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Stainless Bolts/Screws

  • Thread starter Thread starter JStones
  • Start date Start date
J

JStones

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I want to replace the old stripped/beaten bolts/screws to new stainless steel per the GSR Greeting. Only issue, I have no idea on sizes. Is there a guide? Any advice? How do I got about doing this correctly?
 
This is at least the 20th thread I've seen on this topic.
 
In other words... Did you do a search?
I learned from doing a search here that the size is contained in the Suzuki part #
I personally have replied several times to others so I know the info is out there. ;)
 
Contact Z1 enterprises and see if they have a kit for your model. ;)

Daniel
 
You're not alone. I had the same problem... was one of the 20 for sure.

That part # tip is an awesome tip too.
 
@ BassCliff - Thanks to your post, I was able to locate what I need for my rebuild....sent Z1 an email for some clarification on other items, but the SS Bolts will be great....

Cheers
 
Why the propensity to use stainless screws? I see this on an almost constant basis on motorcycle sites.

Stainless fasteners generally have lower tensile strength than those specified for the service application. Stainless and aluminum are bad news together which is why aircraft prohibit their use in aluminum related areas.

Stainless become hard as glass when heated and, in addition to being brittle after heating, are nasty to drill out. You simply have not lived until you have drilled out stainless exhaust bolts/studs from some of the Cummins diesels.... When I had the tool supply business I sold Garr 1500 series carbide drills in order for techs to be able to drill out some of the stainless stuff which had been installed into exhausts. Really nasty! Those Garr drill bits sometimes had trouble drilling the heat hardened stainless despite that they would drill through a file. That should indicate something!

OEM doesn't use them for the above reasons so why do so many people feel that switching is a good idea? It isn't that the cost is an issue and the engineers certainly know that stainless fasteners exist. They don't use them for good reasons......

They are fine for cosmetic areas such as dash and trim, fairing plastics but avoid stainless for structural, steering, suspension and high tensile areas!

FWIW

Norm
 
Normk said:
OEM doesn't use them for the above reasons so why do so many people feel that switching is a good idea? It isn't that the cost is an issue and the engineers certainly know that stainless fasteners exist. They don't use them for good reasons......
Click to expand...

It is all about cost. Stainless costs a few pennies more and the number crunchers always get their way. There are heaps of year old bikes out there that look like poo because they were fitted with cheap galvanised nuts and bolts that rusted last winter.

There are loads of threads on here arguing about where you can and can't use stainless on your bike for strength reasons. Pick the right SS and use it right and you can use it pretty much anywhere. Stainless engine kits are a complete no-brainer if you want your bike to look good easily and use copperslip.
 
There are few bikes which are fitted with galvanized (zinc coated) fasteners. Most use cadmium plating, FWIW.

Show me the Grade rating for the stainless fasteners in the kits.....

Most of that stuff is non-rated because it is cheap metalurgy so one is not well advised to use it in any area where failure can be safety related.

As for appearance, simply practices such as the use of a wax based product will avoid corrosion of most fasteners which may be a better choice than replacement by some unrated product. Stainless is usually a poor option despite the almost fanatical following.

Just FWIW,

Norm
 
The stainless bolts in the Z1 kits are for the engine covers. Stainless is fine for that application since there is no load. antiseize is recommended to avoid galvanic corrosion.
 
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I understand the reference now. Another interesting aspect of galvanized materials is that the plating seems to affect the surface hardness. Galvanized (zinc plated) Allen wrenches seem to be weaker than black finish. I may be wrong in this impression as it has only held consistently for the last 52 years during which I have been using them.;)

HIH

Norm


hampshirehog said:
I used the word 'galvanised' as a derogatory term for the crap nuts and bolts that have been fitted to bikes for the last I don't know how many years. Galvanised over here usually refers to farm gates and dustbins.

Here's a previous thread on the subject:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=174771
Click to expand...
 
Galvanized (zinc plated) Allen wrenches seem to be weaker than black finish. I may be wrong in this impression as it has only held consistently for the last 52 years during which I have been using them.
Click to expand...

That's because the black is "Case Hardened"... basically heating them up super hot and quenching in oil. Changes the molecular structure so the ARE harder
The zinc coating is more rust prevention. It actually flows back into scratches and nicks to keep them from oxidizing.

You can get different grades of Stainless fasteners A2 and A4 are the most common. But as a standard, Socket head cap screws (allen bolts) have a higher tensil strength that a standard hex head.... and leaps and bounds better than a phillips head that some PO buggered all up! ;)
 
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Hey Norm, nice Soap Box, only took you 52 years to build it. My soap box is a few years younger, but it's mine. I try to keep it to myself so other folks don't feel like I am putting them down.


As for the Stainless trend/bandwagon, Much like anything else in the world, the price is right and it's popular. The "damage" from using stainless with aluminum is highly over rated from what I have actually experienced. While most of us are not morons, and would not use SS for head fasteners or exhaust. It happens.
Damning stainless in general makes no sense. I ordered the Z1 complete set of SS bolts yesterday.
 
Normk said:
I understand the reference now. Another interesting aspect of galvanized materials is that the plating seems to affect the surface hardness. Galvanized (zinc plated) Allen wrenches seem to be weaker than black finish. I may be wrong in this impression as it has only held consistently for the last 52 years during which I have been using them.;)

HIH

Norm
Click to expand...

Norm, I don't want to put you down (and Keman has already tickled you for soapboxing) but nuts and bolts haven't metaphorically stood still for 52 years. If they had I would be using cycle thread and Whitworth on my bikes an awful lot more! And I hate working on Trumpets and Beezers- my feeble brain struggles with 3/8 spanners but I can see 11mm.

Now I don't pretend to know sod all about the physical or chemical content of SS stuff but suffice to say there's SS and there's SS and some of it's bloody obvious. I leave all the teccy stuff to the boys at Southampton or in The Marches (or Stainless Steve - he of that stupid hat) to sort for me. If you get the right SS you're ok. It is rare to see when somebody has got it wrong - heck I can't remember the last bike I saw that had problems with SS. But every week I see a bike that is in trouble and looks like pants because of the cheapo stuff the manufacturers sling on there just to save 10 bob.
 
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