Metric fasteners are VERY easy to find !

the most common thread used on vanagon engines and exhaust systems for
example..
is M8 X 1.25 ...
my local ACE Hardware has bins of them ..
in all kinds of lengths ..
in other materials too.
Fastenal is another supplier ..
but really ..
your most ordinary hardware store will have lots of them ..
FLAPS too ..
though less so in my experience.  Hardware store baby ..super common.

yeah, don' use american size stuff ..
get the right very common metric nuts and bolts.

Scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jabin Newhouse" <jabin_n@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 7:17 PM
Subject: nuts/bolts

When completing repairs to my bus, I want to switch out the heavily rusted
nuts and bolts as needed.  I am having trouble finding the identical
nuts/bolts in metric sizes that match my owner's manual (the existing
nut/bolt) and the general internet instructions for repairs.  Not only is
this compromising the integrity of this great vehicle, but also I think
long-term this could be an issue by swapping out metric for SAE sizes and
possibly stripping out nuts/bolts during future repairs by not realizing its
a SAE nut/bolt or creating a problem for the next owner (my son hopefully).

Any suggestions?

jabin
1987 Vanagon Transporter                                          =