Carriage Bolts are used primarily for through-bolting timber and soft material where the square neck pulls into the part and resists spin. This page lists the industries and assemblies where they are specified, the selection criteria that matter for each application, installation practice, and the cases where a different fastener type is the correct choice. Parts are supplied to DIN 603. Stocked across roughly M5 to M20, they cover general to heavy-duty work.
Typical Applications for Carriage Bolts
The most common settings where these are specified:
- Heavy machinery: securing gearboxes, frames and guarding on plant that sees shock loads.
- Energy & infrastructure: tower, pylon and pipework supports exposed to weather and long service life.
- Timber structures: decking, fencing, play equipment and benches where a smooth domed head is wanted.
- Machinery guards: anti-tamper fixing where the round head resists a tool.
- General machine building: fastening covers, brackets, motors and sub-assemblies on production equipment.
How to Specify Carriage Bolts for Your Application
- Size: Match the nominal size to the mating thread or hole. This product spans M5–M20; check the full table below for the exact dimensions of each size.
- Strength class: Choose the property class (e.g. 8.8, 10.9, 12.9 or A2/A4 stainless) for the load and environment, and tighten to the matching torque so the joint relies on preload, not friction.
- Environment: For damp, coastal or chemical exposure prefer A4/316 stainless or a suitable coating; indoors, plated steel or A2 is usually sufficient.
- Standard: This product is supplied to DIN 603. Quoting the standard on your order guarantees interchangeable dimensions between suppliers.
Installation & Assembly Practice
- Tighten to the torque for the size and property class with a calibrated wrench — the joint is held by preload, not by the thread friction alone.
- Ensure at least one full thread projects beyond the nut after tightening, and never re-use a bolt that has been tightened into yield.
- Under slotted or oversized holes, fit a hardened washer so the preload does not relax into the hole edge.
Common Selection Mistakes with Carriage Bolts
- Specifying class 12.9 "to be safe" in a corrosive environment — high classes are more sensitive to hydrogen embrittlement and stress corrosion; 8.8 hot-dip galvanized often outlasts them outdoors.
- Choosing a length that puts the shear plane through the threaded portion when a plain shank (partially threaded bolt) was available.
- Mixing stainless bolts with plated-steel nuts: the joint loses its corrosion logic and can gall or seize.
Where Carriage Bolts Are Not the Right Choice
Not for permanent joints that will never be opened (a rivet or weld is cheaper), and not where the head must sit flush — use a countersunk screw instead.