B&W 801 Head Retaining Bolts

[kmanusa]

Hi all, this is my first post to this forum. I am the happy owner of B&W 801 Matrix Series 2 speakers which arrived Saturday. Unfortunately, both retaining bolts that hold the heads to the cabinets were bent during shipping and one of the plastic caps is broken. :cry:

I just learned from B&W USA today that they no longer stock replacement bolts for the 801 series. Has anyone found an alternative source for these bolts? Or, is there some way to replace these with bolts obtained from hardware stores? I assume the bolts use a metric thread.

[Andrew M Ward]

Hi all, this is my first post to this forum. I am the happy owner of B&W 801 Matrix Series 2 speakers which arrived Saturday. Unfortunately, both retaining bolts that hold the heads to the cabinets were bent during shipping and one of the plastic caps is broken. :cry:

I just learned from B&W USA today that they no longer stock replacement bolts for the 801 series. Has anyone found an alternative source for these bolts? Or, is there some way to replace these with bolts obtained from hardware stores? I assume the bolts use a metric thread.

I cannot even imagine how the head bolts got bent? Aren't they inside the Marlan Head?

How were these speakers shipped?

(amazing)

[RobP]

Andrew, the older 801 Matrix didnt have a Marlan head.

Kman, you should be able to replace those fairly easily, they will be metric, any good hardware store should be able to provide a replacement, maybe not a direct placement but a suitable one. if not look at Fastenal.com

[Andrew M Ward]

Andrew, the older 801 Matrix didnt have a Marlan head.

Yes,
I see now in the post (series 2)
My-bad

pardon me

[kmanusa]

Andrew, the older 801 Matrix didnt have a Marlan head.

Kman, you should be able to replace those fairly easily, they will be metric, any good hardware store should be able to provide a replacement, maybe not a direct placement but a suitable one. if not look at Fastenal.com

Hi, I tried 3 hardware stores and a Home Depot. None have the bolt although I was able to verify it has a metric thread of 8mm diameter and 1.25 pitch. These stores have plenty of metric bolts but in much shorter lengths than what I need. The B&W bolt is 245-250mm in length (about 9 3/4"). It looks like I will be surfing the web for a suitable source, perhaps Fastenal.com!!

[DM3000 Owner]

Hi, I tried 3 hardware stores and a Home Depot. None have the bolt although I was able to verify it has a metric thread of 8mm diameter and 1.25 pitch. These stores have plenty of metric bolts but in much shorter lengths than what I need. The B&W bolt is 245-250mm in length (about 9 3/4"). It looks like I will be surfing the web for a suitable source, perhaps Fastenal.com!!

Look in the Yellow Pages. Locally, we have "Nevada Bolt", that is a good name if you are looking for bolts and they have evertything. If you live in a decent size city, there will be a specilaty house in the industrial section of town. If not, order over the internet.

[RNKC]

This is a Canadian outlet, but you can try them. I've never bought anything from them but I figured if I ever needed an obscure fastener I'd find it here.

http://www.brafasco.com/

Also, for what it's worth try emailing B&W in England. The US side may not stock parts anymore but you never know what might be hiding in a storage bin across the pond.

[kmanusa]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I have been surfing the web but most sites with online inventory top out at 220mm in length for metric bolts. I will check Brafasco and others who can make bolts of custom sizes. However, as has been pointed out, I might be able to get a custom size bolt made here locally.

I live in the Northern Virginia area, just outside of Washington DC. The main business around here is something other than nuts and bolts, however.

I did email B&W UK but so far no response. I also have a Wanted ad on Audiogon.

[RobP]

What you may have to end up doing is getting some metric all thread and making some bolts, it comes in pretty long lengths.

[kmanusa]

What you may have to end up doing is getting some metric all thread and making some bolts, it comes in pretty long lengths.

Hi Robert,

I found a site that sells the stuff (M08, 1.25 pitch) in 3 foot lengths-- they wanted 72 bucks for it though, wow!!

