It does happen sometimes that the SS bolt and nut bite into each other and
get stuck.  So what.  Snap it off, put on an other one.  It is always much
better to use SS than those ugly, rusty, diminishing ones.  True, they are
not as hard as the originals, but will keep the things together just the
same.  I use them on the exhaust system all the time, exclusively.  I would
not sleep well if I did not.
Zoltan

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Demarest" <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 1:34 PM
Subject: Re: Warning! Do not use...

>I actually have already replaced most of the exhaust hardware on my Westie
> ('85 1.9L) with stainless steel, and have been able to remove/reattach the
> cat and muffler without any problems (replaced the useless CIP muffler
> strap with Terry K's far superior part).
>
> Two things I made sure of:
>         - Use anti-seize on assembly.
>         - Don't over-torque.
>
> When I first disassembled the exhaust, there were already some stainless
> fasteners on there (where the headers meet the collector pipe), and these
> came apart with little trouble, any non-stainless bolts were rusted to the
> point where they came apart by snapping.
>
> YMMV, depending on the age of your van and your climate. :-)
>
> Tim
>
> At 12:34 PM 1/17/2007 -0500, Geza Polony wrote:
>>stainless steel bolts on your muffler/catalytic converter.
>>
>>The more experienced among us know this already. I thought I'd beat the
>>corrosion problem by using M8 stainless bolts and nuts for my new Bus
>>Depot
>>cat and muffler. Once they heat up, there's no way to loosen them. I don't
>>know what happens to the steel, but it sure isn't any labor saver. The
>>heads
>>just break of when you crank them.  So much for good intentions.
>
>
> --
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>
>