Is a Grade 8 bolt the same as an ASTM A325?
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 (American Society for Testing and Materials) provides specifications for construction fasteners. There are several differences between these two bolts, including chemistry, strength, application, and dimensional tolerances.
Strength Differences
A325 bolts are typically manufactured from a medium carbon steel (although they can be made from an alloy) while SAE grade 8 bolts are made from a medium carbon alloy steel. Grade 8 bolts are significantly stronger than an A325. An ASTM specification with similar strength properties to grade 8 is ASTM A490.
| Grade | Nominal Size | Proof Load Min (ksi) | Yield Strength Min (ksi) | Tensile Strength Min (ksi) | Rockwell Hardness Min | Rockwell Hardness Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASTM A325-1 | 1/2" - 1" | 85 | 92 | 120 | C24 | C35 |
| 1-1/8" - 1-1/2" | 74 | 81 | 105 | C19 | C31 | |
| SAE J429 Grade 8 | 1/4" - 1-1/2" | 120 | 130 | 150 | C33 | C39 |
Compare more strengths with our strength by grade chart.
Configuration Differences
ASTM A325 bolts are heavy hex structural bolts and used in structural steel connections, while SAE grade 8 bolts are finished hex bolts and typically used in automotive and equipment applications. By nature, an SAE bolt is also a more precision fastener with tighter tolerances than an ASTM bolt.
Mechanical properties for A325 bolts under the new F3125 specification are the same for all diameters. Under the original A325 specification, mechanical requirements change for diameters above 1″.
Engineering student here working on a senior design project, what is the elastic modulus of a Grade 8 bolt? Thanks!
@JBrucki- We are sorry, but that isn’t information we have. SAE grade 8 bolts are tested for tensile, yield, ductility, etc but the modulus is not reported or saved by our software.
Hello,
I would like to know is that grade 8 pins are good for shear and shocks at the same time
It is for the installation of piles
Thank you
@Abdel- SAE grade 8 pins are quite high in strength, but we are unable to make any specific applications recommendations.
Hello! Is ASTM4140 Bolt equivalent with A325 bolt?
@Seiji- 4140 is not an ASTM standard, it is a chemical only call-out governed by AISI and is for raw steel only, not finished fasteners. A325 is a finished bolt standard that can be made from many different types of steel. You will have to look at the MTRs and make sure that your 4140 conforms to the A325 chemical requirements. Heat treatment and testing will also be required in order to achieve the needed mechanical requirements.
If we require a a307 bolt but what we have given to us is an AISI 1020 bolt, will it suffice our requirement? Thanks
@Rechelle- It might. A307 has some chemical and mechanical requirements that might be met by AISI 1020, but you’d have to look at the testing paperwork to see if it meets. Without that, you couldn’t definitively tell one way or the other.
Could you please advice if i can use Grade 8 washer for A 193 B7 grade bolts
@Deniz- A193 does not specify a washer, but the industry typically supplies an ASTM F436 washer. We are not familiar with any grade 8 washers.
Could you please advice what is the diffrence between Grade 8 and 8.8.
@Deniz- The cost difference will depend entirely on the specifics of what you are looking for. There are too many variables to get you a generic price difference.
IS it typical to zinc electroplate Grade 7 Bolts that are head stamped Special BB. I am a plater and have been requested to strip and re-plate this material in a ROHS approved zinc and passivate coating and am concerned on whether or not it requires a bake for embrittlement relief. The new ASTM F1941-15 standard for fasteners does not require a bake for anything under Rc39 however if > than Rc 39 then a 14 hour bake is required between 375 and 400 deg. Fahr.
@Alepi- ASTM F1941 does not require baking of A193 B7 bolts. However, both F1941 and B633 are referenced within A193, and B633 does require baking. I would confirm the plating specification with your customer.
I’m just a farmer in NC who found some steel C channel (8″, 12″) on Craigslist and building a tractor shed 50 x 100 and saw on Ebay all these bargain A325 bolts I can get. Just giving some additional info here.
Are those bargan A325 type 1 galvanized bolts you see on Ebay any good? You see some sellers selling generic A325 bolts made in Taiwan in quantities of 50 to 100 to 300 pcs at good cheap prices. Tool Outlet is one seller comes to mind on Ebay and sells alot of these bolts in these quanities. More quantities, the better the price.
@Danny- There are millions of imported A325s in the marketplace, not only on Ebay and the like, but also at reputable fastener distributors. Just because they are imported does not mean they are not of high quality. That said, I can’t say where the ones you are finding were made, and there are likely some bad ones out there as well. If quality is a concern, I’d make sure that the bolts come with test reports, that way you can be reasonably sure that they are manufactured and tested per ASTM standards.
If in bolt description is indicated GRADE 8 only, does it mean that this bolt related to SAE J429 and not to any other standards?
@Kairat- Yes, if grade 8 is the only call out or marking, then I’d assume J429 is the only standard being referenced.
whats is the torque value for this bolt
@Arun- We have estimated general purpose torque values on our website under “technical information”.
