Bolts · ASME B18.2.1 / SAE J429 Grade 5

SAE J429 Square-Head Bolts Specification

Dimensional table, tolerance classes and the DIN / ISO / ASME parts that supersede or match this standard.

SAE J429 specifies the dimensions and tolerances for square-head bolts. The full dimensional table is reproduced below, followed by the DIN, ISO and ASME parts that match or supersede it.

Standard: SAE J429
Product: Square-Head Bolts
Governing standards: ASME B18.2.1 / SAE J429 Grade 5

Equivalence between national standards is dimensional, not always metallurgical. Check the property class separately when substituting.

For square-head bolts, SAE J429 defines the dimensions, tolerances and product grades. The sections below describe the scope of the document, the properties it deliberately leaves to companion standards, and the equivalent designations across standards bodies.

SAE J429 — Scope

SAE J429 specifies the dimensions and tolerances of square-head bolts. Material, property class, surface finish and packaging are governed by separate documents in the same standards family (for example ISO 898-1 for the mechanical property classes of bolts and screws).

Tolerance & Product Grades

SAE J429, alongside the related ASME B18.2.1 / SAE J429 Grade 5 entries on this site, specifies product grades (typically A or B for fine work and C for general engineering) and tolerance classes for the controlling dimensions. Choose the grade against the precision your application requires.

Dimensions Specified by SAE J429

Size	Thread form	Head width (in)	Head height (in)	Tensile strength (psi)	Material / grade	Reference standard
1/4-20	fully or partially threaded	3/8	11/64	120000	yellow-zinc-chromate steel, Grade 5	ASME B18.2.1 / SAE J429
M6 / M8 / M10 / M12 / M14 / M16 / M20 / M24 / M30	fully or partially threaded				yellow-zinc-chromate steel, Grade 5	ASME B18.2.1 / SAE J429
5/16-18 through 1-1/4-7	fully or partially threaded				yellow-zinc-chromate steel, Grade 5	ASME B18.2.1 / SAE J429

Companion Standards

SAE J429 controls only the geometry of square-head bolts. The mechanical strength is set by ISO 898-1 (bolts and screws) or ISO 898-2 (nuts); the surface finish is governed by separate finish standards (e.g. ISO 4042 for electroplating). For corrosion testing, the relevant document is ISO 9227 (neutral salt spray).

When to Specify SAE J429

Choose SAE J429 for international engineering work and OEM supply where ISO standards are the contractual reference. It is the default modern specification for square-head bolts.

Technical Drawing

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Specification

Item / category Standard Size(s) Material / finish Quantity

Business Information

Company * Contact Name * Email * Phone (with country code) Country / Region

Notes

Dimensions & Specifications (ASME B18.2.1 / SAE J429 Grade 5)

Size	Thread form	Head width (in)	Head height (in)	Tensile strength (psi)	Material / grade	Reference standard
1/4-20	fully or partially threaded	3/8	11/64	120000	yellow-zinc-chromate steel, Grade 5	ASME B18.2.1 / SAE J429
M6 / M8 / M10 / M12 / M14 / M16 / M20 / M24 / M30	fully or partially threaded				yellow-zinc-chromate steel, Grade 5	ASME B18.2.1 / SAE J429
5/16-18 through 1-1/4-7	fully or partially threaded				yellow-zinc-chromate steel, Grade 5	ASME B18.2.1 / SAE J429

Materials & Grades

Select a material class to see the grades we supply it in. Each designation is listed with its ISO/EN, AISI/SAE, JIS and GB equivalents.

