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Stainless steel screws

Submitted by david_evans on Tue, 29/09/2015
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Nortons - General

I have over the years fitted a good selection of stainless steel bits to my Commando and for the fitting of the rack to the rear loop I used some stainless screws from Screwfix 8mm nylocks washers etc. I've been using the leftovers on my trailer and twice I've had a nut gall on a screw and whilst I cut the first one off, the second I applied more force to undo and it sheared quite easily. So a couple of points, they are not up to the job of structural frame components, gear box bolts, footrests, fork pinch bolts etc. stainless thread forms are normally cut rather than rolled and this makes them likely to gall or seize so copperslip may help here. There are grades of stainless that are up to the job but the cheap and cheerful screwfix jobbies are only fit for low stress fittings in my honest opinion.

Submitted by lionel_yexley on Thu, 01/10/2015

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Yep - this is fairly well-known and S/S is not recommended for hight tensile work - e.g. head or barrel bolts & setscrews. I think it's Andover Norton who say this on their website (but I can't be bothered to check it!) Screwfix and most merchants sell A2 and A4 grade, neither of which are HT. A4 is more corrosion resistant and recommended for salt-water areas. Arguably this mean on the road as well as on the water becuase of winter gritting. Stainless is over-hyped in my opinion.

Submitted by Xanna_jeannett… on Sun, 04/10/2015

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Previously lionel_yexley wrote:

Yep - this is fairly well-known and S/S is not recommended for hight tensile work - e.g. head or barrel bolts & setscrews. I think it's Andover Norton who say this on their website (but I can't be bothered to check it!) Screwfix and most merchants sell A2 and A4 grade, neither of which are HT. A4 is more corrosion resistant and recommended for salt-water areas. Arguably this mean on the road as well as on the water because of winter gritting. Stainless is over-hyped in my opinion.

Hello I am with you and Not fond of SS fittings I did have them around my barrel base nuts but they kept coming lose So new there HT steel New Cycle thread nuts in Nickel from Nook's Nut's and they not moved since, he dose all types of SCREW SETS and Nut and Bolt packs in all thread types from MM to BSF BSW UNF UNC Ba NPT BsCY yours Anna J

Submitted by lionel_yexley on Wed, 21/10/2015

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I would be VERY wary of using Nooky's Nuts for any location which needs High Tensile as his are BZP and almost certainly not HT. If they were it would be stated. As an engineer you are aware of the importance of this Anna.

Submitted by Xanna_jeannett… on Wed, 21/10/2015

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Previously lionel_yexley wrote:

I would be VERY wary of using Nooky's Nuts for any location which needs High Tensile as his are BZP and almost certainly not HT. If they were it would be stated. As an engineer you are aware of the importance of this Anna.

Well I use then on my 650 for the last 6 years with on troubles they No moved , were has the Stainless steel one I had to check them every time I went of a ride out, they kept coming lose even the Cylinder head one I have Binned they were not HTS Now have the real one in place High tensile steel and a rolled thread 30 psi on each one they will not come lose on more now, Nooky's Nut's is good hard stuff real Quality Nuts and Bolts and washers too and the right sizes if there good enough for Triumph and BSA there Good enough of Norton's too , Yours A Ex marine engineer

Submitted by andrew_heathwood on Thu, 22/10/2015

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Previously lionel_yexley wrote:

I would be VERY wary of using Nooky's Nuts for any location which needs High Tensile as his are BZP and almost certainly not HT. If they were it would be stated. As an engineer you are aware of the importance of this Anna.

Lionel

I'm not sure that you are correct in this case. BZP in this context I think means Bright Zinc Plated which specifies the type of finish. BZP can equally apply to High Tensile (HT) nuts and bolts as to non-HT ones. See this item for sale on ebay

I have no reasons to doubt that these are BZP and HT as advertised. I would add that I have no connection with this supplier.

I'm off to get my 'Tin Hat'.

Andy (Never an engineer once a scientist)

Submitted by ian_cordes on Thu, 22/10/2015

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The problem with electroplating high tensile steel is that the process affects the strength of the steel, by hydrogen embrittlement, which can cause catastrophic failure. This has been known about for a very long time. Back in the '60's, Greeves, as an example, used HT steel handlebars and wheel rims on some scramblers, but they would not chrome plate them, for this very reason. They were painted.

Caveat emptor....

Submitted by paul_knapp on Thu, 22/10/2015

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Fortunately these old bikes have almost no need for high tensile nuts. The only place that comes to mind to require high tensile fasteners at the momentare con rod bolts and nuts. Good machine nuts, as opposite to black rolled threadnuts, is all that is required in my experiance to hold the bits together. I have used Nooky's Nuts and nuts I have made from black hex nut bar with never a hint of failure. (only problem I have occasionallyencountered is keeping the buggers from vibrating off!)

 


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