Mild Steel
Hook Bolt
Zinc plated hook bolt kits and a screw hook for hanging light things from timber or steel. Not rated for lifting.
About the Hook Bolt
Hook bolts give you a hook through timber or steel for hanging light things, like gates on chains, hoses, tools, ropes and wire. They are zinc plated mild steel, as 1/4 inch BSW hook bolt kits (the hooked bolt with its nut) from 1 to 8 inches long, plus a 1/4 inch heavy screw hook with a timber thread that screws straight in. They are not rated for lifting or loads. Choose the type and length above; the guide below covers which to use, sizes and fitting.
Also called hook bolt sets or bolt hooks.
Features
- Hooked end
- Kit with nut
- Zinc plated mild steel
Applications
- Hanging hoses, tools and ropes in sheds and garages
- Light wire and chain hooks through timber or steel
What a hook bolt is
A hook bolt is a bolt with its top bent over into a hook. Hobson's hook bolt kit is a 1/4 inch BSW (20 threads per inch) mild steel bolt, zinc plated, with a hex nut supplied (no washer): you drill through the timber or steel, push the bolt through so the hook sits on the front, and tighten the nut on the back. Hobson's drawing shows a 3/4 inch hook end set at 45 degrees.
The heavy screw hook is the other option on this page: a 1/4 inch hook on a timber screw thread with a point, for screwing straight into timber where you cannot get to the back to fit a nut.
Not rated for lifting or loads
Hobson publishes no working load limit or breaking load for these hook bolts or the screw hook, and they are not marked with one. Do not lift with them, or hang swings, hammocks, punching bags, people or anything that could hurt someone if it fell. Those jobs need a rated product and the fixing an engineer or the product's designer specifies; for lifting, use rated lifting hooks and eye bolts marked with their working load limit.
Hook bolt sizes
All the hook bolts are 1/4 inch BSW; choose the length to suit the thickness you bolt through, leaving enough thread for the nut. Select a row to open it in the selector.
Hook bolts and screw hook, by length. Length is L on Hobson's drawing, from the bend to the end of the bolt, in inches with the mm conversion; thread length is T; plain shank is length minus thread (arithmetic, and approximate because L includes part of the bend). Zinc plated mild steel. Pack is the smallest quantity we sell. Tap a number to show it in the selector above.
| Size (inch) | Type | Length (mm) | Thread length | Plain shank | Pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 x 1 inch | Hook bolt kit (bolt and nut) | 25.4mm | 1/2 inch (12.7mm) | 1/2 inch (12.7mm) | Pack of 100 |
| 1/4 x 1-1/2 inch | Hook bolt kit (bolt and nut) | 38.1mm | 1 inch (25.4mm) | 1/2 inch (12.7mm) | Pack of 100 |
| 1/4 x 2 inch | Hook bolt kit (bolt and nut) | 50.8mm | 1-1/2 inch (38.1mm) | 1/2 inch (12.7mm) | Pack of 100 |
| 1/4 x 2-1/2 inch | Hook bolt kit (bolt and nut) | 63.5mm | 1-1/2 inch (38.1mm) | 1 inch (25.4mm) | Pack of 100 |
| 1/4 x 3-1/2 inch | Hook bolt kit (bolt and nut) | 88.9mm | 1-1/2 inch (38.1mm) | 2 inch (50.8mm) | Pack of 100 |
| 1/4 x 4 inch | Hook bolt kit (bolt and nut) | 101.6mm | 1-1/2 inch (38.1mm) | 2-1/2 inch (63.5mm) | Pack of 100 |
| 1/4 x 4-1/2 inch | Hook bolt kit (bolt and nut) | 114.3mm | 1-1/2 inch (38.1mm) | 3 inch (76.2mm) | Pack of 100 |
| 1/4 x 5 inch | Hook bolt kit (bolt and nut) | 127mm | 1-1/2 inch (38.1mm) | 3-1/2 inch (88.9mm) | Pack of 100 |
| 1/4 x 6 inch | Hook bolt kit (bolt and nut) | 152.4mm | 1-1/2 inch (38.1mm) | 4-1/2 inch (114.3mm) | Pack of 50 |
| 1/4 x 8 inch | Hook bolt kit (bolt and nut) | 203.2mm | 1-1/2 inch (38.1mm) | 6-1/2 inch (165.1mm) | Pack of 50 |
| 1/4 x 1-3/4 inch | Heavy screw hook (timber thread) | 44.5mm | 31.8mm | Screws into timber | Pack of 100 |
Choosing the length
- Measure the total thickness the bolt passes through (timber, steel or both), then add room for a washer and the nut. The bolt length must be longer than that.
