Hi, all...

Well, got another "toughy" for you all - I'm re-doing my fan mount. I have two fan mounts to play with, the one had been put together with under-size screws and nuts screwed all the way through, pretty weak way to do it, as the screws were maybe Grade 0's. The screws were pretty eaten out, by apparent movement of the fan. The original bolts appear to be 3/16-32...the only mention I can find of that size/thread is a BSF, or British Standard Fine. Everything now is a 12-32, then up to 1/4" American. Seems to be a very rare size, and NO searches have given me any leads, although I've found a few taps and dies that size... The fan has backing plates, that are threaded for the bolts. I have the bolts from the other fan, but they were in the mess in the oil pan when I got the truck - had been rusted beyond use. I need 8 of the bolts...

Needless to say, I can't find ANY place that has those bolts, anymore. Has anyone ran into this? What did you do? I've thought about drilling and tapping the backing plates one size up, but looks like I'd lose most of the "meat", plus I'd have to drill through the fan cover, fan, cast bearing as well, times 8 holes! A lot of work.

Help!!!!

R

 

did you try mcmaster carr and granger http://www.mcmaster.com/
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg...s&stype=CATIDX

 

Yup....yup....no luck...1/4" bolts the smallest.

R

 

may sound nuts roger , but my local big r and farm and home usually have all the weird stuff i need , including odd bolts ! it's like being in a candy store for the automotively deranged ............. oh yeah i'm still looking or attempting too find a darn container to put yer shifter in so i can get the dain thing to ya !!!!!! old age has set in , i dont know my own name until someone says sumpthin' to me .

 

3/16" = .1875" = 4.763
#12 = .189" = 4.801
http://members.aol.com/pullingtractor/formulas.htm
you should be able to tap it to a 12 without loseing any meat

 

Roger,

According to my parts book the bolt is a 12-32:

 

Roger,

Do you have an Army/Navy surplus store in your area? I have had good luck finding oddball stuff at the couple we have in my town.

(and yet another "right click and save" courtesy of Bob....thanks)

Bobby

 

Heck, we're lucky to have running water in this town!!

Bob J - thanks for the info! I have a bag, labeled 12-32's, that evidently ISN'T 12-32's. Maybe they are 10-32's, as they are too small - that's why I was aiming at 3/16. I'll go back over, and look harder for some 12-32's...I have quite a few, at least screws, because we use them a lot on the airplanes.

Roger

 

..uuuhhhhh....do ya got a "Rural King".......

Just a thought....good luck....

 

Well, now that I know what I am looking for, I should be able to find them. I had a bag mis-labeled, so that threw me off track. My 12-32 bag was actually more 10-32's, so of course, they were too small, so I "assumed" they had to be 3/16, since that's the only thing I didn't have any of (of course, if I HAD had any 12-32's, I would have been ok).

We have an Ace on the way to work, that has 3 aisles of nuts, bolts, gizmos, etc, and I'm sure they will have them there, or at least something that will work. Once I got on the right track, it should be a lot easier...

Thanks to all, for the help!

R