Why do many aftermarket bolts rust so fast?

[Fudster]

Agree^^^^
So perhaps don't use the crap that comes with accessories, make trip to hardware store before install?

No affiliation, they have the hard to find stuff too:

https://www.boltdepot.com/

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[TeraFlex]

I installed a terra flex reinforced spare carrier, 3 months later bolts are rusting, streaks down paint

Sorry to hear about this!

If you can, or if you'd like, shoot us over a few pictures with your details and I'll get you taken care of. The bolts and hardware we use are either silver or gold zinc plated at a minimum, so that's not considered normal and I wouldn't mind looking into this with you.

 

[mgroeger]

I’ve installed quite a few exterior mods from various manufacturers, and often the bolts rust quickly.

is there a coating I should be applying when I install an aftermarket bolt?
(By quick I mean within months, in summer Midwest conditions. No salt exposure)

Cheap, $hitty CHINESE "metal"... that's why. It's unreal how quickly some of it rusts and also breaks.

 

[OrneryBear]

They're most likely just supplying uncoated steel fasteners to save money. That said, to everyone screaming for stainless steel fasteners, I'd rather have steel fasteners than stainless. Stainless is a lot more brittle and not nearly as strong as steel. Better yet, just go on somewhere like McMasterCarr and buy steel grade 8 that's been nitrided or zinc coated.

 

[Thane]

Hardware is where cost reduction should not be practiced, especially visible fasteners.
Premium products diluted by value engineers...

 

[TeraFlex]

That said, to everyone screaming for stainless steel fasteners, I'd rather have steel fasteners than stainless. Stainless is a lot more brittle and not nearly as strong as steel.

This is a factor that is often overlooked. Without going into detail on the different types and metallurgy, stainless is often softer, and "weaker" than a your average steel hardware piece, and in applications like tire carriers, suspension mounting etc strength is a considerably more significant factor over corrosion resistance.

 

[longfiredragon]

I have done a little research on this because of restoring my old bike. What I found is that more times than not. It is the EPA standards causing the issues. The coatings/Plating they used 20, 30 years ago can no longer be used, they have banned the use of the chemicals that actually used to work. I have 38 year old hardware on my bike still and it looks like the day it rolled out. I have yet to find anything even close today that will last. Even the plastics are made different, 30 years ago most black plastic parts never faded, now months if you don't take care of it and its fading.

Also avoid any hardware made over the pond (Europe) their standards are way worse. Crap will rust in days.

 

[Pig-Pen]

Cheap, $hitty CHINESE "metal"... that's why. It's unreal how quickly some of it rusts and also breaks.

Chinesium

 

[Chugiakguy]

I have done a little research on this because of restoring my old bike. What I found is that more times than not. It is the EPA standards causing the issues. The coatings/Plating they used 20, 30 years ago can no longer be used, they have banned the use of the chemicals that actually used to work. I have 38 year old hardware on my bike still and it looks like the day it rolled out. I have yet to find anything even close today that will last. Even the plastics are made different, 30 years ago most black plastic parts never faded, now months if you don't take care of it and its fading.

Also avoid any hardware made over the pond (Europe) their standards are way worse. Crap will rust in days.

Longfired, do you know specifically which, or what kind, of metal corrosion-resistant coatings or platings used to be used, but are not allowed today? I'd be curious to know more about this.

I know that many small stainless steel laboratory tools that we used to use back in the 1980s (scoops, microspatulas, forceps, etc.) were cadmium-coated for corrosion resistance, but I have not seen or read of anything analogous being cadmium-coated for years now.

 

[longfiredragon]

Longfired, do you know specifically which, or what kind, of metal corrosion-resistant coatings or platings used to be used, but are not allowed today? I'd be curious to know more about this.

I know that many small stainless steel laboratory tools that we used to use back in the 1980s (scoops, microspatulas, forceps, etc.) were cadmium-coated for corrosion resistance, but I have not seen or read of anything analogous being cadmium-coated for years now.

