129 tunnel cover bolts
 

I am wondering what size bolts fit in the tunnel cover. The only thing thst I can find that will fit and thread in is an eye bolt from a turn buckle. I have been to 3 stores and cant find a bolt the same size and thread as the eye bolt.

I believe it is a 12-24 x 3/8" Hex head bolt - P/N: 710-3007

Drill out the hole and weld or jb weld a 1/4-20 nut under the frame. I have never had good luck with the little screws staying in the frame

Any well equipped Hardware Store will have a 12-24 x 3/8" bolt. There are at least three places locally here that care them.

I, too, have had a hard time finding them. My local NAPA (usually has what I need) didn't have them and they sent me to a specialty company called Fastenal and they didn't have any. So, I went to my cub dealer that had just 3 and each one was pricey....seems like it was over a dollar or two, which I thought was a bit much for such a little bolt.

Cub Cadet 123

Restore or Fix?
 

Cub1450129: I had a hard time STARTING the little bolts that came on my Model 149, and then I lost two of them in the grass; so I ran a 1/4"-20 tap through the rear two holes and used 1/2" long stainless steel bolts. I haven't had a problem with the setup, although I'm careful not to crank on them. I don't have the front bolts in the tractor at all, and I keep a 7/16" nut driver handy in the shed to pop the cover off.

Looking back though, I wish I had kept it original. I was using what I had on hand to "get'r done," now I don't have the option of "keeping it as it was."

Just something to consider.

Jeremiah

Good advice, been there, done that:bash2:

Fastenal Part Number -27630- pennies apiece 3/4 long.

Part of the problem is the original screws were self-tapping, so if the person installing them wasn't paying attention, they could be cross-threaded without it being noticed. Do that a couple times and there are no threads left. If the threads are still intact, make sure whatever screws you buy aren't self-tapping so you don't have to worry about this problem.

Matt's right.

And then if they are cross threaded and the threads gone, the best option for me atleast is to tap them out bigger and use a bigger bolt. BTDT. :bash2: