When I cobbled the car together, I used normal M8 8.8 setscrews. I wrote myself a little note on the dash to remind me to fit the correct bolts. After a few runs up the road, I've decided to grease the prop and do the bolts. I have looked at the bolts in my spare prop (which is a spare Fiat 131 prop!) and they are normal M8 8.8.
What size and type do I need? The prop/axle is your standard Escorty type stuff.
Cheers folks, Owelly.

Use cap head (ie allen key) bolts of a suitable length which are 12.9 high tensile. Ideally also source some K nuts or at the very least binx nuts as these are less prone to shaking loose and arent affected by heat unlike nylocks.

K nut


Binx Nut


Most

I'd use Binx nuts (or the oval type aero quality crush nuts). I wouldn't use K nuts as I've had them come undone...
Infact, I had some included in the fitting set for an alternator for a Xflow and they both fell off.... I'd never trust a K nut again- especially not for a propshaft!!!!

Are you sure they were proper K Nuts Ben, or perhaps re-used, because theyve always been recommended to me over binx for increased resistance to undoing, and Ive known people who have had binx nuts loosen on props before, but not heard of anyone with K nuts having an issue before.

What are the aero quality crush nuts you've mentioned, aren't they K nuts, ie ovalised at one end to pinch as it does up?

[Edited on 29/7/07 by ChrisGamlin]

i dont remember the prop having nuts when i took it off the donor...

It may not, some of the flanges on the diffs are threaded.

Why cap-heads? And I can't remember if the flange is tapped or just plain holes! And why posh nuts and not just a blob of Loctite? And what size?

Cap heads because they are generally a lot easier to do up in the confines of the prop knuckles, and also because all cap head bolts are high tensile I think, so guarantees you're getting the right strength.

Posh nuts AND Loctite, simply because its such a critical/dangerous thing if it comes loose

As to size, Id hope diameter will be the same as the ones you have in there already hopefully, and if you cant remember if the flange is threaded or not lets hope you've either forgotten that you put nuts on the back, or it is threaded!!

[Edited on 29/7/07 by ChrisGamlin]

Ah but, the problem is that I fitted the prop one dark gloomy night rolling around in the snow. I happened to have four M8 bolts in my hand and they fit through the holes so that's what went in! I bought the car in pieces and never got to meet the original bolts.
The flange <<snigger>> had been drilled for different props. Some holes were tapped, some wern't and some looked to be the result of some crazy hole drilling loon. The holes I used happened to be aligned with the ones in the prop joint flange. I still don't know if they are the right holes. It looks like I'll have to get my big fat arse under the car and have a look.
Chees for the replies guys.

If it's a big flange () it'll be tapped, old bean.... Chris is saying allen head as they're more often than not 12.9.

The holes are not evenly spaced so the prop will only fit in two orientations. There is a lip on the flange [snigger] so the prop will locate centrally if you have used nuts and bolts.