9/16-24 UNEF Thread Dimensions and Tap Drill

9/16-24 UNEF is the Unified extra fine thread for the 9/16 in (14.29 mm) diameter: 24 threads per inch, a pitch of 0.04167 in (1.058 mm), on a 60° profile. ASME B1.1 lists it in the UNEF series. Against the coarse 9/16-12 UNC it has 24 threads per inch instead of 12, a stress area 18% larger and a lead angle of 1.42° instead of 2.99°.

Thread profile

major Ø0.562 in10 threads = 0.417 in
9/16-24 UNEF drawn to scale: 31 threads in 1.29 in of length.
60°Nut (internal thread)Bolt (external thread)P = 0.0417 inmajor Ø d0.5625 inpitch Ø d20.5354 inminor Ø D10.5174 in5H/8 = 0.0226 inthread axis
Basic profile with the 9/16-24 UNEF dimensions. The nut and bolt share the same pitch diameter.

9/16-24 UNEF basic dimensions

Dimensioninmm
Major diameter d = D0.562514.287
Pitch P0.041671.058
Pitch diameter d2 = D20.535413.600
Minor diameter, internal thread D10.517413.142
Minor diameter, external UNR thread d30.512913.027
Height of fundamental triangle H0.03610.917
Thread height, internal (5H/8)0.02260.573
Thread height, external (11H/16)0.02480.630
Crest flat of external thread (P/8)0.00520.132
Crest flat of internal thread (P/4)0.01040.265
PropertyValue
Threads per inch24
Flank angle60° (30° each side)
Lead angle at the pitch diameter1.42°
Tensile stress area As0.214 in² (138 mm²)

Basic (nominal) sizes per ASME B1.1, before tolerances. A UN external thread with a flat root has the same basic minor diameter as the nut (D1); d3 applies to the rounded UNR root.

9/16-24 UNEF limits of size (class 2A bolt, 2B nut)

Classes 2A and 2B are the general-purpose fits for commercial bolts, screws and nuts. The 2A external thread has an allowance of 0.0012 in, so its maximum size is that much below basic; the 2B nut starts at the basic size.

External thread 2AMax (in)Min (in)Tolerance (in)
Major diameter0.56130.55410.0072
Pitch diameter0.53420.53020.0040
Internal thread 2BMax (in)Min (in)Tolerance (in)
Minor diameter0.5270.5170.0100
Pitch diameter0.54050.53540.0051

Limits of size from ASME B1.1 Table 2.

9/16-24 UNEF tap drill size

Tap drill for 9/16-24 UNEF: 33/64" (0.5156 in, 13.10 mm)

This leaves about 87% thread in the tapped hole.

33/64" is the drill listed for 9/16-24 UNEF in standard tap drill charts. It is 0.0469 in under the 0.5625 in major diameter.

The 2B minor diameter of the finished nut thread must lie between 0.517 and 0.527 in. The charted drill is slightly under that band: the tap trims the crests to size, at the cost of higher tapping torque. A drill inside the band is the safer choice in tough materials.

Other drills that work for 9/16-24 UNEF

A larger drill cuts less thread and taps more easily; a smaller one gives a fuller thread but loads the tap harder.

Drillmmin% threadWithin 2B limitsThread engagement
33/64"recommended13.100.515687%no
13.1 mm13.100.515786%no
17/32"13.490.531258%no

% thread = (major diameter − drill diameter) ÷ (1.299 × pitch). See the tap drill chart for how to choose a percentage.

Clearance hole for 9/16 in

ASME B18.2.8 does not list the 9/16 in size, so there is no standard clearance hole for the 9/16 in size. Size the hole from the fit the joint needs.

9/16-24 UNEF proof and breaking loads

Loads for steel bolts by SAE grade, from the tensile stress area of 0.214 in². The proof load is the highest load the bolt must carry without permanent set.

SAE gradeProof stress (psi)Min tensile strength (psi)Proof load (lbf)Min breaking load (lbf)Proof load (kN)
Grade 255,00074,00011,80015,80052.4
Grade 585,000120,00018,20025,70080.9
Grade 8120,000150,00025,70032,100114

Strengths from SAE J429 for this diameter; stress area from ASME B1.1. Loads rounded to three significant figures.

9/16 in pitches compared

All standard pitches on the 9/16 in diameter. A finer pitch gives a shallower thread, a larger core and a smaller lead angle; a coarser pitch is faster to assemble and more tolerant of damage and plating.

9/16-12 UNCdepth 0.0451 in9/16-18 UNFdepth 0.0301 in9/16-24 UNEFdepth 0.0226 in
9/16 in pitches at the same scale with crests aligned; 9/16-24 UNEF is outlined.
ThreadTPIPitch Ø (in)Minor Ø D1 (in)Stress area (in²)Tap drill
9/16-12 UNC120.50840.47230.18231/64"
9/16-18 UNF180.52640.50240.20333/64"
9/16-24 UNEF240.53540.51740.21433/64"

When to choose a coarse or a fine thread

Closest metric thread

No metric thread is interchangeable with 9/16-24 UNEF. The nearest is M14×1, which is 0.29 mm smaller in diameter with a pitch of 1.000 mm against 1.058 mm. A nut may start on the wrong thread and then bind or strip, so identify by both diameter and pitch.

ThreadMajor Ø (mm)Pitch (mm)TPIØ difference (mm)
9/16-24 UNEF (this thread)14.2871.05824.00—
M14×114.0001.00025.40-0.287
M14×1.2514.0001.25020.32-0.287
M14×1.514.0001.50016.93-0.287

Identify a thread from measurements

How the 9/16-24 UNEF dimensions are calculated

Every basic dimension follows from the major diameter and the pitch:

  • P = 0.04167 in = 1 ÷ 24 threads per inch
  • H = 0.866025 × P = 0.0361 in
  • d2 = d − 0.649519 × P = 0.5625 − 0.0271 = 0.5354 in
  • D1 = d − 1.082532 × P = 0.5625 − 0.0451 = 0.5174 in
  • d3 = d − 1.190785 × P = 0.5625 − 0.0496 = 0.5129 in (external root, 11H/16 deep)
  • As = 0.7854 × (d − 0.9743 × P)² = 0.7854 × 0.5219² = 0.21393 in²
  • Lead angle = arctan(P ÷ (π × d2)) = 1.42°

Related sizes and tools

Sources: ASME B1.1 (profile, series, limits of size and stress area), ASME B18.2.8 (clearance holes), SAE J429 (mechanical properties) and the tap drill tables of Machinery’s Handbook. How this site checks its data. Last reviewed 29 September 2026.