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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Fellow Riders
I installed a HMD Skid Plate on my 2013 Vision and the bolts are rusting after only 300 miles. If you have the HMD product installed are the bolts rusting. I contacted them and they feel it is not an issue since they haven't had any complaints from anyone else. They suggested that I purchased stainless bolts versus trying to make things right.
Thanks! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 209
| like any other product....there are ways to improve it. you prob. have many bolts under your vision rusting. or will..
Edited by Banjodan 2013-05-24 9:07 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 209
| hey street eagle.... does that flip wind screen do a better job than factory? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Hey Banjodan...i only have 300 miles on the plate and i checked, these are the only things rusting.
Its been raining since I've installed the windshield. Hoping to get it out tomorrow. I will let you know what I find out about the flip. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1229
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | You may have better luck contacting Arlen Ness since they make the product. HMD only sells them. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 825
, WI | Ness stopped making the skid plate over a year ago. Someone else is making them.
I have had my Ness skid plate for over a year including the ride on the salt covered Dalton Highway and have no rust on the mounting bolts. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | I thought the skid plate used the stock bolts? Why would they rust if they weren't rusting before the install. Or do you have to drill new holes? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 825
, WI | No drilling. Comes with new longer bolts. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | No kidding? I wonder if Witchdoctors comes with longer bolts (vid doesn't show longer bolts). Anybody know what the difference is between the 2?
If the bolts are rusting, could you just buy new stainless steel bolts? Would SS be too brittle, especially for the floorboard mounts? (Or is the HMD version even bolted at the floorboards?) |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 24
Alberta | You don't want to put stainless steel into aluminim as it will start a galvanic corrosion site. If you do insert SS into Al you need to use a nickle based thread lube, don't use a copper based thread lube
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | Well, of course you'd have galveston corruption stuff. Nothing like using nickles and lube instead of copper. 
All (poor) humor aside, I had no idea things would be that involved. I wonder why those bolts are rusting. SE lives on the east coast. Maybe it's a salt air thing? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Thanks guys....is there another alternative to stainless that I might use.
I have to tell you I am not impressed with HMD's lack of customer support and support of their product. Not sure if I could stay in business if I sold a product, it has an obvious issue and I told my customer to go out and purchase something else that might work. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 752
Broken Arrow, OK | take a small paint brush and coat them w/ Testors model black enamel paint. Get a little bottle at a hobby store |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 721
| Um, HMD is a forum member here, did you contact him directly or only speak to someone at his business?
As far as galvanic corrosion, that process will occur with ANY steel mated to aluminum, not just stainless steel, so in that case I would replace the supplied bolts with high strength stainless steel bolt, or as Okie stated, take some enamel paint and paint the bolt heads if they bother you that much. Me, I would simply ride the crap out of it first! |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | Travelin Man - 2013-05-26 8:45 AM
Um, HMD is a forum member here, did you contact him directly or only speak to someone at his business?
As far as galvanic corrosion, that process will occur with ANY steel mated to aluminum, not just stainless steel, so in that case I would replace the supplied bolts with high strength stainless steel bolt, or as Okie stated, take some enamel paint and paint the bolt heads if they bother you that much. Me, I would simply ride the crap out of it first!
+1 Sooner or later you'll have rust elsewhere. Ride that bitch!
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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Yes, Mike from HMD I add did communicate via email and I first spoke with him when he didn't ship the bolts with the plate. |
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HMD Skid Plate Bolts Rusting