Nuts and Bolts Question

[69TAPoser]

I am getting ready to restore my subframe with POR15 and will be putting on GW upper/lower tubulars with QA1 coil overs. What do you do about prettying-up the nuts and bolts?

I was thinking about replacing most of them with stainless hardware or getting the "metal blackening kit" from Eastwood.

What have you done?

Phil

[yellowrallys]

I've used stainless, with a little anti-seize, or any kind of coated (cadium, black, etc.) and spray a little rattle can clear on them after installing. What ever you use, just be sure the bolts are the correct grade.

Oh, and I have powder coated bolt heads too.

[silver69camaro]

oops, double post...

[silver69camaro]

Absolutely do NOT use stainless unless you can verify the grade of the fastener. Most stainless hardware is extremely soft, much like a grade 0 fastener.

Notice how all/most critical ARP fasteners are not available in SS.

[TA219]

I have been using grade 8 stuff on everything on the front end, it may be overkill but I feel a little better about it ... and I think it looks pretty good

[Chad-1stGen]

I've been using grade 8 most places myself. Since I'm doing runs to the hardware store on an as needed basis I spend more in gas $ than the cost difference of grade 8 over say grade 5.

[69TAPoser]

I've been using grade 8 most places myself. Since I'm doing runs to the hardware store on an as needed basis I spend more in gas $ than the cost difference of grade 8 over say grade 5.

Chad - I was thinking the same thing, but how do you keep the gold grade 8 bolts looking good over time? Do they not rust as quick as the non-coated steel bolts?

Phil

[Hidro]

And whatever bolts you do use make sure to use the correct torque values from the bolt/nut manufacturer.

Stock bolt torque values dont work on aftermarket bolts.

[Chad-1stGen]

Chad - I was thinking the same thing, but how do you keep the gold grade 8 bolts looking good over time? Do they not rust as quick as the non-coated steel bolts?

Phil

My experience has been they don't rust as easy as the grade 5 stuff or other bolts. Most of the places I used them if I have any problems it would be easy to hit the heads with some paint.

[Hammered]

The gold finish is most likely yellow chromated zinc plating, far superior to black oxide (the Eastwood product). Black oxide may last less than a year in a humid environment while the plated fasteners could last years. It's the next best thing to SS (assuming you get the correct grade) IMO.

[Blown353]

I have also had extremely good luck with "Ultra Coated" bolts-- it's an additional coating on top of cadmium plating. Quite durable. I know McMaster-Carr sells them, don't know who else.

For big-$$$ you could buy NAS (aka aircraft) bolts in A286 CRES with 160-220ksi tensile strength depending on which NAS spec bolt you purchase. 160ksi is equivalent tensile strength to a Grade-8 general purpose fastener. You could even get some super cool 12-point headed stuff and top them off with dry film lubed deformed-thread style NAS locknuts.