- The thread is 1/2 inch on the 1 inch bolt, 1 inch on the 1-1/2 inch bolt and 1-1/2 inch on every bolt from 2 to 8 inches. The nut can only clamp once the plain shank is inside the hole, so the material plus washer must be roughly as thick as the plain shank: about 2-1/2 inch (63.5mm) for the 4 inch bolt and about 6-1/2 inch (165.1mm) for the 8 inch. Hobson measures the length from the top of the bend, so part of that is the bend itself and the real minimum is a little less. Much thinner than that and the nut runs out of thread before it is tight.
- For thick posts or beams, the 6 and 8 inch bolts (152.4 and 203.2mm) reach through.
- Cannot reach the back of the timber: use the heavy screw hook instead.
How to fit a hook bolt
- Drill a straight hole through the timber or steel, just bigger than the 1/4 inch (6.35mm) bolt.
- Push the bolt through from the front, with the hook facing the way you want it.
- Fit a flat washer on the back (on timber, it stops the nut pulling into the wood), then run the nut on.
- Hold the hook so it stays square and tighten the nut. Cut off any excess thread that sticks out where people could catch on it.
- For the screw hook, drill a pilot hole smaller than the thread and screw it in by turning the hook until the thread is fully home.
Zinc plated: indoors or under cover
Every item on this page is zinc plated. Hobson's finish comparison rates zinc plating (about 5 microns) as low corrosion resistance and recommends it for indoor and non-corrosive environments. In sheds, garages and under cover they are fine; outdoors in the weather, Hobson's corrosion guide points to stainless steel or hot dip galvanised for exposed fixings, so expect zinc plated hooks to rust there. For outdoor and coastal hooks, see the stainless rigging hardware and stainless eye screws.
Hook bolts in Adelaide
Allmat supplies hook bolts, screw hooks, eye bolts and washers to builders, farmers, fencers and trade across Adelaide and South Australia. Add them to a quote with the rest of your list.
Hook bolts and screw hooks
Hook bolt kits, screw hooks, eye bolts, washers and turnbuckles are available to order from Allmat for builders, farmers, fencers and trade across Adelaide and South Australia. Order through Allmat, we pick and pack it, then click and collect from the Allmat yard or have it delivered to site.
Goes with
Questions
What is a hook bolt used for?
For a through-bolted hook in timber or steel: hanging tools, hoses, leads and ropes in sheds and workshops, gate and door hooks, and similar fixing points. Hobson publishes no load rating, so not for lifting or anything that holds people.
What comes in a hook bolt kit?
The hooked bolt with a hex nut supplied, as Hobson's product drawing shows. No washer is included; add a flat washer under the nut when you fix to timber.
What thread is on the hook bolts?
1/4 inch BSW, 20 threads per inch, on every length from 1 to 8 inches.
What is the difference between a hook bolt and a screw hook?
A hook bolt goes right through and is held by a nut on the back. A screw hook has a timber thread and screws into the wood from one side, for where you cannot reach the back.
Can I use hook bolts outside?
They are zinc plated, which Hobson rates as low corrosion resistance for indoor and non-corrosive use. Under cover is fine; in the weather they will rust. Use stainless for exposed and coastal work.
Can I hang a swing or hammock from a hook bolt?
No. Hobson publishes no load rating for these hooks. Swings, hammocks and anything that carries people need a rated product and fixings to the maker's or an engineer's specification.
How many hook bolts come in a pack?
100 for the 1 to 5 inch lengths, 50 for the 6 and 8 inch, and 100 for the heavy screw hook.
Where can I buy hook bolts in Adelaide?
Order through Allmat. Order ahead by phone on 1300 03 03 63 or send your list for a quote, then click and collect from 25 Kapara Road, Gillman, or have them delivered to site.
Hook Bolt: sizes and finishes we supply
11 lines by type and finish. Pick one above for its product code, pack sizes and dimensions.
| Type | Finish | Sizes | Lengths | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Zinc Plated | 1/4 | 1 to 8 inch (10 lengths) | 10 |
| Heavy | Zinc Plated | 1/4 | 1-3/4 inch | 1 |
Data sheets and documents
The documents for the product you choose are listed with the selector above. Here is every Hook Bolt document from Hobson Engineering.
All Hook Bolt documents (2)
Data sheets and technical data (1)
Guides and articles (1)
Need them in bulk?
Add the sizes you need to your quote, or send us your list and we’ll price the lot and supply it with the rest of your order.
Browse all bent bolts