Moderator Curtis Jacobson Portland Oregon (4576 posts) Registered: 10/12/2007 02:16AM Main British Car: 71 MGBGT, Buick 215 |
Found: Great Source for Top-Quality Hardware!
Here in Colorado, it's hard to find top-quality hardware in local stores. Lowes, Home Depot, Ace, Budget Home Centers, and all the auto parts stores all sell sleazy Chinese hardware... often blatantly mislabeled, and over-priced too! McMaster-Carr and other mail-order catalogs sell the good stuff... but at an insane price premium.
So here's a tip: "Automotive Fasteners" in North Carolina still sells the good stuff, and it's a bargain too! In many cases, they sell hardware for less than half the price of McMaster-Carr! One of my biggest pet peeves is cheap flat washers. If you put an inadequately-hardened flat washer under a grade-8 bolt, it won't hold torque and you end up with a weak joint. Also, the surface finish on cheaply made washers is corrosion prone (and easily galled by the nut). When it comes to flat washers, I have a strong preference for always-made-in-USA "Wrought Washer" brand "Mil Carb" washers, as described here: [www.wroughtwasher.com] Note: I also prefer "SAE" sized washers over "USS" sized washers. I don't think you can beat these prices: 1/4" SAE Round Mil-Carb High-Strength Hardened Washers (Yellow Zinc) Automotive Fasteners item # FWG8-1/4-SAE: $2.00 per 100 (same as McMaster-Carr 98023A029 @ $5.55 per 100) (boltdepot.com sells their sleazy imported version for $3.08 per 50) 5/16" SAE Round Mil-Carb High-Strength Hardened Washers (Yellow Zinc) Automotive Fasteners item # FWG8-5/16-SAE: $2.04 per 100 (same as McMaster-Carr 98023A030 @ $4.20 per 50) (boltdepot.com sells their sleazy imported version for $4.00 per 50) 3/8" SAE Round Mil-Carb High-Strength Hardened Washers (Yellow Zinc) Automotive Fasterners item # FWG8-3/8-SAE: $2.84 per 100 (same as McMaster-Carr 98023A031 @ $4.99 per 50) (boltdepot.com sells their sleazy imported version for $4.82 per 50) 7/16" SAE Round Mil-Carb High-Strength Hardened Washers (Yellow Zinc) Automotive Fasteners item # FWG8-7/16-SAE: $3.56 per 100 (same as McMaster-Carr 98023A032 @ $4.90 per 25) (boltdepot.com sells their sleazy imported version for $4.41 per 25) Call Automotive Fasteners toll free at 800.632.0340 They're located in dear old Greensboro NC (a.k.a. "the southern part of heaven") . They accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express. While you're on the phone, why not order some good American bolts while they're still being made? (One of the best bolt companies - "Rockford" - went bankrupt in January, but that's another rant...) |
67MGBV8 Chris Jones Denver, Colorado (36 posts) Registered: 10/24/2007 03:11PM Main British Car: 1967 MGB Tourer 215 c.i. Buick |
Re: Found: Great Source for Top-Quality Hardware!
Wow, They have a nice on-line catalog. I've already bookmarked them and intend to order. Thanks for the heads-up!
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