Stainless bolts for the Ten. ?
 

Hi, does anyone sell a stainless bolt/washer kit specifically for the Ten. ? I know you can source them individually, but I know there are kits for other bikes. If there isn't maybe its something we could organise through a supplier? Steve

Do you have any specific fasteners in mind, or just all of them?

Stainless socket cap screw kits were popular to replace the cheap cheese metal crosshead screws that were prevalent on Japanese machines 20, 30, 40 years ago but the fasteners on more recent machines are better quality. So these sets are not so common now - although there are kits for those who think blue anodised looks classy!

I'm lucky to live near Namrick ( www.namrick.co.uk ) so can buy screws individually without having to pay postage.

If we were to list the various sizes (diameter, length and thread pitch) for various sections of the bike (engine cases, handlebar screws, brake hose clamps, brake callipers, chain adjusters, sidestand switch etc) and then we can order them in sets ourselves from whoever works out cheapest.

Perhaps we can assemble a list of all the fasteners sizes - as we take bits off we measure the various screws, bolts etc and report them here to build a database.

I have systematically replaced all the fasteners on my 1970s Moto Guzzi with stainless over the years I've owned it (20+ now) - I have had some discussions on tensile strengths and have found A4 stainless to be fine where they are just holding things together such as rocker boxes, engine cases, chassis parts and even brake callipers.

Hi Sweller, I know what you mean about older Japanese bikes...I remember buying a brilliant pack of stainless everything for my Z900 back in the day!. I worry about the tensile strength of things like caliper bolts..so your observation about A4 being strong enough is reassuring. I agree about the Anodised stuff, although I'm guilty of wanting some 'bling' now and then!!. I just think replacing the existing bolts on the Tenere with stainless HAS to be a good thing long term. And your right, the thing to do is to get a list together of the sizes needed and liase with a supplier. Steve

That's pretty much the way I've gone about it on the Z over the last six and a half years.

Each time I do a job, remove a panel, part or whatever on the bike, if the fasteners appear a bit ropey, I'll stick them in a Ziploc bag and take them down to my local fastener supplier and hand it over the counter. Within minutes the guy appears from the stores with a second bag containing a mirror image in stainless. Takes him two minutes and only ever costs a few quid - no measuring or messing about, it's all done for me! The sort of great personal service you can only get locally.

Gradually, over time, the bike's fasteners are slowly evolving in stainless. Best way to do it IMO, rather than go in all guns blazing and try and do everything at once, you may as well wait till they need doing and get some life out of the originals.

Whatever you do, don't buy anything from Pro-Bolt unless you really have to (or have a penchant for fancy coloured bling) as they CHARGE like a wounded rhino!

Support your local nuts and bolts man. :023:

Just to be clear A2 and A4 are grades of stainless and refer to their stainlessness (A4 is more resistant to corrosion and is sometimes called marine stainless). However A4 has a higher tensile strength. Namrick only sell A4 but Toolstation/Screwfix mostly has A2

The tensile strength of A2 stainless is slightly higher than most mild steels but lower than 8:8 fastners - A4 is about the same as 8:8.

This article explains it quite clearly (it's aimed at VWs but applies to us as well):
http://www.volksbolts.com/faq/basics.htm

I have M10 bolts holding the four pot Brembo callipers on my Guzzi and have no concerns - but brake callipers may warrant some personal consideration but IIRC the calliper bolts on the XT aren't marked 8:8 so I wouldn't worry about those either. Everything else would be ok - perhaps the suspension relay arm may be worth giving a bit of thought to. I'd personally be happy using A4.

Hi Pleiades +Sweller, since posting this thread I have found out there is a place locally called Arun Fasteners and you can do as Pleiades suggests....hand the guy your original bolts and he hands you the equivalent in stainless. The 'hot tip' is not to pee him off by handing him loads of different bolts in one go and expect instant service!! Just one thing, do you guy's use copperslip with every bolt .?

Did you mean a kit just like this one?


http://www.a2stainless.co.uk/Yamaha-...kit_AKOIT.aspx

http://www.a2stainless.co.uk/_180_112BV.jpg

Hi Weaver, thanks for info, just the job. Plus get the larger stuff from local store as Pleiades suggests. By the way....Air Hawk...cash waiting..? (The full amount, not my cheeky offer!). Let me know , I can always ride your way and collect it.? Steve

Now I'm just waiting for someone to ask pleiades to strip his bike down, put all the fasteners in a ziploc bag, take it down to his "soon to be unfriendly" supplier and ask for "20 bags of that lot please! Hehehehe

Oooh, has anyone got a copy of the exploded diagram for an XT? It lists the fasteners you need.