The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Stainless Steel and Cad. Plated

I was looking through some catalogs recently trying to decide what kind of bolts I should buy to re-assemble my bed. Cad. plated bolts were $45 canadian for the whole set to bolt wood to box and box to frame. Stainless steel bolts were $130 cad. for the same use. What are the advantages and disagvantages to each type?
thanks alot!!!

the advantage of the cad plate is it's cheaper and will prolly last as long as the parts being bolted together - advantage of the ss is someone gets to make a good livin off ya and you feel cool at the car shows [you've already seen the disadvantages!]

figure all the bolt sizes and go to a hardware store for a set in galvanized - bought by the piece prolly be about 20$ and will be reuseable when you replace the wood 20 years down the road

Bill

With regards to chrome vs. stainless vs. cadmium vs. galvanized, each of these choices have their place with regards to what your ultimate goal is, as well as your budget. Chrome, although show quality, required more maintenance to keep them looking good. There are chrome plated bolts that are stainless, however most are made of steel, thus rust can and will occur over time if they are not properly maintained.

Stainless steel, although more expensive than other choices, can be polished and with minimal maintenance, can retain a nice shine. Cadmium plated bolts are steel as well, however by most accounts will resist rust but are not rust-proof. Cadmium plated fasteners are less expensive than chrome-plated or stainless, but generally speaking more expensive than zinc-coated or uncoated fasteners. Also, cadmium plated fasteners usually are identifiable by there gold-tone color.

Galvanized fasteners are both economical and suitable for this use, however they may not give the look you are after. They will, in fact, outlast most of the items they are securing, ie wood strips, wear strips and cross sills, however they are comparable to the chrome or stainless look.

In closing, the best advantage of polished stainless steel is it gives the shiny look of chrome but will not rust. Note, stainless steel will show rust discoloration when in contact with steel but is easily removed and restored to a high luster shine. The drawback to stainless is the cost. One potential drawback to cadmium coated is the color. If you are trying to keep the look consistant, the gold-tone color may be objectionable. Also note, galvanized fasteners are also coated and will rust and/or corrode over time, if exposed to road grime, salts and other chemicals. Again all types of fasteners have a place depending on your personal taste, budget and longevity.

Thanks so much!!! That was exactly what I was looking for!!! this website is a overflowing pool of knowledge.

Be aware that cadmium and hexavalent chromium plated parts are verbotten under new European Union environmental rules and production of them will probably be dropping off soon. Cadmium is a really nasty chemical to humans and animals. My company has dropped cad plated parts in favor of stainless steel for new designs, which has caused our assemblers grief as magnetic screwdrivers no longer work. I would expect stainless fasteners to drop in price as the rules get phased in soon. Lead in printed circuit boards is also being phased out.

I would expect to see more anodized,"blued" or black oxide bolts in new automotive designs, as the chemicals are more environmentally friendly.

Tony did a good job of explaining the differences. Let me add some more about stainless bolts and their use. I've had a "few" years of experience with airframe corrosion repair and design.

Biggest problem with stainless fasteners is thread galling. This occurs when you have a stainless nut on a stainless bolt. Under pressure, the threads will meld, making a joint that will not come apart. Put a big enough wrench on and you end up with a bolt that has threads stripped, but it's only where the nut was attached, meaning you have to cut either the nut or bolt to take it apart. To prevent thread galling you can use anti-sieze, a thread locker or a conventional steel nut, preferably cad-plated.

The next biggest issue is galvanic corrosion. This is where stainless steel is in contact with a non-ferrous metal, such as aluminum, copper or zinc. A small electrical field is created, causing both metals to corrode. Again, a barrier is needed. Anti-sieze, thread-locker, or wet paint.

Medium strength (blue) thread-locker is the preferred barrier, but it is expensive. Anti-sieze will wash out in exterior applications. Dipping a bolt in primer before assembly is messy at best.

If you buy stainless fasteners, avoid the Asian imports. Many are of unknown heat-treat and alloy. When I buy ss, I now only get made in the USA. A-R-P, Totally Stainless and Alloy Bolts are some good sources. Some of the truck parts vendors carry them.

okay thanks guys for the informative replies.
I was kinda settleing on Cadmiun plated bolts but considering what 4onthefloor said, i'm not to sure anymore. how dangerous is cadmium? if I do buy it, should I feel guilty (for lack of better word )?

You may be confusing Cad plated bolts with Zinc actually. Zinc can be had in the gold or clear (siver) in color and its pretty durable. It will turn over time but you can clear coat and they will be fine. We do a lot of zince here in my shop, restoring brake boosters and other parts for the musclecars we do.

My mechanic had told me to be careful when using ss bolts around any type of heat situation (like engine covers) as they will expand and contract and cause seals to not be tight.

4onthefloor thinks stainless bolt prices will drop as the new rules get phased in. I assume he's hoping for a volume play dropping the price. And I see the logic.

But I'm also worried about the opposite -- increased demand for stainless leading to a shortage, meaning much higher prices. This has been a real problem in the metals world lately, and I don't expect it to get better soon.

Hmmm, think I'll buy the hardware for my project now...

Cheers,
mark.
'51 3100

Fred T:

Thanks for the thumbs up. I did fail to mention the two primary negative charateristics you pointed out, "disimilar metals" and "thread galling". I have had first hand experience with both. Most people think of using anti-cease, thread locker, etc for their staying power, however I appreciate your suggestion in preventing the two drawbacks mentioned above. I will try this.

I have replaced most all non-structural fasteners on my '66, C-10 and '66, K-10 with stainless steel fasteners. I like the appearance, as well as the contrast with the paint on the items they are securing. Just a preference. There are many restoration fastener packages available, as well as Totally Stainless products.

Again, there are many pros and various cons with each type of fastener. The individual experiences of the members who post on this topic are very informative and valuable.

Don't use Cad plated bolts on exhaust systems because the heat will vaporize it and it is poisonous. Other than that I wouldn't hesitate to use them. The bad stuff is mostly in the processing and in landfills after they are thrown away.

I like to use black oxide bolts because I like the way they look, and they are becoming more common.

Thats guys, this is very helpful. I did end up buying the cad. plated bolts because I was on a budget. thanks again