not sure stainless and aluminum is a good mix ???
stainless bolts
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,473
Likes: 691
From: West Virginia
Stainless are less likely to react with anything else than regular bolts. I've replaced a number of bolts on cars with stainless, where high grade bolts are not needed. Usually swing into Lowes with an old bolt and see if they have any for starters - they have both metric and inch sized stainless in my local store.
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,441
Likes: 2,186
From: Buffalo Texas
Stainless are less likely to react with anything else than regular bolts. I've replaced a number of bolts on cars with stainless, where high grade bolts are not needed. Usually swing into Lowes with an old bolt and see if they have any for starters - they have both metric and inch sized stainless in my local store.
Last edited by Pounder; Mar 20, 2017 at 09:17 AM.
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Instructor
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 205
Likes: 34
FWIW... Stainless and aluminum don't play real well together. You should use Tef-gel on the bolts to prevent electrolysis from welding the stainless to aluminum. I could be all wet, but you see that quite a bit in a marine environment. Of course if you aren't planning on sailing in your 'vette, the outcome could be different. Personally, I wouldn't take the chance.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 122
Likes: 7
All good advice! But what to take away:
1) MOST stainless bolts and hardware are rated LESS than Grade 5; much of that hardware-store stainless is unmarked and deficient as far as clamping force is concerned. There is also a lot of counterfeit Grade 5 Chinese stuff floating around, mostly marketed in custom-bike channels.
For real Grade 5 and Grade 8 stuff for high-strength applications, ARP is the only source I trust.
2. ALWAYS use anti-seize on any stainless bolt and/or nut.
1) MOST stainless bolts and hardware are rated LESS than Grade 5; much of that hardware-store stainless is unmarked and deficient as far as clamping force is concerned. There is also a lot of counterfeit Grade 5 Chinese stuff floating around, mostly marketed in custom-bike channels.
For real Grade 5 and Grade 8 stuff for high-strength applications, ARP is the only source I trust.
2. ALWAYS use anti-seize on any stainless bolt and/or nut.