Searching for a supplier of Left-Hand Thread Tap and matching bolt M16

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Does anyone know of a company that can supply the following:

1 x M16 LEFT-HAND thread tap and
2 x M16 LEFT-HAND threaded high tensile 12.9 bolts that have at least 50 mm of thread length with a Hex head.

The tap and the bolts must have the same thread pitch as each other.

I have tried a contacting a number of Australian suppliers to no avail.

The companies I have found on eBay and other online traders seem to only sell M16 left-hand thread taps with no bolts, or
M16 high tensile bolts but not the M16 thread tap.

Surely there must be a company out there that sells both M16 Left-Handed thread taps and the high tensile bolts out of the same stores!

As long as the products are of good quality I am prepared to buy the items overseas.

I would even accept 5/8 inch bolts and thread tap as long as they are the same pitch thread and left-hand threads. Just in case the Metric bit scares people!

Kind regards
Lionel

[Tony Smith]

If you've found what you want, is it the end of the world to buy from 2 suppliers?

[rob love]

Finding a company that sells both bolts and tools, in a specialty thread, is difficult. Amazon has both items listed with multiple listings of each, although they will be from different sources (China mostly) so you may incur two shipping charges.

[Lionelgee]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

If you've found what you want, is it the end of the world to buy from 2 suppliers?

Hello Tony,

The issue is making sure that what they sell has the same pitch. Not all retailers put that little bit of information in their descriptions. I have even had Australian companies letting me know they do not sell the bolts. Then they kindly recommend I contact another company. Then once I contact them they let me know that they do not sell the bolts. Then they recommend somebody else .. who also don't sell the bolts, and they recommend another company ...

Regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Originally Posted by rob love

Finding a company that sells both bolts and tools, in a specialty thread, is difficult. Amazon has both items listed with multiple listings of each, although they will be from different sources (China mostly) so you may incur two shipping charges.

Hello Rob,

I did find one company that stocks both thread tap and bolts. Mind you one bolt is worth $35 USD! I contacted them to see if they offer freight to Australia. That will be the next hit. There was a UK based 'Left-hand specialist' company who were even dearer.

I just bought what is described as European made tap and die M16 left-hand thread from an Australian company.

The way things are going it might end up as the bolts being sourced from China. That is if they respond to my message about them not identifying the pitch of the thread. Oh their cost is less than half the price for what probably is the same bolt sold by the US company.

Free postage via China. Sale via eBay and a secure online payment method. Double the protection - well fingers crossed. I just need the clarification that the bolts are 2.00 mm pitch. I will wait and see. They had the most detailed description of the bolts - different lengths of bolt available, what grades, different applications, the colour. Just not the description of the thread pitch.

Kind regards
Lionel

[chris vickery]

$35 on an almost un-obtainium item seems reasonable to me.
What do you think a machine shop would charge to make you one?
BTW, Taylor Tool is the place to go here in Ontario Canada for such an odd item.

[gjamo]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005...martRedirect=y

[Lionelgee]

Originally Posted by chris vickery

$35 on an almost un-obtainium item seems reasonable to me.
What do you think a machine shop would charge to make you one?
BTW, Taylor Tool is the place to go here in Ontario Canada for such an odd item.

G'day Chris,

Considering what you mentioned about a shop charge and it being un-obtainium I just spent less than $35 on getting what is most likely the same bolt that the UK and US suppliers would have sent me. Plus then add the cost of freight. The supplier in China did reply - the UK has not replied yet and the US supplier stated that they would not sell "to your facility". I think that referred to that they would not post overseas to Australia.

The price from China included postage. The final currency was $32 Australian dollars all up - not in US dollars, so I am further in front - well fingers crossed. Now the contest starts between the tap and die bought from Melbourne here in Australia delivered Australia Post mail service and the bolts sourced from a mob located somewhere in China. I have about the same chance of receiving the items from either supplier. Australia Post even gets the chance for the final run home for the China sourced product. Australia Post sure ain't what it used to be!

