3

Identification and Measurement

1: Identifying Cap Screw Grades

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has created specications that cover chemical and
mechanical requirements for threaded and non-threaded fasteners as are used widely within automotive
and other industries.
The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) has created specications that cover chemical
and mechanical requirements for fasteners used in engineering applications, such as structural bolts
used in building.
In the overall MRO (Maintenance Repair Operations) market, the wide majority of the hex head cap
screws used are covered by SAE specications. These cap screws are graded by the SAE by strength
levels, and are head-marked to reect the SAE grade and strength (See Table 3.1.1).

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3: Identication and Measurement: Identifying Cap Screws

Table 3.1.1
Varying cap screw grades, their specications, details, and identifying markings.
Head
Markings

Nominal Sizes

Tensile Strength
(PSI)

Rockwell Harness

1/4 thru 1-1/2

60,000

B70-100

1/4 thru 3/4

7/8 thru 1-1/2

74,000
60,000

B80-100
B70-100

1/4 thru 4

60,000

B69-100

ASTM A307 - Gr. B

1/4 thru 4

60,000

B69-95

SAE J429 - Gr. 5

ASTM A449 - Type 1

1/4 thru 1
over 1 thru 1-1/2

120,000
105,000

C25-34
C19-30

over 1-1/2 thru 3

90,000

B183-B235

1/2 thru 1
over 1 to 1-1/2

120,000
105,000

C24-35
C19-31

1/4 thru 1-1/2

150,000

C33-39

1/4 thru 2-1/2

over 2-1/2 to 4

150,000
140,000

C33-39
C31-39

Specications

Material

SAE J429 - Gr. 1

SAE J429 - Gr. 2
ASTM A307 - Gr. A

ASTM A449 - Type 1

A325

ASTM A325 - Type 1

SAE J429 - Gr. 8

ASTM A354 - Gr. BD

A490

A490

A490

Low or Medium
Carbon Steel

Medium Carbon
Steel, Quenched
and Tempered

Medium Carbon
Steel, Quenched
and Tempered

Medium Carbon
Alloy Steel,
Quenched and
Tempered

SAE J429 - Gr. 1

Grade 8.2

Low Carbon
Martensite Steel,
Quenched and
Tempered

1/4 thru 1

150,000

C33-39

ASTM A490
Type 1

Medium Carbon
Alloy Steel,
Quenched and
Tempered

1/2 thru 1-1/2

150,000 min
170,000 max

C33-38

ASTM A490
Type 2

Low Carbon
Martensite Steel,
Quenched and
Tempered

1/2 thru 1

150,000 min
170,000 max

C33-38

ASTM A490
Type 3

Atmospheric
Corrosion
Resistant Steel,
Quenched and
Tempered

1/2 thru 1-1/2

150,000 min
170,000 max

C33-38