Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

[Rockchalk]

Any problem with using a stainless steel rivet to connect to aluminum. I have a few bad hull rivets that I can only get to from one side and was thinking of using a high strength blind SS rivet for replacement. Can use aluminum as well but SS is much stronger. Thanks!

 

[crab bait]

Re: Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

read JB's sticky post at the very top of the main page boards.. it'll answer all your questions..

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

My advise is don't do it. Even different types of alloys together will cause problems but joining SS to alloy underwater is a recipe for disaster - salt or fresh doesn't matter - you'll still be making a battery. <br /><br />Alloy rivets are a consumable item, that is to say that you should be checking them and replacing them when required, changing to SS (in terms of strength) will give you little or no benefit plus SS rivets are damn hard to pop!<br /><br />Aldo

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

Disimilar matals under water will eat a hole in that spot .Stick with an aluminum rivet if you need to do it blind.If it does not work out and you can get to both sides you can isolate the dissimilar metals with plastic washers and 5200 sealant on each side which will minimalize or eliminate any reaction..Charlie

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

Rockchalk,<br /> It all depends on how you use your boat. I have owned the same aluminum boat for 43 years. Through the years, I have used a great deal of stainless, and I have never had problems that others experience. <br /><br />This past fall, I removed the floorboards for replacement and the stainless fasteners looked as good as the day they were put in. Plywood was rotten however so that's why I removed it. This will be my 4th or 5th replacement of the floorboards using the same fasteners.<br /><br />However, I do not moor my boat, I trailer it. It's exposure to the water (fresh water) is minimal - only rainwater. If left in the water, I might very well have problems because of galvanic reactions.<br /><br />crab bait - Where is the JB sticky post that you mentioned. I'm not sure where to look.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=000031;p=1#000000

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

i used aluminum rivets on my john boat! and you should too !

 

[Boatist]

Re: Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

I am not going to disagree with anyone above but I have a 21 Foot Aluminum Boat and it has a lot of stainless steel on it. To start with the boat came with all Stainless bolts or screws for all the hardware. Floor bolts all stainless steel screws into aluminum stringers. Bow Eye Stainless Steel thru the almuminum hull. Bennett Stainless Steel trim tabs came with Stainless steel screws but I used Stainless bolts with big Stainless steel backing washer instead. I did coat the washers and mounting plate with silicone seal to help prevent any leaks.<br /><br />My Boat is a 1980 model and spends about 1/3 of it time in salt water. Any time I take any thing apart I check for any corrosion and have never found any. My boat is a trailer boat and any time I go to salt water I always spray it off with fresh water at the boat cleaning station before driving home. Boat inside has only had salt water in it one time when a freeze plug came out while under way on a fishing trip. Put the plug back in and pumped the bilge as we got back under way. <br /><br />Anyway to date have not found any form of corrosion or oxsdation on the boat or any hardware. Again the boat never leaks any water and has never been docked at a marina. We alway trailer it home at the end of our trip.

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

Boatist,<br /><br />You look after your zincs. That's obvious. And that's the secret.<br /><br />Ciao

 

[Boatist]

Re: Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

Stillfishing <br />I have one big Zinc on the out drive near the boat but it the same one that came with the boat in 1980. It still looks very good.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Stainless steel and aluminum... OK together?

This is a Discussion that has Too Many Variables........<br />The Dissimilar Metals Issue has A Lot to do with, Where ,+ How you go Boating............<br /><br />For Instance,.......<br />My Boat is a Trailer Boat, used in freshwater 99% of the time.......<br />The Only Time Dissimilar Metals has Ever been an Issue was when I had Mistakenly used the Hull as a Ground for Wiring Accessories,+ The Paint on the hull was Very Thin...... The Actual Hull was Pitting.......<br />The Cure was to "Fix" the wiring,+ Paint the hull..............<br /><br />If My Boat had sat in a Saltwater Marina, Especially if there was any Stray Current,<br />It would have Turned to Dust...........<br /><br />I guess my point is,<br />A Trailer boat used in Freshwater, It's a Non-Issue...............<br />A Dock boat in Saltwater, It's a Major Issue...........<br />And,<br />There are Varying Degrees In-Between.........<br />

Can use aluminum as well but SS is much stronger.

Strength is a Non-Issue.....<br />Go with the Aluminum Rivits......<br /><br />I Wish that they had the Listing,+ a Photo,....But they Don't....<br />Anyway,<br /> These People will sell you Blind Pop-Rivets that Don't have a Hole Through Them..........<br />Totally Solid,....... I have to put 2 or 3 replacements into My hull every year......<br />No Glue or Sealers Needed.... Just drill out the offending rivet,+ Pop in a New 1..........