The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Fuel Tank Sending Unit Screws - Replace with Stainless Steel?

We had to remove the fuel tank sending unit because the gauge was not working and had to send out the fuel tank to the radiator shop to get cleaned out.

The sending unit arm was froze in place with rust so I ordered a new sending unit.

The point is that the slotted head machine screws were hard to remove and the heads were previously a bit stripped so my plan was to use hex head machine screws.

Then I thought I should use stainless steel machine screws.

So what are your thoughts, should I use:

New slotted head regular steel machine screws

Head hex regular steel machine screws

Stainless steel hex head machine screws

Hy 32vld, I like shiny things, so I would use the stainless.

Just make sure to use Anti-Seize on the stainless steel threads to help prevent galling and strip out due to dissimilar metals.

Mike B

Corrosion due to different metals was one of my reasons for posting this thread. Though I had wanted to hear what others had to say.

I may just go and replace the round head slotted screws with regular machine screws with hex heads instead of slotted heads.

I would replace with new of the original style, use some never seize and forget about them.
In my option lots of stainless hardware for no reason other than "looks" or hardware of the incorrect style or head type is an eye sore.

If you use stainless steel fasteners, use anti-seize and never use an impact or other power tool when installing them. If you use a non-standard fastener who will know? It is behind the seat. Most of our trucks are not Pebble Beach Concours candidates anyway. I prefer allen head cap screws, which are usually a better grade(8?)anyway installing and removing ease. BTW I use anti-seize on all fasteners that are not Loc-Tited. To each his own...

Any good plated steel screw should last a long time.

If you do any reading about screws, you'll learn that Phillips head screws were designed to prevent excessive torque during assembly (ie the driver will slip out of the head) just like the clutch head screws in that Chevy used to use.. so if you are concerned about taking them out, cap head screws, or even slotted heads are a MUCH better choice than the Phillips.

Where did you find the reading about clutch head screws being designed to allow the bit to slip out of the head ("If you do any reading about screws")?