Rust? Screws? FWC Hawks?

[Bill D]

Are the replacement screws you used made of zinc or are they zinc plated?

 

[badtoytrd]

Are the replacement screws you used made of zinc or are they zinc plated?

My apologies, I should have specified. They are zinc plated.

 

[craig333]

Well all this screw talk got me thinking. I better be ready when and if I need some. Mcmaster to the rescue.



I can't just get some when I have a project that needs it. I need to have screws, bolts, nuts etc in my stockpile. If you're going to hoard stuff you could do worse than hoarding nuts and bolts

 

[Jollyrogers]

Mine. I need to do something about it. I emailed FWC and got moved to service, and then blown off.

 

[DMWI]

Picked up camper in April 2018. It shipped through winter salt. Corroded screws on battery box vents and cracked paint on all white trim in rear, presume due to overtighening. Front trim no cracks. Different installer? Stainless screws are NOT the answer. Frame will corrode before screws. Notified MFGr August 2018. Still in process of getting parts as of June 2019. May 2019 noticed major leak in front after trip. Stored inside. Now I’m out of warranty. First RV. Was always told they are constant work. Bummed but thanks for tip on marker light sealing.

 

[longhorn1]

I agree with a lot of the posts here. My understanding:

If the screw is rusty it is NOT galvanic corrosion. Galvanic corrosion would occur on the aluminum.

Stainless steel screws would cause more galvanic aluminum corrosion than zinc plated screws.

ALL the galvanized screws I have installed in places that get wet eventually rust.

To prevent screw rust: use higher quality galvanized screws but no one knows which are the higher quality zinc screws.

Paint and sealants help reduce/delay rusting of galvanized screws.

Salt should be avoided as much as possible while paint, sealants, and galvanizing just delay corrosion unless maintained routinely.

Very correct. After my post last year I re-evaluted what I said. The galvanized screws had a zinc coating. Stainless steel screws wouldn't be a good idea. Rust paint the heads. jd