AN / NAS Bolts

[PSweeney]

Can anybody tell me the difference between AN and NAS bolts ?

[Paul New]

I know AN stands for Army/Navy and NAS stands for National Aerospace Standards other than that check out the attached website.


http://www.zenithair.com/kit-data/ra/hardware.html

[dreracecar]

visually the NAS hex bolt would have a dimple in the head and are suited for areas that are in single shear verses double shear as the AN bolts would be.
Since we as racers tend to oversize the bolts and nuts on our cars, the AN standard works in all apps and are less expensive then the NAS. One area that I do install the higher grade is in the mounting of the rear end housing

[PSweeney]

Thanks guys

Bruce, what size bolts do you use on the reared and for things like hairpins and torsion bar ends

[Paul New]

(4) 7/16 grade 5 or better bolts with steel self locking nuts on each side. This is right out of the SFI specs. 2.2C
3/8 hardware for the hair pins and torsion bar ends would be plenty IMO.

[dreracecar]

My normal source for NAS bolts go up to 3/8 dia and rear end mounting requires 7/16
in double shear 8 fitted AN-7 bolts arm more than enough. in single shear I would cut down a commercial grd-9 to use the bolt shank best suited for the app and just enough threads to properly tighten the nut.

In my time as a race car builder I have seen everything use to put a car together and for the most part (as Ive said) we tend to overbolt the assy.  Don Long use to bolt the front axle radious rods to frame and axle with 1/4" bolts in double shear, motor plates with 5/16 at the corners, steering has most always been 3/8- but 5/16 is enough.

[dreracecar]

(4) 7/16 grade 5 or better bolts with steel self locking nuts on each side. This is right out of the SFI specs. 2.2C
3/8 hardware for the hair pins and torsion bar ends would be plenty IMO.

AN bolts are considered a superior grade 5 with hardware store grd 5 "can be" below grd 5 standards and most just use commercial grd 8 because they look pretty. With prices today AN bolts can be cheaper to buy then grd 8, but it does take time to measure to get the fit correct. Hardware store grd8 they only stock 1/4 increments, but are offered in 1/8". AN's come in 1/16 incr.

[PSweeney]

thanks guys, went for AN bolts all round.  Expensive route over in the UK as most stuff is metric