Stanchion replacement

[bcboomer]

I'm replacing a couple of stanchion tubes on my boat and this involves removing the cast aluminium bases. I want to replace the 1/4" machine screws that retain them but the new ones are threaded right to the head. The old ones had enough unthreaded shank to pass through the aluminium. If I use fully threaded screws are the threads going to wear away the aluminium or am I over-thinking the problem?

[Weyalan]

I'd say that full thread or part thread shouldn't matter. Just make sure that you apply an anti-corrosive joining compound such as Tefgel or Duralac wherever there is the potential for contact between stainless steel (bolts) and aluminium (stanchion bases).

To be honest, I'd replace the aluminium stanchion bases with stainless steel ones... heh, but that it just me.

[bcboomer]

Stainless might be nice but the originals are about 5" x 3" x 3" tall castings that integrate with the toe rail. I can't imagine finding something suitable in stainless. There is a spacer tube between them made of some kind of plastic that I'll need to replicate somehow and I'll use lots of Tefgel.

[Weyalan]

We just replaced the original (i.e. 30 year old) aluminium toe-rail and original stanchions and bases. The stainless bases weren't made anymore - their replacements have different hole patterns. We replaced the toe-rail with teak - looks great!

[bcboomer]

I'm sure it does but my toe rail and stanchion bases look good enough.
A teak toe rail looks great but I'm not looking for more work. The boat project list is long enough as it is. I just want to get sailing.

[deblen]

https://www.boltdepot.com/Sex_bolts_...rews.aspx?nv=l

[JPA Cate]

We replaced the toe-rail with teak - looks great!

Good grief!!! How the mighty racer has fallen!

Actually, it worries me a bit, Patrick. The new owner of the original Insatiable replaced the perf alloy toe rail with a silly little teak one, and now you. I hope it isn't contagious.

But I bet it does look nice, especially just after Lisa gets through with varnishing it every other month...

Cheers mate,

Jim, using Ann's computer