Pls quote me on 2000 a325 hex bolts sizes as follows:
3/4x 2″
3/4×21/2″
3/4×3″
Reply to michelle.ramnarine@gmail.com
Must be mill tested and galvanised coarse thread.
@Michelle- One of our salespeople will be contacting you shortly.
Is ASTM A 325 Bolt and 8.8 Bolt same.
@Bhavin- There some chemical and mechanical similarities between the two, but they are not identical bolts. Additionally, A325 bolts are for steel to steel structural connections, whereas 8.8 bolts are more for general purpose applications.
do you folks carry inch and a half by seven grade eight bolts and if so ,how much apiece/ if you do please give me a call. thanks jeff darr @darr scrapers… 618 535 3718
@Darr- Apologies for the delay, one of our sales people will be contacting you shortly.
I am looking for A325 structural bolts. We have consistent requirement of this in different sizes. We are managing a fleet or more than 30 rigs.
But every time I face challenge in sourcing this grade of steel. Is there any equivalent grade which I can use? These bolts will be used on Derrick of rigs. So I need to be 100% sure if mechanical properties of equivalent grade is similar or higher.
@Ravi- I would need to know a bit more about why you are running into trouble with sourcing. A325 bolts are widely available in the marketplace, and should be off the shelf at just about any fastener supplier. If there is something about your needs, whether size, configuration, etc, that is causing you trouble, then I might be able to offer some guidance.
can i subsitite a grade 8.2 bolt for a grade 8 bolt?
@Hugh – You would need to get approval from the project engineer to make this substitution. Mechanically, both grades are the same, but they have very different chemistries and are heat treated differently.
Hi,
We couldn’t source A325 or A490 or A354 Gr. BD for our offshore structures. Nearest match found was Class 10.9 and we have sourced it. Class 10.9’s nearest match is A490. Now the question can we pretension it to the same level as A490? Allowable shear stress for A490 from AISC is found to be 276 MPa (40 ksi).
@Kamalesh – I am not familiar enough with grade 10.9 bolts to know if they can be tensioned the same way as A490s. You want want to contact a structural engineer to see if he can approve the substitution.
I have a question,
What would the tolerance of torquing for tightening the A 325.
@Naveed Ahmed – torque is an imprecise way to measure tension, and with all the variables that need to be accounted for, there are no real accurate tolerances published. The best way to determine the proper torque is to do lab testing.
We had a request from a customer for a bolt he called a “Super Bolt” or “Torque Bolt”. When I asked for further info he said his drawing asked for “HS Grade 8”. Are there bolts made that are called this. I think he needs just regular grade 8.
My client is inquiring Anchor Bolts A325 and i believe that A-325 is not the correct choice. Can i use AISI 4140 as alternative?
Regards,
Emee
@emee – You are correct that ASTM A325 is not an appropriate anchor bolt specification, it is specifically for headed structural bolts. The most similar specification to A325 that can be used for anchor bolts is ASTM A449. A449 can be made from a number of different steels, AISI 4140 being among them, but the anchor bolt must be heat treated, tested, and stamped per the requirements of A449. Simply substituting AISI 4140 steel will not meet the requirements of the specification.
By specification, A325 bolts are designed with sufficient ductility to pretension into the inelastic range. In contrast SAE bolts should only be pretensioned within the elastic range, and the amount of pretension is left to the joint designer.
If you have a structural joint that requires pretension by design then you must use 325 or 490 bolts since they are the only ones for which a pretension specification exists.
In my opinion then you might get away with using an A325 bolt in a Grade 5 application (bearing in mind thread pitch and tolerance issues) but you should never use a Grade 5 bolt in an A325 (structural) application unless you can also, in consultation with the engineer of record, provide the installer with a pretension specification.
@Terry Thanks for the details about structural bolts in application. An engineer’s expertise and insight is always welcome.
@Adriana Landberg: Although ASTM A325 and SAE J429 Grade 5 are covered by two different specifying entities (ASTM vs. SAE), they are virtually identical in chemistry and strength. The difference is in their configuration and application. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) covers fasteners for construction applications, while the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) covers fasteners for automotive, equipment, and OEM type applications. Due to their nature, SAE fasteners are cap screw quality and are dimensionally more precise than ASTM machine bolts. As I stated earlier, the chemical and mechanical requirements of A325 and grade 5 bolts are virtually identical. A325 bolts have a heavy hex head while grade 5 cap screws have a finished (standard size) hex head. A325 bolts are designed for structural steel connections and therefore, have a shorter thread length than grade 5 bolts. Other than that, the bolts are very similar.
Is a SAE J429 grade 5 bolt equivalent to a ASTM A325 bolt?
eduardo rodriguez » We do not supply SAE bolts, but SAE J429 grade 7 has a minimum tensile strength of 133ksi while an ASTM A394-T1 has a minimum tensile strength requirement of 120ksi. Therefore, the A394 bolts may be slightly weaker than the SAE grade 7 bolts. Even though the grade 7 bolts are stronger, we would not recommend making this substitution without consulting a structural engineer.
I have a similar questions:
pls let me know if it is possible to use bolts SAE GRADE 7, hot dip galvanized, instead of the standard bolts ASTM A394-T1, to assemble power transmission towers