Well as you may imagine is goes deep and I am no chemist. I researched this because of crap hardware I keep getting. I will share what I remember.

So yes some chemicals have been banned. I don't remember exactly which ones. Look at California they have banned everything. Lol.

Basically a lot of this was amounts of specific chemicals used in plating process. For example iron oxide is not a carcinogen, but it does contain lead and some other chemicals supposedly not good for us. So what the EPA did was forced MFG' s to reduce levels of certain chemicals used in the process.

By doing this they reduced its adhesive property's and so it simply does not work as well. I have pretty much stopped buying any black oxide hardware because it's terrible. Within a month or so it will have surface rust on it. Black oxide coated parts I bought from the UK came in a sealed bag with a light coating of oil. They looked great. When I cleaned them up and installed them they had surface rust in under a week. And yes I am in FL but not near the ocean or beech.

Another example. I have been in aviation for 35 years. 25, 30 years ago cadmium plating was awesome. It had a really nice finish and would last for years with no rusting. Unfortunately it is a known carcinogen to humans. Many years ago the EPA forced MFG' s of cadmium to change the chemical make up. I remember the first time I saw it. I actually called the plating shop and said what the hell happened. That's when I was informed that it had been changed. The finish is not nearly as nice and it is not as good at it's resistance to stop rust, or water intrusion.

The point I discovered is that when the EPA stepped in they forced MFG' s of a lot of these coating process and the chemicals used to reduce the levels of a lot of the chemicals there by in some cases reducing there effectiveness. And in some cases removing some chemicals all together, or using substitution chemicals which just are not as good.

So today if I can't use stainless, I will powder coat, if not zinc coating is pretty good but even it is not as good as it used to be. Also you can get some pretty good anodized hardware. These days these are my top choice's.

Hope this helped a little.

 

[58Willys]

I am a commercial construction superintendent, carpenter by trade, and home mechanic. Cheap fasteners are everywhere. Yesterday I replaced a defective door sweep, 2 of 5 screw heads snapped off. No, I didn’t over torque them, only got the screw a third of the way in before they broke. Cheap Chinese crap. Look for expensive US made fastener, they’re better.

 

[longfiredragon]

These anodized brake fittings are awesome, I love them. The best anodized finish I have ever seen. (aside from the dust) the Mfg guarantee's them against fading, cracking anything like that. When I spoke to them they said they were looking at doing the banjo bolts in it as well and if you followed their instructions you should be able to achieve the torque without scratching them.

I said great I have several other items I would like to have done who is the vendor you use. They said Ah, NO! It's proprietary to us and would not tell me who it was. Still looking for someone that does it.

 

[sherpaJL]

For automotive fasteners I source Grade 8 with an 'ultra coat' or 'armor coat' finish.
McMaster Carr is my go-to. Luckily I live close enough to do a 'will call' pickup when I need to.

 

[roaniecowpony]

Auto makers have corrosion standards for all exterior surfaces and fasteners. That is they require corrosion testing (a.k.a. "salt spray test") of everything. This test is an elevated temperature cabinet with a water/salt mixture spray and is typically 100 hours long. This drives all the external fastener coating performance. All the bolts on our jeeps are alloy steel (not stainless steel) and are coated. Most likely the coating is a zinc based alloy.

Small aftermarket makers generally don't utilize formal corrosion standards and testing.

 

[Chugiakguy]

Auto makers have corrosion standards for all exterior surfaces and fasteners. That is they require corrosion testing (a.k.a. "salt spray test") of everything. This test is an elevated temperature cabinet with a water/salt mixture spray and is typically 100 hours long. This drives all the external fastener coating performance. All the bolts on our jeeps are alloy steel (not stainless steel) and are coated. Most likely the coating is a zinc based alloy

Too bad those corrosion standards do not apparently apply to certain doors and hinges and hoods.

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