Re: (ET) stainless steel

["Don Barry" <Don Barry kirbycorp com>]

Most stainless fasteners are made of "18-8" (300 series stainless steel 
having approximately 18% chromium and 8% nickel).  The metric designation 
is A2.  The strength of these fasteners is between Grade 2 and 3.  
Stainless steel is a fairly soft metal and for this reason it tends to 
gall.  Always use Anti-Seize or a similar product when working with 
stainless steel fasteners!  If you have never had a stainless fastener 
gall on you before, it's not fun.  When a fastener galls, it seizes.

I do not recommend the use of standard strength stainless on braking or 
suspension systems.  

Don



>>> "SteveS" <ssawtelle fcc net> 02/08/02 07:58AM >>>
As I've been going thru my tractor, I've been replacing fasteners with
stainless counterparts. I do this on my old motorcycles as SS looks good 
and
is easier to deal with on the next disassembly. However I've never dealt
with battery corrosion very much. So the question is: Is stainless any
better in the ET environment (battery gases and liquids)? I searched the
web, but didn't find much that addresses this particular use of SS.

- Steve S
E12S