93 Splash in SC, V8-Swap version

[scotts90ranger]

There are downsides for using stainless in tricky situations: it work hardens when you don't want it to and is annoyingly hard to drill, and it's generally softer than grade 5 in bolt situations... oh and if you use stainless nuts on stainless bolts, if you hear a squeak or look at it wrong you now have a galled mess that will no longer be reusable. It has it's place but has a tendency to be annoying when the process should be simple...

Annoyingly here the fastener company we used to use got bought out and no longer allowed walk in customers and ordering got harder so we switched, back in the day it was great though... I haven't asked any dumb questions about weird hardware lately so haven't experienced the new company yet... lol

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

There are downsides for using stainless in tricky situations: it work hardens when you don't want it to and is annoyingly hard to drill, and it's generally softer than grade 5 in bolt situations... oh and if you use stainless nuts on stainless bolts, if you hear a squeak or look at it wrong you now have a galled mess that will no longer be reusable. It has it's place but has a tendency to be annoying when the process should be simple...

Annoyingly here the fastener company we used to use got bought out and no longer allowed walk in customers and ordering got harder so we switched, back in the day it was great though... I haven't asked any dumb questions about weird hardware lately so haven't experienced the new company yet... lol

This is the reason I try to stick to “passivated” stainless when possible and use them where it’s ok to. As much as I like stainless living here in the rust belt, it’s really not good for all situations. I use them wherever I can, but certainly not everywhere.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I snapped one off in my cylinder head when I was trying to use them for valve cover bolts. Normal hardware SS store stuff.

I went to ARP stainless and never looked back.

That said I have regular hardware store GR5 bolts for my timing cover/water pump.

 

[Curious Hound]

There are downsides for using stainless in tricky situations: it work hardens when you don't want it to and is annoyingly hard to drill, and it's generally softer than grade 5 in bolt situations... oh and if you use stainless nuts on stainless bolts, if you hear a squeak or look at it wrong you now have a galled mess that will no longer be reusable. It has it's place but has a tendency to be annoying when the process should be simple...

And that is why I avoid stainless. I'm in South Carolina and I'm getting old. I don't think stainless was worth the aggravation in this particular case. If I used good parts and did the job right, I should never need to disassemble it in my remaining lifetime.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

And that is why I avoid stainless. I'm in South Carolina and I'm getting old. I don't think stainless was worth the aggravation in this particular case. If I used good parts and did the job right, I should never need to disassemble it in my remaining lifetime.

Dang, you just jinxed your water pump...

 

[Curious Hound]

Dang, you just jinxed your water pump...

I thought about that.