Larry DeCamp
Well Known Member
I have read comments about stainless screws freezing and breaking. Is there a magic juice to put on the screws for use in rivnuts ?
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SS screw lubricant ?
- Thread starter Larry DeCamp
- Start date
BoydBirchler
Well Known Member
Likely caused by over tightening, I have been using stainless for over 40 years (on removable panels) and haven't noticed a problem,
BoeLube user here because I haven;t used up the sticks I bought years ago….but Beeswax works well too.
That said, this year at Airventure I visited B&B and bought several hundred (of each size and type) of cad-plated steel screws to start replacing the stainless I have been using for years, simply becasue I am tired of stripped heads and galled threads. Not goign to go through all the airplanes and replace everything at once, but as the SS screws wear out, I’ll be back to using what Van’s provided in the first place…..
That said, this year at Airventure I visited B&B and bought several hundred (of each size and type) of cad-plated steel screws to start replacing the stainless I have been using for years, simply becasue I am tired of stripped heads and galled threads. Not goign to go through all the airplanes and replace everything at once, but as the SS screws wear out, I’ll be back to using what Van’s provided in the first place…..
I loathe stainless hardware and swap it out for cad plated steel whenever the chance arrives. Meanwhile, you can lubricate stainless threads with parrafin wax like you find in Hobby stores. Probably in the Lobby. Just sayin'. It is good to have parrafin around the hangar anyway in case you want to change bungees on a classic aircraft. You rub it all over the bungess so they don't bind during installation.
Stainless steel torx with a bit of something on the threads works great - I've never had one gall or strip. Mostly I use ACF-50, but have also used some stuff the boat guys use to stop galling and corrosion - can't recall the name.
Another lesser issue with stainless hardware is it is non-magnetic. That's great for remote magnetometer installations or for areas near a whiskey compass. But it is terrible if you drop a screw into the bowels of the fuselage. With cad steel parts a magnet on a stick makes quick work of retrieving the itinerant fastener. If the wayward screw, nut or washer is stainless things like floorboards or seats might have to be removed in order to see and fish out the hardware. Loose hardware in an aircraft is a big no no and if so much as a washer or cotter pin drops into the abyss I deem the aircraft unflyable until the item is found. The threat of locking up part of the primary control system is too grave to ignore.
Same here. After 18 years I decided to shorten my condition inspection time by trying to eliminate the added time every year dealing with a couple stripped or galled SS screws.
Never had a properly threaded one seize or fall, and Phillips head screws will cam out and strip long before a tire head screw will. That is the whole point of the torx design.
I use SS torx screws on all fairings, wingtips, wheel pants and interior panels. Almost 500 hours, 4 condition inspections and no issues.
I do replace them every other time they are removed. Bought 1000 for $53.
I’m l
Lanoline is another good lubricant to use in addition to those offered above. It's all natural and cheap to buy... at least it is here in NZ where we still have the odd sheep or two running around. Not as many here as we used to have actually, so all the sheep jokes are now reserved for Aussies.
On that subject - Did you know that the Aussies were the first to invent condoms from sheeps intestines back in the 1920's? Here in NZ we developed this further by removing the intestines from the sheep before use.
On that subject - Did you know that the Aussies were the first to invent condoms from sheeps intestines back in the 1920's? Here in NZ we developed this further by removing the intestines from the sheep before use.
I use the Micro Fasteners SS star drive screws. I put them in a disposable plastic deli service container and spray them with Aerokroil before I install them. During maintenance they go back in a cup upon removal, then sprayed again before re-installation. I have never had a galling problem with the lubricated SS fasteners and I really hate the standard phillips head screws.
Fred.Stucklen
Well Known Member
The way to eliminate gaulling out Phillip head screws is ti use a bit of coarse grinding compound on the driver tip. Usually will take out the worst galled screws!
bkc3921
Well Known Member
Maybe a little off topic....I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir, but if anyone replaces regular cad steel screws with SS because they may "look better" for your application, be vigilant and make sure they are not in anything STRUCTURAL. The tensile strength of "regular" screws is quite a bit different than SS butter. SS is fine for holding on cover plates, panels, etc...but when Van's specifies a particular screw for a particular application, you can be assured they had a good reason, and that reason may be because they did not want something to depart the aircraft. Just a friendly reminder....
FYI and the above is a good reminder but according to Vans any access panels to include wing root fairings are NOT structural.
Also, standard cad plated screws are generally grade 5. You can find comparable specs in stainless if you look a bit…
bkc3921
Well Known Member
True...I never said they were.... simply reminding everyone not to replace any called-out screw without due diligence.
I also heard from a friend that those products are reusable?
Lanolin is my go to lubricant for both SS screws as well as many other uses like cartridge lube for reloading.
I mix 60% liquid Lanolin to 40% alcohol and make it a sprayable solution.
However, I have taken Paul Dye's approach over the last few years, replacing all SS screws with Van's recommended cad plated hardware.
I know this is out of place and a bit embarrassing but can someone point me to my PMs?
I am trying to reply to a couple of PMs and after clicking every square millimeter of this website I cannot find a link to my pms?
I have several Vessel JIS drivers and they work much better than Phillips head drivers but they also can destroy the head of a stainless steel screw. The screwdriver is much much harder than the stainless screw so driver can easily round out the cross in the head of a SS screw. This is especially true for #6 SS screws. Yes, I have JIS screwdriver with bit for #6 screw but that does not completely solve the issue and in fact the large driver bit works a bit better. I kick myself every condition inspection for putting in #6 screws. Changing to steel CAD screws helps some, using JIS driver helps some, using Boelube helps some, and replacing screws often helps some.
YLMV (Your Luck May Vary)
Norman CYYJ
Well Known Member
Be careful using stainless steel with aluminum, they are at opposite ends of the cathodic scale. You will end up sacrificing the aluminum not the stainless steel, especially around a salt water environment
As far as your PMS goes, the new VAF system calls those "Conversations". So if look toward the upper right corner of your computer screen within the blue VAF banner you will see your user name N427EF just to the right of the "Search..." box. Then next icon over from your user name is a little envelope, between your user name and the bell icon. If you hover your mouse pointer over that envelope icon you will see the word "Conversations" pop up. Select that icon.
Why after years of forums and social media sites using a common term "Private Messaging" someone suddenly decides to call them "Conversations" is beyond me. But okay. I guess it is a private communication. But to me the word conversation implies verbal communication more than text. Perhaps the word "Private" has been deemed a concept of privilege or whatever.
