A2 Stainless bolts, any reason not to?

gtd.
gtd. Posts: 626
edited April 2011 in MTB workshop & tech
Was thinking of changing all my bolts to A2 stainless, FSA HT2 type cranks, brake rotors, brake calipers and adapters, stem and topcap and bottle cages.

I know a lot of folks use Ti but A2 is cheap and I'm not bothered about a few grams just prefer rust free rather than than bolts that are black/silver/rusty
Mountain: Orange Patriot FR, SubZero & Evo2LE.
Road: Tifosi Race Custom.
Do it all bike: Surly Disc Trucker 700c/29er

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    edited March 2011
    Many stainless bolts do not have as high a tensile strength as your standard 'hiten' steel bolts. Whether this will be an issue or not though is hard to say ;-). Most probably not. But I know I wouldn't use ti bolts on my stems, pivots and other high load bearing areas due to the reduced strength.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

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  • gtd.
    gtd. Posts: 626
    Good point easier to tell with steel bolts as they have the tensile strength stamped it the head 8.8, 12.9 etc... or is that what the little letter I otften see stamped into the hex hole of an allen bolt means? noticed afew with Y or T stamped in them
    Mountain: Orange Patriot FR, SubZero & Evo2LE.
    Road: Tifosi Race Custom.
    Do it all bike: Surly Disc Trucker 700c/29er
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Some info on the table at the bottom of this page:

    http://euler9.tripod.com/bolt-database/22.html
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • gtd.
    gtd. Posts: 626
    Thanks SS, I think they'll be fine for what I'm using them for, I've ran an A2 as a stem top cap bolt before just wasnt sure. Most of the fastners are fairly low torque so I cant see them needing to be high tensile.
    Mountain: Orange Patriot FR, SubZero & Evo2LE.
    Road: Tifosi Race Custom.
    Do it all bike: Surly Disc Trucker 700c/29er
  • Tank-slapper
    Tank-slapper Posts: 968
    A2 stainless is quite a bit weaker (in tensile terms) than 8.8 steel. It would be fine for bottle cage bolts and such like, but I wouldn't use it for brake rotors.

    I'm currently using Ti bolts on my rear shock after snapping the standard 8.8 steel ones. The Ti may have a little less tensile strength, but it is more resistant to vibration stresses. The Ti bolts have been in 2 years with no problems. I considered A2 and A4 stainless, but decided they didn't have enough tensile strength.

    Come to think of it, my brake rotor bolts are Ti as well (Hope Mono Mini Pro).
  • dan1502
    dan1502 Posts: 568
    Most of the bolts in my Santa Cruz frame are TI (from factory) and many of the brake manufacturers have a TI rotor bolt option. I use Ti for rotor bolts, stem bolts, top cap, lever clamps, front mech clamp, crank bolts ... I managed to get hold of a load of good ones cheap so it made sense.
    Santa Cruz Tallboy

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