Replacing screws - chrome or stainless?
#12
05-29-2010, 03:31 PM
Stainless galling is a fact. Are there ways of helping to mitigate it? Sure. But to say it's incorrect that they gall is not knowing the facts. Google "stainless galling" and see what stainless manufacturers say about it. They often refer to it as 'cold welding'. There's a lot of different reasons stainless galls so easily. You've been lucky, that's all.
I work in a refinery here in the PNW not far from you. Whenever we use stainless bolts, compression fittings, etc, they are tossed after they come apart, if they come apart. We're having to cut them apart as often as unbolting them.
I'm not an opponent of stainless, nor a fan. It is what it is, and does what it does. It has lot's of uses in lots of applications. For myself I'd rather replace a chrome bolt every 5 years for a couple bucks if it happens to show some rust, as opposed to snapping a stainless one and having to deal with that. So far none of the chrome on my bike has shown any signs of rust, and a lot of it has been taken apart several times. It's not uncommon for my bike to sit out overnight, or be exposed to the elements. I'm probably lucky that way, also.
I work in a refinery here in the PNW not far from you. Whenever we use stainless bolts, compression fittings, etc, they are tossed after they come apart, if they come apart. We're having to cut them apart as often as unbolting them.
I'm not an opponent of stainless, nor a fan. It is what it is, and does what it does. It has lot's of uses in lots of applications. For myself I'd rather replace a chrome bolt every 5 years for a couple bucks if it happens to show some rust, as opposed to snapping a stainless one and having to deal with that. So far none of the chrome on my bike has shown any signs of rust, and a lot of it has been taken apart several times. It's not uncommon for my bike to sit out overnight, or be exposed to the elements. I'm probably lucky that way, also.
#13
05-29-2010, 03:33 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
The last time I rebuilt my bike I put chrome allen heads on everything. Every single one of them rusted inside the hex within a few years. I kept the hexes painted with silver paint. This go round I replaced the ones that screw into steel with stainless...polished the heads...really can't tell the differance appearance-wise. I will not use stainless screwed into aluminum...anti-seize or not...sooner or later you will be buying heli-coils. When screwed into steel, blue loctite will keep them from seizing.
#14
05-29-2010, 05:41 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Texas! Ya mean there's someplace else?
Posts: 11,065
Received 1,296 Likes
on
483 Posts
Galling with stainless is only an issue when stainless is fastened to stainless. If you are using stainless to replace the typical fasteners, you'll be doing stainless into aluminum, or stainless into mild steel. Galling will not be a problem in these instances. Galling can also be nearly eliminated by using two different types of stainless, but this is seldom an option with typical store-bought fasteners.
I have used stainless since 1973 on my HDs, as well as on others I've worked on. I've never had a galling problem except where a stainless nut - stainless screw was fastened together with too much force (torque). The couple times that happened was always with 1/4-20 hardware. I've also never had a problem with using stainless into aluminum, either by stripping the threads, or by any type of galvanic corrosion caused by the dis-similar metals. I routinely used stainless into the exhausts of Shovelheads, but always applied high temp nickel-based anti-seize, mostly because of the heat.
Use a nickel-based never-seize, use a medium strength (blue) lock tight, and assemble slowly with the correct torque. Common sense, whether you use stainless or not!
Source for polished stainless fasteners for your bike, car, etc.
http://www.southcoaststainless.com/
Stainless beats chrome every which way, especially for a bike that's ridden!
1972 XLCH - 100,000+ miles
1978 FLH - 220,000+ miles
1987 FLST - 140,000+ miles and still counting
2007 XLN - only a mere 30,000 miles
Stainless in/on all of 'em
I have used stainless since 1973 on my HDs, as well as on others I've worked on. I've never had a galling problem except where a stainless nut - stainless screw was fastened together with too much force (torque). The couple times that happened was always with 1/4-20 hardware. I've also never had a problem with using stainless into aluminum, either by stripping the threads, or by any type of galvanic corrosion caused by the dis-similar metals. I routinely used stainless into the exhausts of Shovelheads, but always applied high temp nickel-based anti-seize, mostly because of the heat.
Use a nickel-based never-seize, use a medium strength (blue) lock tight, and assemble slowly with the correct torque. Common sense, whether you use stainless or not!
Source for polished stainless fasteners for your bike, car, etc.
http://www.southcoaststainless.com/
Stainless beats chrome every which way, especially for a bike that's ridden!
1972 XLCH - 100,000+ miles
1978 FLH - 220,000+ miles
1987 FLST - 140,000+ miles and still counting
2007 XLN - only a mere 30,000 miles
Stainless in/on all of 'em
Last edited by pococj; 05-29-2010 at 05:43 PM.
#15
05-29-2010, 06:19 PM
Road Master
I went with chrome and had issues with rust from day 1 and I always dry my bike with a blower. I recently went with 12 point stainless steel show polished fasteners from Topline Fasteners and they look great! They were the cheapest I could find on these fasteners. Ask for Dan and tell heim Tony sent you. http://toplinefasteners.com/index.html
#16
05-29-2010, 06:33 PM
Using on dissimiliar metals helps with the proper prep, but I would never use them on aluminum, same as Tom above.
Again, not an opponent or proponent of stainless, just stating what is possible.
#18
05-29-2010, 07:08 PM
Cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've used new chrome bolts and found that IF you do not chase the threads of the bolts before you install them you are asking for trouble cuz the threads tend to be chromed also which makes for a poor fit due to the bolt was the correct size before chroming. Now with that said I took the time to remove each bolt from my bike one at a time and if it was not stainless I replaced it with stainless and polished it using a buffer from Harbor Freight, using black rouge followed by white rouge and they look better than chrome and two years later still outshine the chrome bolts on my bike. I even found that you can polish just about any bolt you want and it will shine like chrome. I agree with a previous comment to use blue locktite and that will stop any electrolysis. A good place to look for polishing materials is admiretheshine.com
#19
05-29-2010, 08:32 PM
Thanks everyone. I have to say I'm not feeling like I got the definitive answer I was looking for. LOL.
So I guess polished stainless. And they either will or wont seize depending on who you talk to, but if I use Loctite, it might prevent it. Can I buy stainless already polished? I know, more expensive, but thats fair because I dont have the time or buffer to polish them.
There is a Fastenal near me, I'll pay a visit.
So I guess polished stainless. And they either will or wont seize depending on who you talk to, but if I use Loctite, it might prevent it. Can I buy stainless already polished? I know, more expensive, but thats fair because I dont have the time or buffer to polish them.
There is a Fastenal near me, I'll pay a visit.
#20
05-29-2010, 09:36 PM
