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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: Phil B on September 03, 2012, 03:43:51 PM

Title: "m4" screws
Post by: Phil B on September 03, 2012, 03:43:51 PM
The wiki mentions that to replace the carburator OEM screws, get "M4x10mm" allen head screws.

Is there some other type/designation that works well for this?
They seem to be on the rare side. They're not in the typical home depot/lowes catalog. except for ones that have the little leader bit, like
(http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/008236/008236712124xl.jpg)

They do have regular "crown, philips head" ones though.
Thoughts?


(yeah, i could order them online, but I prefer walking into a store)
Title: Re: "m4" screws
Post by: Badot on September 03, 2012, 04:01:51 PM
Do you have an ACE Hardware, True Value, anything like that near you? Socket heads are suggested because they're a lot less likely to strip than phillips or flathead screws.
Title: Re: "m4" screws
Post by: Phil B on September 03, 2012, 04:13:21 PM
Have ace, and truevalue, but neither list m4 screws on their online catalogs.
Title: Re: "m4" screws
Post by: Badot on September 03, 2012, 04:16:39 PM
They should both have them. Usually somewhere near the back they have whole aisles of plastic bins filled with different kinds of screws, nuts, washers... all kinds of stuff.
Title: Re: "m4" screws
Post by: Phil B on September 03, 2012, 04:18:07 PM
huh. thanks for the suggestions. I just called ace and they do have them.
Silly web people not wanting a sale  :cookoo:
Title: Re: "m4" screws
Post by: weedahoe on September 03, 2012, 09:04:59 PM
We have a nut and bolt store locally and thats ALL they specialize in. I bought 16 of them (for my 2 carbs and walked out at right at 1.00
Title: Re: "m4" screws
Post by: sledge on September 03, 2012, 11:40:51 PM
If you want the correct items you need to know what it is you are looking for and to ask for the right things. The term `Allen head` is a misnomer, the correct term is `socket` followed by the design of the head eg: cap, button, flanged button, countersunk, oval. Its also generaly accepted that a (machine) screw is threaded along its full length where as a bolt isnt.

`Allen` is a trademark and not a true description for this type of fastening. Its become a synonym in the same way Biro has for pens, Hoover has for vacuum cleaners and Jeep has for 4x4s. My old boss threatened to stuff a box full of them up my ass if I ever refered to Allen bolts in front of him...and I soon got out of the habit!
Title: Re: "m4" screws
Post by: piresito on September 04, 2012, 02:14:26 AM
M4 is a metric measurement of a screw, so it might explain why youre having trouble. Basicly its a screw with a 4mm thread diamenter and 0.7mm pitch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_metric_screw_thread

If you come to Portugal, I pay you a beer and take you to an hardware store which has those screws. Alternatively, you can go to ebay and you probably find there! Pay atention to it's length too!