stainless or bronze bolts to attach struts?

jefflaw35 · Post by **jefflaw35** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 4:12 pm

Nancy wrote:
Big D wrote:
jefflaw35 wrote:stupid ?? since i have not got this far yet, can you tell me what the struts are. or maybe show me a picture, thanks
The part attached to the hull in front of your rudder and prop that suspends the shaft. It has a rubber bearing in it that your shaft spins in.
Jeff, for photos, do a google image search on "boat struts" (w/o the double quotes). The bearing inside the strut is called the cutless bearing. Do a google image search on "cutless bearing" and you'll see the assembly.

oh ok!! thanks i see now. i keep reading strut's, i guess if i had 2 engines i would have strut's LOL duh...i was thinking it was in the engine compartment.... guess its just another place to look for age damage

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 7:33 pm

alexander38 wrote:
RWS wrote:what about dissimilar metals in saltwater?

pehaps not an issue as the shaft is stainless and the props are bronze/nibral?

should this be a consideration?

RWS
or add in that S/S will weaken and snap in a O2 deprived area.
and doesn't torque well..

Bronze will torque up better than stainless???

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:19 pm

good bronze shouldn't give up on the torque applied to it, Don't over torque it will snap,

Big D · Post by **Big D** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 11:43 pm

You really want to battle corrosion, go with silicon bronze fasteners. The addition of silicon improves the corrosion resistance of the bronze. Have already used in a few places. Had to remove a keel bolt that I replaced about 15 years ago and it looked as new as the day I put it in. Was going to replace it since it had to be removed but ended up reinstalling it again.

yorklyn · Post by **yorklyn** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:34 am

never heard of silicon bronze but will look into it, thanks! so basicilly bronze works but don't over torque. after what i have seen of the o2 deprived stainless I have no issues with using bronze. I was amazed at some of the ss bolts i had installed 3 yrs prior on the swim platform,they were eaten 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through! kinda scary when you feel like your doing everything correct-stainless steel-5200- backing plates and the bolts all but disappear!! this learning curve is scary!
Thanks everyone for the help.

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:07 am

please don't over use 5200, 4200 will work for all most every thing. If you think you'll ever have to remove what ever you're sealing use 4200. Top side use 4000 better UV protection it doesn't yellow.

foofer b · Post by **foofer b** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 6:53 am

jefflaw35 wrote:
yorklyn wrote: Thanks
i just took bronze out of mine. they looke enough to put back in but i will buy new ones, the uppers were stainless, but they dont sit in water

Why did you take yours off? Just curious.

BobCT · Post by **BobCT** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:03 am

Todd,

Yes, silicon bronze bolts are what came from the factory (or at least bronze). When I re-bed my struts, I removed the bronze carriage bolts on each side. They were in great shape but I replaced them anyway.

For the swim platform. I used SS again and also made some "jumpers" so the brackets are part of the bonding system as well.

On your other post, the factory bonding system daisy-chained 8 gauge wire from each underwater fitting to each other and then ultimately connecting at the transom zinc.

After replacing all of the connections and eliminating a few things last year (macerator seacock and forward bilge drain), everything is connected on mine. Don't overlook the forward bilge drain which is under the shelf near the FW pump. Mine was pink inside (close to failure) when I snapped it in half. It's useless anyway because water doesn't collect there when the boat is blocked.

Bob

Big D · Post by **Big D** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:17 am

yorklyn wrote:....... I was amazed at some of the ss bolts i had installed 3 yrs prior on the swim platform,they were eaten 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through!

Since your bonding system integrity is an issue per your other thread, this would not surprise me. I don't want to throw another wrench into the discussion here but I have removed tons of struts with perfectly good SS bolts. They are widely used by OEMs for mounting struts today. The bonding systems though when they leave the factory are in pristine shape. Am I confusing things

Silicon bronze solves some of the issues we discussed earlier.

yorklyn · Post by **yorklyn** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:15 am

My factory bonding system consisted of wires attached to seacocks etc on one end with the other end laying unattached in the bilge. Not just one unattached wire but numerous individual unattached wires that went no where, and this is after I paid 500 to have everything corrected. all the marina did was crimp new eyelets and reattached 10 non connected, individual wires that did nothing. Yes I paid them even though I realized they were idiots but they lost a good customer forever.
Just found out last night that my salt encrusted backing plates for struts are actually bronze. They have seen better days so I Think I may replace them. Would 1/4 stainless steel be sufficent with bronze bolts?
I'll post a pic of the old ones tonight if I get a moment.

alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:17 pm

I'd go back to bronze, But if you go S/S 1/4" would be enough IMO and bond it...

yorklyn · Post by **yorklyn** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:42 pm

Any suggestions where to get a bronze plate? Cant recall seeing them for sale anywhere?

Before
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Not quite after but alittle better!
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alexander38 · Post by **alexander38** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:01 pm

I know this answer gets old....but a machine shop, also look for metal suppliers in your area