Stainless nuts and bolts - a word to the wise

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silverbullet
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Stainless nuts and bolts - a word to the wise

Post by silverbullet »

Ask any engineer (mechanical preferably) about using s/s nuts and bolts and they will probably mention the phenomena known as "galling" where the like materials of nut and bolt basically cold-weld to each other, especially in close-fitting threaded parts.
By way of a demonstration, these two wound together easily but within a few turns seized solid. Reversal and brute force resulted in this:

Image

The simple application of an anti-sieze compound, such a copperslip, would have prevented this happening since it creates a dissimilar material barrier between the s/s components.

How did I do this? Simple: working too fast and forgot to grease the last bolt as I was working my way around the roof bars :oops:

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1985 Oettinger 3.2 Caravelle RHD syncro twin slider. SA Microbus bumpers, duplex winch system, ARC 7X15 period alloys

dearjohn
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Re: Stainless nuts and bolts - a word to the wise

Post by dearjohn »

Hi Silverbullet,
Are you sure the nut was the correct thread for that bolt? I've never seen a nylon locknut deform the bolts threads in such a manner on its first application.
Nigel in Cavan

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Titus A Duxass
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Re: Stainless nuts and bolts - a word to the wise

Post by Titus A Duxass »

Experienced this myself with the stainless fasteners used for the skirts.
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Hacksawbob
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Re: Stainless nuts and bolts - a word to the wise

Post by Hacksawbob »

Duralac does the biz, not cheap but it lasts a long time as you only need a smidge on the bolt. I just fitted my alternator which has aly (alloy?) casing and steel braket ( I left the steel to steel un-coated to allow negative side)
http://www.intek-uk.com/duralac.htm
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