Galling with stainless steel fasteners
Gryphon Rider:
I just thought I would share a little bit of knowledge that I have just now gained from experience. I am using an M10 stainless steel bolt with a stainless nyloc nut, and found that the second time fastening them, I couldn’t get the nut as snug as I had the first time. I now find it impossible to take apart, so I will be using a dremel with a cutting disk to remove the nut. After reading up on this problem, I have learned that to prevent this I should have used a moly or graphite anti-seize. One more use for the moly paste I use on the Valk’s rear wheel splines.
Ken aka Oil Burner:
Funny; building racecars 25-30 years ago, we used to use Maalox as a lubricant/anti-galling agent when using stainless fasteners. It worked!
WintrSol:
Quote from: Ken aka Oil Burner on September 06, 2025, 08:13:25 PM
Funny; building racecars 25-30 years ago, we used to use Maalox as a lubricant/anti-galling agent when using stainless fasteners. It worked!
Makes sense; Maalox stands for magnesium-aluminimum oxide, and should make for finer particles than moly or graphite. Great tip, if you can still find it at the drug store.
ridingron:
We used to use the silver colored anti-seize for the stainless hardware (mostly 1/2" X 13) when I was working. When they galled and couldn't be loosened, we revered the impact gun and would wring the nut off. That was easier to do than fight with it and generally twist the bolt in two anyway.
h13man:
The past 5 yrs. or so I noticed this on just about the every Ny Lock nuts both in SS and regular steel in my inventory and most came from Menards over years. I actually used a regular nut to back up the SS lock nut due to this exact chit. I'd say that good nylon isn't being used or it appears to me by sight, soft UHMW plastic as nylon has a more opaque/cream color. At best the new stuff can seal moisture out but holding power, not w/o a split locker.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page