Tornado Screw Hex Head Cap 1/4-20 x 3/4″ Stainless 17160

Same head, same material and same thread as the 1/2 inch stainless hex cap screw on this machine — and a quarter inch longer. Part number 17160 is the genuine OEM 1/4-20 x 3/4 inch stainless hex head cap screw, and the length is the part of the specification that gets mixed up.

Compatible Models for the Screw Hex Head Cap 1/4-20 x 3/4″ Stainless

This part is shared across a wide run of machines. On the Marathon 1200 family it is fitted to:

• Tornado 98168 12 Gallon Self Contained Carpet Extractor
• Tornado 98168 20″ Marathon 1200 Carpet Extractor (12 Gallon, 115V) — all series
• Tornado 98169 20″ Marathon 1200 Carpet Extractor (12 Gallon, 230V)
• Fits many other machines — call 763-535-0770 and we will confirm fitment for your machine.

Length matters in both directions and the failures are different. Too long in a blind hole and the screw bottoms out: it feels tight while clamping almost nothing, and the joint is loose the moment it is loaded. Nobody suspects the fastener, because it was done up firmly. Too short and there is not enough thread engagement to carry the load at all.

The check takes seconds. Wind the screw into its hole by hand with nothing clamped. It should run in freely and stop when the head touches the surface. If it stops before the head lands, it is too long for that hole. As a rule of thumb, a screw should engage at least its own diameter of thread.

On a machine that has been through several repairs, expect fasteners in the wrong places. A joint that has never stayed tight often has a screw from another position in it, and sorting fasteners by where they came from during a strip-down saves the next person the same puzzle.

Stainless brings the usual benefit and the usual caution: it will still be removable in five years in an environment that would have seized a plated screw, but stainless on stainless galls if run down fast. Start it by hand, and if it binds unexpectedly back it out and clean the thread.

Fit with clean threads to a firm torque, with a new lock washer wherever one is specified — a reused lock washer has spent its spring and the joint will work loose again whatever the screw.

Browse every assembly for this machine on the Tornado 98168 Marathon 1200 parts hub, and see the manufacturer’s range at tornadovac.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What machines does the screw 17160 fit?

It is fitted to the Tornado 98168 12 Gallon Self Contained carpet extractor and the 98168 20″ Marathon 1200 in all series, and it is shared across many other machines. Call 763-535-0770 with your model and serial number and we will confirm fitment before you order.

How do I check I have the right length?

Wind the screw into its hole by hand with nothing clamped. It should run in freely and stop when the head touches the surface; if it stops before the head lands, it is too long for that hole. A screw should engage at least its own diameter of thread.

What goes wrong if the screw is too long?

It bottoms out in the hole, so it feels tight while clamping almost nothing and the joint goes loose the moment it is loaded. Because it was done up firmly, the fastener is the last thing anyone suspects — which is why a joint that has never stayed tight is worth checking for a screw from another position.

How do I order the Screw Hex Head Cap 1/4-20 x 3/4″ Stainless (part# 17160) or get help?

You can add the Screw Hex Head Cap 1/4-20 x 3/4″ Stainless (part# 17160) directly to your cart on this page, or call us at 763-535-0770. Our staff at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428 has been servicing Tornado equipment since 1956 and can help confirm the right part for your machine.

Questions? Call us at 763-535-0770 or visit us at 5415 West Broadway, Crystal, MN 55428.