Stainless Steel38 Carbon Steel66 Alloy Steel41 Bearing Steel5 Spring Steel25 Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys21 Brass17 Bronze11 Copper8 Titanium and Titanium Alloys18 Nickel and Nickel Alloys22 Iron-Nickel and High-Temperature Alloys10 Tool Steel and Specialty Hardened Steel9 Structural and Construction Steel9

Stainless Steel

Austenitic Stainless Steel

A1 AISI 303 · SAE 303 · SUS303 · EN 1.4305 · X8CrNiS18-9
A2 AISI 304 · SAE 304 · SUS304 · EN 1.4301 · X5CrNi18-10 · 06Cr19Ni10
304L AISI 304L · SUS304L · EN 1.4307 · X2CrNi18-9 · 022Cr19Ni10
302 AISI 302 · SUS302 · EN 1.4310
305 AISI 305 · SUS305 · EN 1.4303
A4 AISI 316 · SAE 316 · SUS316 · EN 1.4401 · X5CrNiMo17-12-2 · 06Cr17Ni12Mo2
316L AISI 316L · SUS316L · EN 1.4404 · X2CrNiMo17-12-2 · 022Cr17Ni12Mo2
321 AISI 321 · SUS321 · EN 1.4541 · X6CrNiTi18-10
310 / 310S AISI 310 · AISI 310S · SUS310S · EN 1.4845
302HQ AISI 302HQ
A3
A5
347 AISI 347 · SUS347 · EN 1.4550 · X6CrNiNb18-10
309 / 309S AISI 309 · AISI 309S · SUS309S

Martensitic Stainless Steel

AISI 410 SUS410 · EN 1.4006 · X12Cr13 · 12Cr13
AISI 420 SUS420J1 · SUS420J2 · EN 1.4021 · EN 1.4028 · 20Cr13 · 30Cr13
AISI 431 SUS431 · EN 1.4057 · X17CrNi16-2
C1
C3
C4
AISI 440A
AISI 440B
AISI 440C SUS440C · EN 1.4125

Ferritic Stainless Steel

AISI 430 SUS430 · EN 1.4016 · X6Cr17 · 10Cr17
F1
AISI 434
AISI 444

Precipitation-Hardening Stainless Steel

17-4 PH AISI 630 · UNS S17400 · SUS630 · EN 1.4542 · X5CrNiCuNb16-4
15-5 PH UNS S15500
17-7 PH UNS S17700

Duplex and Super Duplex Stainless Steel

Duplex 2205 UNS S31803 · UNS S32205 · EN 1.4462
Super Duplex 2507 UNS S32750 · EN 1.4410
D2
D4
D6
D8
Lean Duplex 2101 UNS S32101
Super Duplex S32760 UNS S32760 · EN 1.4501

Carbon Steel

Low-Carbon Steel

SAE 1006
SAE 1008
SAE 1010
SAE 1018
SAE 1020
Q195
Q235
SAE 1012
SAE 1015
Q215
ML08
ML08Al
ML10
ML15
ML20
SWRCH6A
SWRCH8A
SWRCH10A
SWRCH12A
SWRCH15A
SWRCH18A

Medium-Carbon Steel

SAE 1035
SAE 1045
S45C
C45
SAE 1030
SAE 1040
SAE 1050
30
35
40
45
50
S35C
S40C
S50C
C35
C40

High-Carbon Steel

SAE 1060
SAE 1070
65Mn
SAE 1065
SAE 1075
SAE 1080
SAE 1085
SAE 1090
SAE 1095
60
65
70
75
80
85

Cold-Heading Steel

SWRCH22A
10B21
SWRCH22K
SWRCH25K
SWRCH30K
SWRCH35K
SWRCH40K
ML20Mn
ML25
ML30
ML35
ML40
15B25

Alloy Steel

Chromium Steel

40Cr
45Cr
AISI 5140
SAE 5140
AISI 5120
SAE 5120
SCr420
SCr440

Chromium-Molybdenum Steel

35CrMo
42CrMo
AISI 4140
SCM435
SCM440
42CrMo4
30CrMo
AISI 4130
SAE 4130
SAE 4140
AISI 4142
AISI 4145
SCM415
SCM420
SCM445
EN 1.7220
EN 1.7225
25CrMo4
34CrMo4