This might be my only recourse. Amazing, since B&W US told me that this sort of damage was very common with the 801 Series 2 and they had, at one time, a very large inventory of these bolts. But they are all sold out now!

[RobP]

Hi Robert,

I found a site that sells the stuff (M08, 1.25 pitch) in 3 foot lengths-- they wanted 72 bucks for it though, wow!!

This might be my only recourse. Amazing, since B&W US told me that this sort of damage was very common with the 801 Series 2 and they had, at one time, a very large inventory of these bolts. But they are all sold out now!

Ouch! Thats not cheap!

Does the head have threaded inserts? How does it attach?

[kmanusa]

Ouch! Thats not cheap!

Does the head have threaded inserts? How does it attach?

The head actually has no threads, it has a long smooth tube about 1/2 Inch in diameter which goes entirely through the head. The bolt fits through the tube and threads into a nut that is embedded in the top of the wooden cabinet. The head also has a much larger diameter tube of shorter length (about 2-3 inches I am guessing) that fits into a shallow hole in the top of the cabinet. The top of the cabinet has a large rubber foam insert that supports the heavy head assembly and so the bolt is merely keeping the head in place rather than firmly securing the head to the cabinet.

What happens is that people lose a particular piece of hard styrofoam packing material that is meant to keep the head in place during shipping but is removed upon installation. Tightening down on the bolt with the styro in place keeps the head from moving and bending the bolt. My 801s came shipped in their original packaging/boxes minus this important piece of foam and bent bolts is the result!!

One thing I am wondering is whether there is an English equivalent of the 8mm dia 1.25 pitch bolt, say 5/16 inch 18 or 24 pitch, that might offer me more options?? The reason I mention it is that the guy at B&W US says that he has had other folks with my problem find bolts at Home Depot. I can see that if there an equivalent English system bolt in the right length, say 10 inches.

[RobP]

One thing I am wondering is whether there is an English equivalent of the 8mm dia 1.25 pitch bolt, say 5/16 inch 18 or 24 pitch, that might offer me more options?? The reason I mention it is that the guy at B&W US says that he has had other folks with my problem find bolts at Home Depot. I can see that if there an equivalent English system bolt in the right length, say 10 inches.

I dont think that will work, the two systems dont mix.

One idea here, you may be able to get a extra long standard thread bolt and get yourself a metric die and re-thread it. Just get a metric nut to test it out on, dont test it in your speaker. You could also do the same with a piece of rod stock, just thread both ends.

[kmanusa]

Good idea, I think I'll stop by Home Depot tonight and see what I might be able to use there.

thanks,
Keith

[RobP]

Good Luck Keith,

Let us know how it turns out.

Oh, and by the way, Welcome to the HTguide!

[kmanusa]

Just an update on the bolt problem with 801 Matrix Series 2.

What I finally ended up doing was buying some "threaded stock", longer lengths of threaded rods that come in various diameters and threads. I bought a 1 meter length of 8mm diameter 1.25 threaded stock from a place called the Nutty Company for $12.70. I cut the rod with a good hack saw to a length just a bit longer than the orginal B&W bolt and plastic cap. I used a "sandwich" of a 2 inch neoprene rubber washer, a 1 1/2 inch flat steel fender washer, followed by smaller diameter nylon and stell 8mm washers. The whole thing doesn't look bad and works fine although utimately I would love to find a set of the original bolts. Who knows, maybe someday a pair with show up on eBay or Audiogon!

URL for The Nutty Company: http://www.nutty.com/
I highly recommend them for fasteners!

The moral of the story: if you are buying a pair of B&W 801 Series 2, make sure the shipper uses the original packing including the all important insert under the mid/hi head. If they don't have an insert, suggest shipping the heads separately to avoid damage. BTW, this does not apply to later models in the 801 series which I am told do not use the same method for attaching the head to the woofer cabinet.

[RobP]

Good to hear you found a workable soultion Keith. :T