Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

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Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

AmericanSavage
7/16-14 x5.25

Get on it!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/113279035640

1980 Ford XLT F350
400 Engine (rebuilt to 406)
Holley 2300 500 CFM manual Choke Carb
Under Restore (1st time)
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

Jake Papageorge
Good Lord!  What a rip off!  $15 dollars each!  Those are $3.00 each for a grade 8 bolt from any bolt store!  
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

ArdWrknTrk
Administrator
Maybe you missed the "Quantity 5" part of the listing???

Yep... $3 each, to your door.
 Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

Rembrant
In reply to this post by AmericanSavage
5.5" bolts work fine too, and they're a little easier to find. That's what I used with an extra washer or two. You don't need to make up the entire 1/4" difference, maybe only half of it.
1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

mat in tn
doesn't anyone cut bolts anymore?
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

Rembrant
mat in tn wrote
doesn't anyone cut bolts anymore?
The problem with the 5.5" ones I bought was that the threads were too short. If they were threaded all the way I would have cut them no problem, but in this case it was easier to add the washers. I've never tried to add threads to a grade-8 bolt, but it seemed to me like the juice wasn't worth the squeeze.

I cut bolts all the time otherwise.
1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

mat in tn
i guess i have just been lucky enough to have collected enough bolts along the way. i always seem to have at least one full set for a steering gear.  
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

taskswap
How many of these are needed?
--
1981 F-250 Custom. 6.6L V8, 4 barrel Holley carb, ARA aftermarket A/C.
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

ArdWrknTrk
Administrator
Three bolts go through the frame into the steering box flange
 Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

AmericanSavage
In reply to this post by taskswap
taskswap wrote
How many of these are needed?

Usually only 3.  The OE bolt is 5 15/64 length if memory serves, and these about make that required length.


The reason I posted is because it is quite difficult to find 5.25 bolts.  5 and 5 ½ are all one can find usually.  

The other option is as noted, cut the bolt, or try to thread further in, or use extra washers.

1980 Ford XLT F350
400 Engine (rebuilt to 406)
Holley 2300 500 CFM manual Choke Carb
Under Restore (1st time)
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

ArdWrknTrk
Administrator
Like Cory said cutting the bolt isn't the issue, it's the threaded length (like I pointed out in another post)
Pretty much any bolt under 1 1/2" diameter is going to have rolled threads.
Trying to run a die up a grade 8 bolt is difficult at best.

You can put washers on the other side of the frame rail so the unthreaded shank doesn't bottom out on the steering box, but I like flange head bolts on the chassis so that is pretty redundant.
 Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

mat in tn
and quite often frame bolts are harder than grade 8. and flanged are often 10.9
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

ArdWrknTrk
Administrator
10.9 is a metric designation roughly equal to Grade 8. Both about 150,000 psi and the same hardness.
Both SAE or Metric bolts can be had with flange heads.
12.9 metric is about 175ksi and HRC 39-44 but still plenty tough.

'Harder' doesn't necessarily mean stronger. Sometimes it means very prone to pits or cracks, and snaps like glass.
But obviously fasteners need to be hard enough that threads don't turn to butter when they are torqued to create their spec clamping load.

Bill worked for decades in the test lab at Newport News.
If you're interested in superalloys I'm sure he has that information.
 Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

Rembrant
In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk
ArdWrknTrk wrote
Like Cory said cutting the bolt isn't the issue, it's the threaded length (like I pointed out in another post)
Ya, and it is an issue with the steering box bolts. The threads don't have a 1/4" to spare, so you can't cut 5.5" bolts to fit 5.25". This is why I used a couple extra washers. You don't need to move it the full 1/4", but you do still need to push them out a tiny bit. I think I used a slot washer under each one...or at least that's what I call them.
1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

mat in tn
one little point. the washers that ford uses on the steering gear bolts are not like any other. they are twice as thick and fit the bolt much tighter than the std sized stuff you get at the local hardware store. don't be afraid to stack a few grade 8 washers but keep in mind that when you buy a 7/16 bolt, don't just buy 7/16 washers. try to slip a 3/8 washer on the bolt. you may have what I call a perfect fit. they are sold with a lot of tolerance and it's way too sloppy for me in most cases
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Re: Steering Gear Bolts (right size/length & Affordable)

AmericanSavage
mat in tn wrote
one little point. the washers that ford uses on the steering gear bolts are not like any other. they are twice as thick and fit the bolt much tighter than the std sized stuff you get at the local hardware store. don't be afraid to stack a few grade 8 washers but keep in mind that when you buy a 7/16 bolt, don't just buy 7/16 washers. try to slip a 3/8 washer on the bolt. you may have what I call a perfect fit. they are sold with a lot of tolerance and it's way too sloppy for me in most cases
This is something I have looked into.  Man these are impossible to find—those thick washers.  Mine look to be resueable, but I did a search for them just in case.  Came up empty.  
1980 Ford XLT F350
400 Engine (rebuilt to 406)
Holley 2300 500 CFM manual Choke Carb
Under Restore (1st time)