The biggest irony is that where I live used to be the world innovators of agricultural machinery for the sugar cane industry. Right here in the district they made them from scratch - from drawing board, manufacture from raw materials, to showroom floor. Now even something like getting a wheel brake cylinder sleeved gets sent out of the district by the local clutch and brake people. It is very sad!

Kind regards
Lionel

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Lionel,
I see you live in Bundaberg. There is a business there called Queensland Tractor Spares, the owner has a Youtube channel called Bundy Bears Shed, he has a machine shop and often makes one off parts, his name is Lance. I am sure he could have made those bolts.

regards, Richard

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

The left-handed M16 2:00 pitch thread tap dispatched from Melbourne arrived first. Once I cut the thread I decided that a few extra threads produced by a plug thread tap instead of the intermediate tap that I used would be beneficial. So I have a plug tap from another Melbourne based supplier ordered and it is on its way. I wonder if the bolts from China will beat the second order in reaching my mail box?

Kind regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

My search for left-handed thread taps and Left-handed M16 bolts was for an experiment. I had bought a truck gearbox and a spare parts motor for a model of International truck that saw both military and civilian use in Australia. On the drive home I wondered why the previous owner had given up on their project. Not long after bringing the goodies home I might have discovered the reason. Since the head was already off the motor and the pistons had a layer of diesel soaking into them, I thought I would grab a large socket and hook up to the crankshaft bolt and turn the motor over.

Crankshaft bolt.... what crankshaft bolt?

Upon closer inspection I found that one of the previous owners must have twisted off the bolt's hex head. What was left was the shaft of the bolt that ended flush with the end of the crankshaft.

To assist in loosening the bolt shaft week in advance of the experiment I had used copious amounts of lanolin-based penetrants, and also used small pneumatic hammer point and rattled the shaft. Then sprayed more penetrant.

I drilled a hole in the bolt shaft and I tried a series of different styles of bolt extractors - the threaded type and the hammer in star type. Also more heat and penetrants were applied. Despite this the bolt dined on both styles of bolt extractor. Round 1: No luck in shifting the bolt shaft from the crankshaft.


Round 2: The experiment: I had heard of people using left-hand drills to remove broken bolts. When the drill bites in it can shock the stiff bolt loose. Having no success with the different types of bolt extractor I wondered if it work if I took that idea to the next level - sort of a form a bolt extractor on steroids. I drilled a series of holes in the bolt shaft up to 14 mm diameter. This was followed by the M16 left-handed thread tap - intermediate and later plug taps. The M16 left-handed bolt was screwed in. More penetrate and some heat and a couple of minutes bouncing around provided by a rattle gun. The aim was to rattle the bolt to possibly shock thing loose, more than an attempt to remove the bolt. More heat... more penetrant. more rattles were applied. Then I tried a 3/4 inch breaker bar on the M16 bolt

With some effort I felt and saw the old original bolt shaft wind two threads out of the crankshaft hole - it had previously been flush to the end of the crankshaft. Then the bolt broke off inside the original bolt shaft.

A trip to the hardware store later and a range of cobalt steel drills were sourced and some specialist cutting compound spray obtained. More drill holes were stepped up inside the left-hand bolt. During each increase of drill diameter I tried the different range of bolt extractors again - with similar results to earlier attempts.

My next step will to move from using an LPG blowtorch for heat to an oxy-acetylene kit instead. Plus I will fall back on welding in a smaller diameter bolt into the hole I had drilled into the left-handed bolt that is inside the original crankshaft bolt. You know a bit like a Russian Babushka Nesting Doll set.

The engine did come with a spare crankshaft so if I do not manage to get the broken bolt shaft out of the original crankshaft all is not lost. I just enjoy the challenge of trying to move on from where another enthusiast sold the project on. Maybe they were just more clever than me and they knew when to stop! I am still out in front because the gearbox was the main motivating factor on that purchase - the spare parts engine is a bonus. I bought more penetrant and I will casually spray the area each afternoon for the next week or so before attempting Round 3.

Kind regards
Lionel