stainless hardware or?

[bassbusta01]

jusr curious which is better stainless or aluminum for chassis assembly

[RustedRC]

Stainless. it's stronger than most aluminum and won't oxidise as fast as any other metal.

[wings_of_fire]

Over time aluminium screws will loose strength and elongate or fracture under stress.

Stainless screws >Screw head does not damage easily, Stronger, Does not oxidise unless harsh chemicals are used, Reusable for several years.

[C*H*U*D]

If your aluminum hardware is oxidizing, I'd have to question how much attention you're giving to your truck.

These are toy trucks, not sewer draining equipment. In some applications, I don't like aluminum hardware...such as lower link mounts. Other applications I have no problem with aluminum hardware such as bolting the chassis together.

Does is save you much weight? Depends on the number and length of the screws, but if you're spending the kind of money that many people do, then going the extra yard for aluminum may be worth it.

If you like wrenching as much as driving then don't let aluminum scare you. If you like to drive it hard and put it away wet, then maybe screws that can look after themselves is a better bet for you.

[roksloski]

Titanium Hardware FTW......

Lighter than steel, stronger than Alum...

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by roksloski

Titanium Hardware FTW......

Lighter than steel, stronger than Alum...

But aluminum is lighter and cheaper than titanium, so in certain applications aluminum is the winner. I wouldn't bolt my chassis together with titanium but I've used a lot of titanium on my bicycles in the past.

[Natedog]

Originally Posted by C*H*U*D

If your aluminum hardware is oxidizing, I'd have to question how much attention you're giving to your truck.

These are toy trucks, not sewer draining equipment. In some applications, I don't like aluminum hardware...such as lower link mounts. Other applications I have no problem with aluminum hardware such as bolting the chassis together.

Does is save you much weight? Depends on the number and length of the screws, but if you're spending the kind of money that many people do, then going the extra yard for aluminum may be worth it.

If you like wrenching as much as driving then don't let aluminum scare you. If you like to drive it hard and put it away wet, then maybe screws that can look after themselves is a better bet for you.

X2, but I like black oxide, little rust is not big deal. I've tried several different stainless screws for RC and imo they mostly are not good, drive heads wear out or completely round out with not much torque, sometimes they snap and the heads pop off. I used AE aluminum hardware back in racing days on the less critical areas to reduce weight and never had a problem with them, but I'd go with titanium over aluminum and definitely over stainless. Yes, I know there are different grades of SS, none of them are up to RC cars imo, ymmv.

[rngrchad]

I'm running stainless KNK scews in my wraith and Bomber. I like them but in the end, I think I prefer Blackoxide hardware over stainless, mainly because my magnetized tips of my drivers hold the oxide screws on making for WAY easier on and off of parts and pieces. I guess it's not a big deal most of the time, but it seems like when I'm reparing something on the trail, the little help of a magnetizeable (did I just make up a word?) screw is appreciated. I swear I drop stainless screws off my drivers twice as often as magnetized ones!!

[roksloski]

Originally Posted by C*H*U*D

But aluminum is lighter and cheaper than titanium, so in certain applications aluminum is the winner. I wouldn't bolt my chassis together with titanium but I've used a lot of titanium on my bicycles in the past.

I have found the aluminum screw heads round out easy, and dont take much tork
SS screws are crap also, the heads also round out .... they are soft......

One wrong placement of an alum. screw on a comp rig can be costly....
i have seen that happen many times.........
then how cheep is that screw........???????
IMHO... alum screws have no place in a scaler.....

Ti is strong as steel screws and doesnt corrode......


TI FTW..........

[84yoda]

Who has a good supply of Ti screws? Seems like most places only have a few lengths and/or only come in a 4 pack.

I thought about trying aluminum hardware but think I would only try 7075.

[roksloski]

Yeah Racing Ti screws are great....

RC4WD's are NOT.... i had too many heads pop off......

[badhoopty]

i like black oxide because its kinda stealthy. if its black i'll try to use black oxide, if its shiney or not distracting i'll use stainless.

and i dont know if its just me but the m3 buttonhead stainless screws seem to strip my drivers really easy. black oxide seems a tad more sharp in how they bite onto a driver.

[roksloski]

yes black oxide for my scalers
Ti and a few black steel for the Berg......


I do see Fastener Express has black oxide SS screws.

[WHITE-TRASH]

I use stainless exclusively without any real issue other than the occasional stripped head but a second with the dremel and it's out. I'm still working on the big assortment of stainless screws I bought from Harley years ago. It's getting to be time by the end of the year to re stock. I'll probably go with knk.

Ti is stronger than steel per lb but not nearly the strength in a side by side comparison of like parts.

[wings_of_fire]

How do you guys strip Stainless bolt heads? I have ruined an allen key but never stripped SS bolt head.
I buy SS hardware from local industrial material shops.

[losikid]

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet. I usually try to find zinc plated fasteners. They are still an alloy steel (stronger than stainless) but not have a black oxide coating if you like your bolts being silverish.

I'm not a huge fan of either stainless or aluminum. I'v had bad luck with both. However, If I cared a lot about weight I would do aluminum on not critical bolts and Titanium on the critical ones.

Most stainless is weak, especially when it comes to the small size bolts we use. (Companies like ARP make awesome stainless fasteners, but not small enough for us). So when I want silver colored bolts I go with the zinc plated

[roksloski]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

How do you guys strip Stainless bolt heads? I have ruined an allen key but never stripped SS bolt head.
I buy SS hardware from local industrial material shops.

Maybe buy good Allen drivers......??????? just saying..

never rounded an allen driver on a ss screw.....
i stopped using ss years ago..

[CM9000]

Originally Posted by roksloski

Maybe buy good Allen drivers......??????? just saying..

never rounded an allen driver on a ss screw.....
i stopped using ss years ago..

I snapped a head off of a mip on a new to me used truck once, and another mip driver shaft clean off on another new to me used truck. never rounded an mip head.

mip drivers are free lifetime warranty

everybody should buy a set of standard and metric mip drivers. overtime they pay for themselves.

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by roksloski

IMHO... alum screws have no place in a scaler.....

Agreed. I don't use aluminum hardware on any of my scalers.

When the OP asked about screws for chassis assembly, I assumed (maybe incorrectly) that he was talking about comp chassis'. For that I have no problem using aluminum since they never see water, and once together they don't come apart often. If it's something that is removed often like links, I don't use aluminum.

[JeremyH]

Nylon