on their site, but they said it'd be a premium product. And they were right! I was pleased to see Williams on it. Part# 5549A152 at $14.68. This should make torquing all those big 1 and 1/8" front end bolts a lot easier. Made in USA.



Replacement bolts that hold the disc brake anchor plates to the spindles. These have a really nice coating that's supposed to be extremely tough against corrosion, and they are an exact replica of the bolts Ford used. Part# 91286A325. $7.63 for a box of ten. Made in USA.




Carbon steel grinder bits that can handle high RPMs (good for high speed air grinders). The large one is part# 4338A16 @ $9 and the small one is part# 4338A13 at $7.56. These bits don't look like they'll let me down. Made in USA.



Large Nord-Locks for the brake anchor plate bolts. Made in Sweden. Part# 91074A133, ten for $9.62.



Replacement bolts for the transmission mount. These were a peculiar size that they didn't have at OSH, and they have the same nice, corrosion resistant coating that the larger brake bolts had. These are way nicer than anything I could find locally! These are part# 91286A219. They're 3/8"-16 at 3 and 1/4" long. A box of ten for $7.76. Made in USA.




It seems like this place often doesn't even mention the brand at all. Then when it shows up you're happily surprised to see that it's almost all top notch stuff!

Thanks very much to OldSchoolRods for telling me about this place.

-Robroy

[oldschoolrods]

No problem, we use them a lot at work to get odds and ends stuff. Just dont blame me if you spend all your money there!!

[robroy]

No problem, we use them a lot at work to get odds and ends stuff. Just dont blame me if you spend all your money there!!

Yeah it's easy to get carried away having access to that tremendous stock of high quality hardware! It's harder to spend a lot of money at OSH since they rarely have just what I'm looking for.

Thanks!
-Robroy

[Salty]

It seems like this place often doesn't even mention the brand at all. Then when it shows up you're happily surprised to see that it's almost all top notch stuff!

Yeah, that's one of my few complaints. Not such a big deal with hardware, but I've tried using them for tools and ended up going with another vendor because they won't even tell you the brand over the phone (may change due to price / availability). For hardware and materials though, they are top notch. Their online catalog makes it super easy to find what you're looking for. Also like how the catalog sometimes gives you hints on what to buy for your specific application.

[BobbyFord]

Auveco has a lot of fasteners...
http://www.auveco.com/

For my motorcycle I like to use stainless steel unless it calls for hardened stuff.

[robroy]

Hello Salty and BobbyFord, thanks for replying!!!

Yeah, that's one of my few complaints. Not such a big deal with hardware, but I've tried using them for tools and ended up going with another vendor because they won't even tell you the brand over the phone (may change due to price / availability). For hardware and materials though, they are top notch.

Agreed! I know just what you mean about tools. Yet you know, at least for the few tools I've ordered, I've been very happy with the brands that they've shipped. When I specify that I want a "premium" tool, they've always sent either a Williams or Proto so far, both of which are top notch as far as I know. Once I ordered a wrench, not knowing what brand it would be, and when it showed up it was a Channel-Lock (the real deal, USA made).

Auveco has a lot of fasteners...
http://www.auveco.com/

Thanks! I didn't realize that I could order straight from them--for some reason I thought they only made fasteners, but didn't sell them directly to individuals. I'll check this out, thank you!

For my motorcycle I like to use stainless steel unless it calls for hardened stuff.

Yeah that sounds like a great strategy! Are you ever concerned that the stainless fasteners might be less strong than their regular counterparts, even if hardened stuff isn't called for? For some reason I have the idea that stainless can be a lot weaker than regular steel, but I don't really know much about it.

Thanks very much for the excellent replies!
Robroy