Best bolts for aluminum beadlocks?

[Tankota]

(Other than a liberal amount of antiseize) what type of bolt works good with aluminum beadlocks?
stainless?


ps I've had mine in for six years. Pulled them once to put antiseize on them but the heads are getting pretty rusty cause they are just grade 5 standard steel bolts. Is stainless ok to use with aluminum?

 

[TigTorch]

I wouldn't use stainless.

Although the stainless itself will not corrode, its one of the worst metals to promote galvanic corrosion in any metal it touches (aka; your wheels). Also, the strength of a standard 303/304 stainless bolt is somewhere less that grade 5 hardware.

You should be using common grade 8 zink plated bolts. (This is what Trail Ready uses.)

 

[Hip]

Agreed on the plated grade 8.

 

[Tankota]

Thanks! Are those typically at most hardware stores (good ones) or do I need to go to a specialty bolt store like valley nut and bolt (south of tumwater) or tacoma screw/fastenal etc?

 

[Bunk1]

Thanks! Are those typically at most hardware stores (good ones) or do I need to go to a specialty bolt store like valley nut and bolt (south of tumwater) or tacoma screw/fastenal etc?

Id hit up tacoma screw simply cause they will have enough bolts for the project. I doubt fastenal would.

 

[TigTorch]

Yea, the zink plated bolts are just regular old bolts. They will be bright shiny metal. Sometimes they are a gold color which is a "type 2" zink plating which is just fine too.

What you dont want is an unplated bolt which is black in color, (black oxide). These will be pretty hard to find but you might blunder on to them at a bolt store.

The guy at the bolt store will know what your talking about.

 

[briejer]

I recomend Fastenal. Set up an account, $500 limit right away no credit check. They always have what I need, if not I have it the next day.

And you will hate yourself after you find out how much you have been spending on bolts at your local parts store or hardware store.

 

[82toyomud]

Thanks! Are those typically at most hardware stores (good ones) or do I need to go to a specialty bolt store like valley nut and bolt (south of tumwater) or tacoma screw/fastenal etc?

I would hit up a true bolt house if you want to be sure the bolts your getting are grade 8. They tend to have a little better quality control...

 

[Binder]

I buy stainless for all of my bedlocks. If you use zinc coated they will still rust if it's a wheeler. The heads of the bolts wear badly and tear the zinc plating off....Lots of anti seize no matter what.

 

[Tankota]

Alll the heads of the bolts are now rusty after going to sand lake twice in a row and rubbing on rocks and stumps for several years.

I've been fortunate and have never had to remove these beadlocks. When I anti-seized them a while back I did one bolt at a time. wow! beadlocks are a pain...can't imagine trying to mount up all four tires!