Nickel-Chromium-Molybdenum Steel

AISI 4340
SAE 4340
40CrNiMo
SNCM439
EN 1.6511
36CrNiMo4

Boron Alloy Steel

10B22
10B21
15B21
15B25
20MnTiB
20Mn2B
35VB
40MnB

Bearing Steel

GCr15
AISI 52100 SAE 52100 · UNS G52986
SUJ2
100Cr6 EN 1.3505
GCr15SiMn

Spring Steel

Carbon Spring Steel

SAE 1065
SAE 1070
SAE 1075
SAE 1080
SAE 1095
65
70
75
80
65Mn

Silicon-Manganese Spring Steel

60Si2Mn
60Si2MnA
SUP6
SUP7

Chromium-Vanadium Spring Steel

50CrVA
SAE 6150
AISI 6150
SUP10

Stainless Spring Steel

AISI 301
SUS301
EN 1.4310
AISI 302
AISI 304
AISI 316
17-7 PH

Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys

Commercially Pure Aluminum

1050
1060
1070
1100

2xxx Series Aluminum

2024
2011
2014
2017

5xxx Series Aluminum

5052
5083
5754

6xxx Series Aluminum

6061
6061-T6
6063
6082
6082-T6

7xxx Series Aluminum

7075
7075-T6
7005
7050
7075-T73

Brass

Free-Cutting Brass

C36000
H62
HPb59-1
C3601
C3602
C3604
CuZn36Pb3
CuZn39Pb3
EN CW614N
EN CW617N
H65

Lead-Free Brass

C69300
C27450
CW510L
CW511L

Naval Brass

C46400
CuZn39Sn1

Bronze

Silicon Bronze

C65500
C65100
C65600

Phosphor Bronze

C51000
C52100
CuSn6
CuSn8

Aluminum Bronze

C95400
C95500
C63000
CuAl10Ni5Fe4

Copper

C11000
T2
C10100
C10200
C12200
T1
TU1
TU2

Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Commercially Pure Titanium

Grade 2
Grade 1
Grade 3
Grade 4
TA1
TA2
TA3

Alpha-Beta Titanium Alloys

Grade 5
Ti-6Al-4V
TC4
UNS R56400

Low-Interstitial Grade

Grade 23
Ti-6Al-4V ELI
UNS R56407

Other Titanium Fastener Alloys

Ti-6Al-6V-2Sn
Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo
Beta-C titanium
Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al

Nickel and Nickel Alloys

Commercially Pure Nickel

Nickel 200
UNS N02200
Nickel 201
UNS N02201

Inconel Alloys

Inconel 625 UNS N06625
Inconel 718 UNS N07718
Inconel 600 UNS N06600
Inconel 601 UNS N06601
Inconel 686 UNS N06686
Inconel X-750 UNS N07750

Monel Alloys

Monel 400 UNS N04400
Monel K-500 UNS N05500

Hastelloy Alloys

Hastelloy C-276 UNS N10276
Hastelloy C-22 UNS N06022
Hastelloy B-2 UNS N10665
Hastelloy B-3 UNS N10675
Hastelloy X UNS N06002

Other Nickel Alloys

Alloy 20 UNS N08020
Alloy 625
Alloy 718
Alloy 825 UNS N08825
Alloy 925 UNS N09925

Iron-Nickel and High-Temperature Alloys

A286

A-286
UNS S66286
EN 1.4980

Invar

Invar 36
Alloy 36
UNS K93600
FeNi36

Alloy 42

Alloy 42
UNS K94100
FeNi42

Tool Steel and Specialty Hardened Steel

AISI D2
AISI H13
SKD11
Cr12MoV
AISI O1
AISI A2
AISI S7
SKD61
9CrSi

Structural and Construction Steel

ASTM A36
Q235B
Q355B
S355JR
Q235C
Q355C
S235JR
S275JR
S355J2

Applications & Industries

What Square-Head Bolts are specified for, industry by industry. Stocked from 1/4-20 to 5/16-18 through 1-1/4-7 (screw size).

