Stainless screws into aluminum

[Kiltmadoc]

Anyone have ideas of what to put on them to keep down corrosion?

So far I have thought of:

1. Lock tite (blue and removable version)
2. Plumber's pipe joint compound

West Marine has nothing in the stores that i have visited here in MA...kind of dumb when you see all the stainless they sell in the store. I have seen on their website "lanocote"...but i need it tomorrow, not next week.

[remetau]

I use an anti-seize lubricant that you can get from an auto supply store.

[Gene T]

Agree anti-seize is good. I would also recommend Teflon grease. You should have both on your boat anyway. I also have lanicoat but it is very temperature sensitive, melts as it warms up and turns to cement when it's cold. I like to use it below the water line.

Gene

[T37SOLARE]

Tef-Gel is the only thing that works...

Ultra Tef Anti-seize Lubricant Gel

[GaryHLucas]

I'd use the blue loctite, I've had great results with it on hundreds of bolts in aluminum. Loctite cures because metal ions act as a catylyst to cause it to cure. It seals the inteface between the aluminum and stainless so no water can get in. If you use a lubricant, and the fastener gets loose water will get in and start the electrolysis that does all the damage. So keeping fasteners tight is as important as keeping the water out.

I've galled a lot of stainless fasteners in my day. So far I have never galled one coated with blue loctite.


Gary H. Lucas

[SeaFever2000]

Tef Gel. Prevents electrolysis also acts as anti-sieze.

[Omatako]

I'd second (third?) Tefgel.

It's the best I've ever used even though it is by far the most expensive I've ever used.

[Kiltmadoc]

Small rant: I like the idea of tef gel, but I have to order it....so not available today.

Also: why is the exact same stuff sold in Europe literally 1/2 the price of what is charged here in the USA?!?!
1oz tube from Germany (not including shipping of course) = $11
1oz tube from Jamestown and similar = $20

My cousins, who are over visiting and helping us re-build our wood floors, are stunned at the prices for all boating supplies out here in the USA. Where they work, rebuilding wood boats in Holland, many supplies (like varnish, flooring etc) are 1/2 to 1/3 of the cost compared to here. That's including the 17% VAT! I think that us sailing/boating types are getting ripped off. Of course it could be a matter of supply and demand.

All that said, I think I will go with blue loc-tite since i can pick it up at lowes

[Vasco]

Plain old lanolin. Got a small tub of it years ago from a drug store (it's used as a base for all sorts of ointments) and still have lots.

[floatsome]

A small tube of Tef-Gel did all of the refit on our 27-foot boat, with a cm left over. Just ordered second tube in two years: should last five or more.