The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk clutch head screws

hi just wondering do you guys replace the clutch heads with new ones or do you guys just put philips or something.

I used mainly Allen an Phillips, depending on what screw it was ans what was available. Also used mostly stainless. Nothing wrong with cluth head, though, other than new ones aren't easily available.

I prefer the button head hex bolts. The clutch head doesn't seem to clutch as well as the hex.

Welcome to the Stovebolt. Youre gonna like it here.
As far as replacing the clutchhead fasteners,it depends what youre going to do with your truck. If its just a driver and youre not concerned with the small details,,just regular hex head bolts and slotted or phillips screws are more readily available than the clutchheads. And theyre alot easier to work with.
If youre restoring to orig. then youll want to replace with "dem dam clutchheads",as thats what youll be calling them by the time youre done.
Good luck on your project...

Be careful subbing with allen-head buttonhead screws and bolts. The allen is fairly small for any given screw size, which means it can handle only limited torque. Okay for trim screws but if it's an app that is likely to see a little rust, it can be the devil to get out. Round head and especially flat-head internal allens can be real annoying..... don't ask me how I know. ;-)

George

I dunno about that. I source out grade 8 Allens at the local farm store and Fastenal. I can get them up to at least 1/2". You'd be surprized at how many Allens are used by the OEs on modern cars in high torque applications.

only if resoring to stock my trocks a rod and a driver no way just good old bolts i do use a lot of self locking nuts

Depends a lot on the type of Allen. They have their uses. But for a given size bolt, an allen head (properly, an internally-wrenched bolt) will withstand less torque that a hex head. The problem is worse for small button-heads, and even worse for flat heads.

Yes, allens have uses. They're easy to recess, for example. But they're not categorically better than other types.

Cheers!
George

I have to agree with George on this one ,
Ive used the button head Allens , grade 8 steel & S.S. on a few projects and had the following results ...
for initial install NP's getting them tight...BUT...after time and corrosion getting them back off was always a chore ! ..even after stripping the 50th fastener an learning to always soak em for a day or 2 before removal I never had much luck ..usually ended up grinding the head off or cutting the bolt form the back.
On my 52 I am going with S.S. Hex heads .
Now Remeber I live in the land of perpetual wintewr (PA) ...SALT heaven in the winter ! wich means more corrosion than in many parts of the U.S.
Tim

always remind me to never buy a truck from PA...

EDIT: I should also include Il. .....thats where my my "half" panel came from!! I say half because half of it is stil there on the roadway somewhere!

I actually like the clutch head screws. They are available at Chevs of the 40’s and I’ll bet most of the other popular suppliers. I have kept, cleaned up, and reused all of mine except the 2 or 3 that had to be ruined to remove. As they were primarily used on the interior of my ’41. I get a lot of comments “what kind of a screw is that”