Industries that specify Square-Head Bolts

Steel frames Partial or full thread options fit different grip lengths.
Maintenance work Metric and inch sizes cover mixed legacy equipment.
Fabricated machinery Square heads provide wrench faces when a hex head is not desired.
Agricultural structures Grade 5 steel covers general structural and equipment joints.
Machine building & OEM The default fastener on production equipment: covers, brackets, motor mounts and sub-assemblies tightened to a specified torque.
Automotive & transport Chassis, driveline and body fixings that see vibration and are assembled to a controlled preload.

Typical applications

matching the Grade 5 material to the joint requirement
using the stated ASME and SAE designations when ordering
tightening a square head with an open wrench
choosing full or partial thread from the grip
assemblies that are dismantled for service and re-torqued
joints where the property class is stated on the drawing

Service conditions to specify against

Marine and coastal: Available in A4 (316) stainless for chloride exposure — coastal structures, pool halls, water treatment and deck hardware, where A2 will eventually pit.
High load: Supplied in ISO 898-1 property classes, so the joint can be designed to a stated proof load and tightened to a calculated torque rather than by feel.
Torque and preload: The joint is designed around bolt tension, so lubrication, coating and the friction coefficient all change the torque figure — state them together.

Where to use something else

Do not assume the square head provides the same wrench clearance as a standard hex head; check the actual envelope.
Do not use a machine thread into unthreaded sheet or timber; use a tapping screw, rivet nut or insert made for that parent material.

Full application guide: where Square-Head Bolts are used, how to specify them, and the cases they are wrong for

Inside the plant

Manufactured in our own plant

This part is cold-formed, threaded, heat-treated and finished in-house. The stages below are where its class and finish are actually decided.

01

Cold heading

Wire rod is drawn to size and cold-formed into blanks. Forming rather than cutting keeps the grain flow continuous around the head, which is where a bolt is most likely to fail.

Head dimensions and under-head radius checked at set-up and per shift.
02

Thread rolling

Threads are rolled between hardened dies rather than cut. Rolled threads are stronger in fatigue than cut threads and hold pitch and flank angle far more consistently across a batch.

Go / no-go ring gauges to ISO 965 tolerance class 6g.
03

Heat treatment

Quench-and-temper brings carbon and alloy steel to the property class ordered — 8.8, 10.9 or 12.9 — with the furnace charge tracked so a finished lot can be traced back to it.

Core hardness and tensile tested per lot to ISO 898-1.
04

Surface treatment

Zinc, zinc-nickel, hot-dip galvanizing, black oxide, phosphate and Dacromet, selected against the service environment rather than against the price list.

Coating thickness and neutral salt spray hours to ISO 9227.

Frequently Asked Questions

What product grades does SAE J429 define?

SAE J429 typically distinguishes product grades for precision (A/B) and general engineering (C). The selection for Square-Head Bolts depends on the precision your application requires.

Does SAE J429 specify the mechanical strength?

No. SAE J429 controls only the geometry of square-head bolts. The mechanical strength is set by ISO 898-1 (bolts / screws) or ISO 898-2 (nuts), and the finish is governed by separate standards.

Can I substitute SAE J429 for the corresponding DIN standard on a drawing?

On modern drawings the ISO standard is the master reference; the older DIN equivalent is a cross-reference. For most dimensional purposes the parts are interchangeable, but check tolerance grades and the head height — these are the most common points of divergence.

Which edition of SAE J429 does this table follow?

The table reproduces the dimensions we supply square-head bolts to. We do not publish an edition year against it, so where the edition is contractually significant, cite the edition you require on the enquiry and we will confirm it against the table before quoting.

How do I request a quotation?

Use the technical drawing on this page to pick the exact configuration, then submit it with the quote form. We respond within one business day.