Brass - Stainless Compatibility

[luckydave215]

Not true. If you mix stainless bolts with bronze hardware under water (without a sacrificial anode) the bronze and stainless will form a battery with undesireable results. The nobility chart isn't the only thing to go on-it also depends on how much mass of each metal is present.

[fixin-to-cruise]

He said "It's not submerged underwater" so I stand by that "If the parts were under water I'd spend some time looking for bronze but stainless is ok for this" (nuts).

Hatteras uses stainless nuts inside the hull on bronze rudder thru-hull castings and the steering linkage - just looked in my bilge.

I'm with you that underwater metals should not be mixed unless unavoidable, i.e. bronze prop on stainless shaft.

[luckydave215]

Sometimes there is no choice but to mix metals. The stuffing boxes are a good example. Bronze bolts and nuts aren't strong enough to do the job, and the threads are prone to galling, so stainless it is. But if you have a choice..............