What is the highest grade fastener?

For fasteners and fixings, high tensile steel is some of the best material on offer – and can be found in a number of homes and auto manufacturing.  Screws and bolts made from high tensile steel can withstand high levels of strain without losing their strength or structure.

High tensile steel bolts

Grade 8.8 high tensile steel is often referred to as the structural grade for bolts.  It is the most common form of high tensile material and is usually stocked in plain finish or zinc.  It can be plated in many other coatings. For high tensile steel grade 8.8, a torque wrench will be required for the tightening of said product.  These products are built to last and work optimally under harsh usage and should be easily identifiable via a permanent marking on the head to allow the customer to differentiate them.

Grade 10.9 bolts are typically used in automotive applications and for bolting large, forged parts and are often made using carbon steel and boron steel.  Socket and Countersunk buttons are commonly manufactured in this grade.

Grade 12.9 bolts, fasteners and fixings are for some of the heaviest jobs, such as securing engines and ensuring that drives are tamper proof.

The grade of the fastener doesn’t just determine how much stress that they can withstand, but also the kind of tool needed to be able to tighten them.