Rusted hardware..

Agree!
Nylon works great if you can find it. If not, you could always spray cosmoline over the exposed bolt heads to inhibit rust.

 

Just tape it.

 

I would use monel myself.

 

Here’s my two cents. I believe the bolt that are used to hold the running boards to the body are m8x1.25. Oreillys sells many lengths of these bolts in the 1/2 in or 13mm head version. I was told the hardware had lifetime warranty and was confirmed. The hardware is supposedly coated with anti rust whatever and if it ever rusts I was told it was free to replace.

 

^This right here never throw away those plastic screws that come on the truck they are very useful.

 

You get it

I see stain… “less” cables rust through garage cables on the beach like no other.

 

I’d purchase the factory bolts that go there, or bolts from the factory that will fit.

 

My steel rear bumper looks like shit. Made by "Body Armour", the hardware started rusting literally immediately, and now the bumper itself has surface rust. It's looks 10 years old, and it's only a couple of years old.

 

Those aren't stainless socket caps. I replaced a few of the bolts on my Triumph's top case mount with the same type of socket caps and they accumulated surface rust almost immediately which I just wire brushed. You might consider stainless steel socket, button head caps in the same size instead of socket caps (I know Home Depot rarely stocks metric button head caps). You can bulk order from many places (including Amazon), check out here. Another consideration: wire brush all of the rust off, spray a layer of clear coat on the socket caps, let them dry then RTV over them so you have a silicon seal.

 

Lot of science to stainless. reliance-foundry.com/blog/does-stainless-steel-rust

 

ppppfftt, I would use titanium

 

That's what I'd do. RTV will seal in whatever is in there, now. I'd stick just a dab of waterproof grease on a nylon screw and put it in. I think it's a good idea to preserve the threads.

 

Can't unsee the nutsack in this diagram

 

Yeah....WTF?

 

Once again, I see someone saying rust will “migrate”. No. It will not. It’s not a biological infection with reproduction in colonies. It’s oxidation, which occurs independent of the surrounding area. People often think it is spreading because it appears that way, but that is just additional rusting due to the surrounding areas also being exposed to the same conditions as the previous areas that rusted.

 

Thanks for confirming I'm not a degenerate. What is it supposed to actually be anyway? A glob of body panel sealant? It's not relevant to the install.

r/theyknew

 

At least the threads won't be gunked up if someone want to add something later.

 

Would have used it but Lowes was out of stock.

 

OP, I think your hardware is under performing for “stainless”, heck even modest quality hardware, but don’t sweat it. Replace it with something better if the rust bothers you. If the goal is only to plug a hole, use something cheaper and less prone to corrosion: rubber, plastic, tape, gold, etc. Metals with some exceptions are prone to oxidation and other forms of corrosion.

 

Treat them with this stuff.