Subject: Hardware, Bolts, Nuts, Stainless Steel, Sizes, Sources

[Mike Murphy]

Christopher Ritchie wrote:
>
> I use stainless a lot because I hate rust, and I usually have to do my jobs
> over again, so I want to be able to get the fastener off.
>
> BUT BE CAREFUL - MOST STAINLESS IS GRADE 2 OR LESS.  DON'T USE STAINLESS ON
> THE SUSPENSION OR THE BRAKES OR ANYTHING CRITICAL UNLESS YOU GET THE GRADE 8
> STAINLESS (which is hard to find).
>
> One of the major suppliers (maybe "Totally") of stainless fasteners has a
> warning about this right in the front of their catalog.  Most stainless
> fasteners are Grade 2 - they are for show purposes.  As Huw said, make sure
> you check for at least Grade 5, if not Grade 8, for a fastener that's
> holding something critical on the car.
>

Driveline and suspension fasteners are grade 10.9
Exhaust (downpipe back) are grade 8.8, sometimes higher.

All the rest should be VAG parts or their equivalent from a good house
i.e. Lemforder, Febi and the other usual suspects - who probably
outsource their fasteners but do a good QC job.
--
Mike Murphy