Please help! Bolt advice needed

[anonymous-user]

We’re going away in our Citroen Relay based camper tomorrow. Tonight I’m packing the van and notice the passenger bench seat is out. Then I realise Mrs. Seb took the passenger seat out about a month ago to clean it. Unfortunately, she can’t remember where she put the bolts.

Any idea where I can get some of these from sharpish? I’ve taken a bolt from the drivers seat in the hope it’s the same.

Any help very greatly appreciated!

[Red9zero]

At this short notice I'd post up on your local Facebook. There's bound to be someone with a box of miscellaneous bolts in their garage. Yes, I would be that person

[anonymous-user]

Yeah, she’s already done that. Someone mentioned on there if it’s a straight bolt use anything but if it’s tapered you need the correct one from the manufacturer. She tried a few Facebook groups. She’s really beating herself up, I think it’s quite funny.

[droopsnoot]

The taper is usually only there to help get it through the carpet and underfelt, and so that if it corrodes because it's poking out through the bottom of the floor, the corrosion doesn't then drag up through the captive nut thread when you remove it. I'd say for temporary use, a normal bolt would be OK, but I am neither metallurgist nor structural engineer.

[anonymous-user]

droopsnoot said:

The taper is usually only there to help get it through the carpet and underfelt, and so that if it corrodes because it's poking out through the bottom of the floor, the corrosion doesn't then drag up through the captive nut thread when you remove it. I'd say for temporary use, a normal bolt would be OK, but I am neither metallurgist nor structural engineer.

Thanks Dropsnoot, that does make sense re the taper. I might measure what I have on the drivers side and try to source some.

[Pica-Pica]

droopsnoot said:

The taper is usually only there to help get it through the carpet and underfelt, and so that if it corrodes because it's poking out through the bottom of the floor, the corrosion doesn't then drag up through the captive nut thread when you remove it. I'd say for temporary use, a normal bolt would be OK, but I am neither metallurgist nor structural engineer.

Agreed, the taper is there for ease of assembly. Think about it, once you get past the taper, the helical thread is parallel and matches the mating nut.

[GreenV8S]

Measure the diameter, length and pitch. Any bolt that matches that will do. It isn't highly stressed and any spec at all with the right thread will be fine. Or just take it to any local motorfactor or backstreet garage and they will match it for beer money.

[ShampooEfficient]

Measure it or have a dig through the owners forums then head down to Screwfix or Toolstation.

Or take that one with you to a local fastener supplier.

[anonymous-user]

Thanks all. I tried screwfix who did their best and kindly measured it. The thread is very narrow and doesn’t match anything they had. I’ll try a few other places today.

[996Type]

In the meantime use a couple from the drivers seat to secure it if you need to start your trip.

[WelshRich]

I know someone who drove their van around for a while with a wooden kitchen chair as a drivers seat having strategically cut the legs down but not fastened at all.

So long as your seatbelts are fastened to the chassis rather than the seat frames you could just (temporarily) take another bolt from the drivers seat and use that (together with the one in your photo) so that each seat has just two bolts (fitted in diagonal corners on each seat)

[Belle427]

A fastener supplier is probably your only hope unless you can temporarily use a longer nut and bolt and fix through the floor with a large substantial washer underneath.
Not a long term solution really but if your desperate.

[anonymous-user]

Thanks folks, all the advice is really appreciated. Mrs Seb is off out this morning trying to source some. First stop is a good friend who’s been a tractor mechanic for 40 years.

I did think about using a bolt from the drivers seat. Interestingly the drivers seat and passenger double bench seat are each held with four fixings. Two bolts to the front of the seat base and two keyhole fixings to the rear. I think using one from the drivers side might be an option if attempts to find bolts fail this morning.

[ARHarh]

GreenV8S said:

Measure the diameter, length and pitch. Any bolt that matches that will do. It isn't highly stressed and any spec at all with the right thread will be fine. Or just take it to any local motorfactor or backstreet garage and they will match it for beer money.

This exactly. Stop over thinking it. Halfords will sell you some. Will cost a bit from them but easy. No need for the fancy pointy bit on the end unless you are doing thousands of them on a production line.

[tapkaJohnD]

Has to be Metric, looks to be fine thread, and 12mm. Length? You'll have to measure it.
See: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182469868561?hash=item2...

If you want that tapered end, do you have a friend with a lathe? Or even an angle grinder? Allow for the extra length the remove the threads.

John

[Chris32345]

sebdangerfield said:

Thanks all. I tried screwfix who did their best and kindly measured it. The thread is very narrow and doesn’t match anything they had. I’ll try a few other places today.

They will be high tensile bolts so almost certainly a narrower thread pitch then normal ones

[Getragdogleg]

That's looking like an M12 1.25mm or 1mm pitch thread.

Find one of those 50 bolts in a multi box packs in halfords, then put the threads together on your one and the ones in the box to match them up.

Edited by Getragdogleg on Saturday 5th November 12:41

Edited by Getragdogleg on Saturday 5th November 12:43

[finishing touch]

Lots of seat belts and car seats are held with 7/16' UNF.

I think its an industry standard.

[Getragdogleg]

Seat belts yes, but I have not encountered seats held down with them. Not to say it does not happen though.

Hopefully it's a metric bolt. That would be easier to find.

[Pica-Pica]

Additionally, check the hardness grade of the bolt. Metric bolts will have either 8.8, 10.9 or 12.9 on the hex head. It is important that the replacement matches the grade of the original.
An example: