80/20 Black Stainless Flanged Button Head Screw - 5/16-18 x .687" (3607 Equivalent)

Black stainless, with blue threadlocker already on the threads. The bolt to use where it will be seen and where it will get wet.

Two upgrades over the plain zinc version, and both matter on an exterior rack. First, black-coated stainless steel: it resists corrosion where a zinc bolt eventually will not, and it disappears against a black rack instead of glinting.

Second, and more usefully, blue threadlocker is pre-applied. That is a removable-strength threadlocker, so the bolt stays put through years of vibration but still comes out with a hex key when you want to change something. You do not have to remember to bring a bottle of Loctite up a ladder.

What it is for

• Exterior roof rack and ladder hardware where corrosion and vibration both matter.
• Anywhere the fastener is visible and you want a black finish.
• Any joint you would otherwise have to threadlock by hand.

Compatibility

The 15 series is the 1.5 inch profile — the size almost every van roof rack and interior framing system is built from. If your extrusion measures 1.5 in across the face and takes a 5/16-18 fastener, this is your hardware.

Specifications

What's included

• (1) 5/16-18 × .687" black-coated stainless flanged button head socket cap screw with blue threadlocker pre-applied

Working with it

Pre-applied threadlocker works once properly and less well the second time. If you back a bolt out and reinstall it, add a drop of fresh blue threadlocker rather than trusting what is left on the threads.

Anti-seize and threadlocker do opposite jobs — do not use both on the same fastener. On stainless into stainless, the threadlocker also acts as an anti-galling lubricant during assembly, which is a useful side effect.

• Pre-applied blue threadlocker: removable strength, resists vibration.
• Reinstalling? Add fresh threadlocker. The original is spent.
• Do not add anti-seize on top of the threadlocker.
• Full torque within the threadlocker’s working time — do not snug it and come back tomorrow.

Questions we get asked

How do I know if my extrusion is 15 series?

Measure across the flat face of the profile. A 15 series extrusion is 1.5 in wide (or a multiple — 1.5 × 3.0, and so on) and the T-slot takes a 5/16-18 fastener. If your rack came from Unaka, 80/20 Inc., or most van rack makers in North America, it is 15 series.

Is blue threadlocker removable?

Yes. Blue is the medium-strength, hand-tool-removable grade. Red is the permanent one that needs heat. On a rack you want blue — you will want to move something eventually.

Is it worth the extra over the zinc version?

On an exterior rack in a place that salts its roads, yes, without hesitation. Inside the van under a bed frame, the zinc bolt is fine.

Pairs well with

• Van roof rack, ladder and 80/20 hardware

Sold and shipped by Campervan Parts R Us, the parts counter of Noke Van Co. — a working van conversion shop in Roanoke, Virginia. If you are unsure whether this fits your van, email us the year, model and wheelbase and we will check it against a build sheet before you order.