Hello Ian:
Thanks to your suggestion, I finally made a move.
A number of supply houses in North America sell Grade 9 hardware that comes very close to the pattern of bolts & nuts I'm looking for, as I mentioned previously.
I hesitated until the other day when I paid a visit to the Caterpillar dealer near where I winter in Tampa, Florida and came away, $110.00 lighter but with all the Gr 8, tall hex nuts & bolts needed to assemble the entire body, plus a few spares.
They are nice looking fasteners and it would take an expert to spot them and are so close, that it is not worth grinding off the I.D. marks on the head: if you can't get originals, then these are excellent replacements.
You guys know your stuff, and I thank you for the advice.
Regards
K C
|