Replacing ALL hardware with cap screws?

**TygerTung** · 11th February 2011, 16:27

I just brought this 2003 KTM 200 EXC.

I brought it in bits for a sharp price, I just have to put it back together again.

Anyway, some of the hardware has surface rust etc and some is bound to be missing, so I was thinking of just replacing it all with cap screws, ALL of the hardware as it would be more convenient to carry just some allen keys around and you can do everything on the bike.

Also they are easier to undo than normal screws and also M6 hex headed bolts have a tendancy to become difficult to remove, well 6 point ones do anyway.

What are peoples opinion on this course of action?

**rwh** · 11th February 2011, 16:41

All the hardware? A cap screw really won't do the job of a jubilee clip or a washer ...

Richard

**bogan** · 11th February 2011, 16:46

cap screws have less 'face' area than a flange bolt, so you may run into issues there? Also, don't use stainless ones as they corrode the aluminum, zinc plated is fine. If you can be assed swapping them all then good idea, but personally, to motivate me to swap em all, the news ones would need to be titanium or something well flash

**TygerTung** · 11th February 2011, 17:12

Well if I don't replace them, I am going to have to plate them which is probably more work.

**neels** · 11th February 2011, 19:03

Originally Posted by bogan

Also, don't use stainless ones as they corrode the aluminum, zinc plated is fine.

Didn't know that, will have to change a few on my bike then.

Pretty much all of my bikes have had the old philips head screws replaced with cap screws, I haven't bothered with the m6 hex head bolts though I just use a 6 point socket on them to avoid knocking the corners off.

**bogan** · 11th February 2011, 19:14

Originally Posted by neels

Didn't know that, will have to change a few on my bike then.

Pretty much all of my bikes have had the old philips head screws replaced with cap screws, I haven't bothered with the m6 hex head bolts though I just use a 6 point socket on them to avoid knocking the corners off.

yeh galvanic corrosion is the technical term for further reading...

mine go the same way, brake master res ones are the worst, had to drill one of those fuckers out the other day, all out of spares now too!

**jonbuoy** · 11th February 2011, 19:21

You can get a special paste to put on the threads of the stainless bolts - Duralac, Tefgel, sometimes called monkey spunk. Stops corrosion between ally and stainless steel, more of an issue in salt water than fresh. Most marine chandlers will have it.

**Henk** · 12th February 2011, 06:38

You can get m6 flange bolts in kits.
http://www.cycletreads.co.nz/product...d_spacers.aspx

I've used them all over the place and had no issues with them seizing. Copper based anti seize is your friend here if you are paranoid.
That way you can just replace the stuff that is missing / rooted rather than try and find ZP cap screws, which I don't think I have ever seen.

**Subike** · 12th February 2011, 07:04

Be aware that S/S cap screws are not High Tensile, some you may want to replace will not do the job safley, ie caliper mounting bolts, trippel tree clamps.
If your old screws,nuts, bolts, washers are yucky looking, but still serviceabile, take them to an electroplaters and get them zinc coated.
Juts remember they cant refurbish one set of nuts you own, those still perish with age

**popelli** · 12th February 2011, 10:45

Originally Posted by bogan

Also, don't use stainless ones as they corrode the aluminum, zinc plated is fine.

use stainless and use copperslip

zinc plated will always go rusty and you will have to repeat the exercise in 12 months time

**Grumph** · 12th February 2011, 12:57

As you're in ChCh may i point out that Blacks fasteners carry metric zinc plated allen screws in most sizes and lengths you'll need.....and at a fraction of the price of stainless.

**TygerTung** · 13th February 2011, 21:08

I was just going to get the zinc plated ones from blacks as my work has a trade account with them and I can get them cheap.

I can get the old hardware plated at work for free, but it's probably more convenient to just buy cap screws.

I like the black cap screws the best, but they corrode quickly as the black coating isn't very corrosion resistant.

I'm going to put everything on with coppercote.

The zinc plated ones are high tensile.

One option to resist galvanic corrosion is to get stainless steel ones and get them plated, but I am not going to worry about that as I will just get the zinc plated ones.

The bike isn't going to be getting parked outside in any case so I'd imagine that corrosion of zinc plated fasteners isn't going to be a big issue.

**HenryDorsetCase** · 17th February 2011, 11:02

Originally Posted by bogan

yeh galvanic corrosion is the technical term for further reading...

mine go the same way, brake master res ones are the worst, had to drill one of those fuckers out the other day, all out of spares now too!

does copper grease prevent it? I hate rusty bolts and replace with stainless a lot.