Where to find new upper control arm bolt ?

[jjb]

Does anyone know where to find new pivot bolts for the upper front control arm ?
These are the bolts which the inboard end of the upper control arm bushing pivots on. (You can see the head and nut of them inside the engine bay sticking out of the chassis bosses down on the inner fender wells.)
I though they were just 16mm x 1.5 with a long shank. I bought news ones like that, then discovered the originals have a shank diameter of 17 mm, not 16 mm. Since this forms the pivot joint where it slips through the bushing, the news bolts have too much play with a bushing over them.

Is there some metric bolt spec I'm over looking ? I realize I may be able to get used ones at APE.

Cheers,
Jeff

[Alfajay]

Yes, these are "shoulder bolts", so finding something workable at your local metric fastener supplier will be tough. APE is a good source. Your local club swapmeet, or a local Alfa repair shop's boneyard would be other possibilities. You might put a notice in the "Parts Wanted" classifieds here on the BB. Every 4 cylinder Alfa built from around 1965 to 1992 used the same front suspension, so these aren't exactly rare parts.

[jjb]

Jay,
Thanks for the input. It aligns with what I'm finding out. Bolt Depot told me it sounds like a shoulder bolt, which they don't carry.
Some speciality places on the web have shoulder bolts, but not with these dimensions. closest thing is an M16 with M20 size shoulder. I suppose a machine shop could turn down the shoulder.
Its a pity there's no such thing as an M17 bolt, since it would work fine and I could get new M17 nuts as well.
I'll call APE next.

Cheers,
Jeff

[ossodiseppia]

Those shoulder bolts are an M16, not M17. I was able to get new nylox nuts for the ones on my car.

[jjb]

Hi Osso,

Yea, I know they are M16 x 1.5, but a standard M16 leaves too much play where the bushing sleeve slips over the shoulder. I was saying that a M17 would work, but doesn't exist, as far as I can tell.

Cheers,
Jeff