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Question: Can a carriage bolt be supplied to the A325 specification?

Answer: Technically, carriage bolts cannot be manufactured to the A325 specification. Read More...

Question: Is stacking of F436 washers acceptable with an A325 bolted connection ?  

Answer: Yes, in some cases the stacking of F436 washers seems to be allowed, but not in all cases.

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Question: Are washers required to be used with an A325 or A490 structural bolt?

Answer: It is known that the required grade of washer to be used with an A325 or A490 structural bolt is an ASTM F436 hardened washer, however whether or not a washer is required to be used in a given application is often brought into question. The purpose of using a flat washer with a bolt is to provide a smooth bearing surface under the head of the bolt and / or nut.

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Question: Can Portland Bolt manufacture a 1″ x 6″ fully threaded A325 heavy hex structural bolt?

Answer: Bolts manufactured to the ASTM A325 specification have a fixed thread length for a given diameter, which is often shorter than most other grades of bolts. This is due to their application of being used in structural steel connections. For example, a 3/4″ diameter A325 has 1-3/8″ of thread and a 1″ A325 has 1-3/4″ of thread, regardless of the overall length of the bolt.

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Question: My company is looking to purchase A325SC, A325N, and A325X heavy hex structural bolts. What is the difference between these three?

Answer: There is no difference between these bolts. The “X”, “SC”, and “N” simply identify the type of connection the bolts are used in. “X” and “N” are bearing type connections, where the bolts are being used…

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These bolts are identical with regard to strength and chemistry. There are very minor differences in the hardness requirements, but the proof load, tensile, and yield strength requirements are the same. Read More...

Per ASTM A325 section 6.3.1, the rotational capacity test is defined as a test, “that is intended to evaluate the presence of a lubricant, the efficiency of the lubricant, and the compatibility of assemblies as represented by the components selected for testing.”  Read More...

Question: Is a grade 8 bolt the same as an ASTM A325? Answer: ASTM A325 and SAE J429 grade 8 are not the same fastener. As a matter of fact, they couldn’t be more different. SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) establishes specifications covering fasteners intended for use in automotive, OEM, and equipment applications, while ASTM [...] Read More...