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View Full Version : Be careful -- metric vs. standard bolts!



kiki231
03-26-2013, 07:25 AM
A lesson to you fellow builders torquing bolts --
I am in the process of switching all my nylon locknuts with mechanical locknuts (required for road legal status) on the suspension and steering components.

I torqued the new empirical shock bolt nuts to spec and stripped 2 , then had 2 steering arm bolts stripped.
THESE ARE METRIC BOLTS---- M12 -- so using an empirical nut seems to fit just fine, but it is just a hair too big, and thus only engages the tops of the threads-- so learn from my mistake.
I am lucky to have an impact wrench so that i could get the hub nut off (took several seconds, though), and get the bolt out.

crossle45f33cf
03-26-2013, 11:51 AM
Pardon my ignorance but what's an empirical nut?
I'm not familiar with that term.

Fluge
03-26-2013, 11:53 AM
I think he meant standard or SAE.

kiki231
03-26-2013, 02:33 PM
yeah -- SAE-- sorry!

CobraKai
03-26-2013, 04:58 PM
Thanks for the heads up Kiki231!