2004-2009 Harley Sportster Polished Stainless Bolt Kit
I was thinking of getting a set but had a few ?'s
1. I'm a pipe fitter so i know that stainless and heat don't mix very well im my shop heat will screw up threds fast. Has any one had this problem or did any resarch on this.
2. Would the best way to change all the bolts be to remove one at a time and replace and retorque each one as i go.
3. Chrome bolts do thay last and are thay hard to maintain. I have heard thay crack and chip easy.
4. I have the stock bolts on my 883n and thay are starting to tarnish thats why im thinking of changing my bolts out.

 

SS beats the chrome ones anyday , but personally I would find some black allen heads to go with your black motor / cases .

 

I think the contrast of the steel bolts adds a lot. Don't think they would look as nice blacked out. Anyway I'd go with stainless steel... Havn't heard of any issues.

 

I have found SS bolts break way to easy. It may just be me, but I do not like them. I went with chrome bolts.

 

I took the easy way out went with a toppers kit.

 

I'v thought about the toppers but thought thay would fall off, and have to replace one every few 1000 miles or so.
As far as the ss bolts did thay break the first time you tryed to take them off or during opperation I would think ss bolts over time would get brittle with the constant heating and coling. SS expands a lot more than carbon and shrinks more with heating.

 

the few I have broken have been when installing them. get a small bind and snap looking for a drill.

 

Stainless. Only time I've ever broken one was when the threads were boogered and I failed to chase them, or I failed to heed torque specs.

 

There have been some threads posted about they way SS and Aluminum don't get along together in some areas of the motor. Causing the SS to stick.

 

Aluminum and regular carbon steel don't get along real well either , everytime I pull a bolt out its oxidized pretty good . SS or regular steel , its best to use a anti-seize or a light grease , not supposed to torque dry threads anyway !