Frozen Stainless Steel Fasteners on Trailer Lighting

[Jefecinco]

I have owned a custom aluminum Sport Trail boat trailer for almost five years. A tail light lamp was damaged recently so I replaced it. It was a typical LED lamp fastened with two stainless steel mounting bolts. Removing the original lamp was quite an effort as I ended up having to literally tear apart the lamp fixture to remove it due to the old stainless steel bolts being frozen to the aluminum trailer.

I was disappointed to find the stainless steel bolts had not been treated with a barrier coating such as Tef-Gel to prevent the electrolysis which caused the bolts to be frozen. After shopping for some Tef-Gel I found it both impossible to find locally and very expensive to order. I decided to use Permatex Anti-seize Lubricant as a substitute for Tef-Gel on the replacement bolts.

I learned a few lessons from this exercise:

--if I have to replace the other tail light lamp I'll use a long pry bar to knock the original bolts loose from the trailer frame;

--if I buy another aluminum trailer I'll buy some Tef-Gel ahead of time and treat every steel fastener on the trailer;

--because the tail light lamp could be damaged by removal, I won't remove the remaining tail light lamp.

I applied the Permatex to every surface of the bolts and frame showing aluminum oxide. It was a very messy job even using Q-Tips for the application due to the need to install and tighten the bolts by hand except for the final tightening. My hands were almost clean after using four paper towels and washing with soap three times. I recommend some rubber gloves for anyone using Permatex.

I like the waterproof LED lamps on the trailer but they use LED arrays rather than replaceable bulbs, and therefore they are not repairable. If one or two of the tiny LEDs in the array fail. it's probably not unsafe to continue to use the the lamp. The lamps are expensive but very reliable. Our 11-year-old Karavan trailer lamps continue to be trouble-free although I never disconnect them before dunking in saltwater.

[jimh]

I have used PermaTex Anti-Seize several times when installing steel spark plugs into aluminum cylinder heads. PermaTex describes their Anti-Seize product as:

A highly refined blend of aluminum, copper and graphite lubricants. Use during assembly to prevent galling, corrosion and seizing due to weathering or chemicals. Anti-seize assures easier disassembly. Temperature range -60 degree Fahrenheit to 1600 degree Fahrenheit. Salt, corrosion and moisture resistant; ideal for marine use.

• Prevents seizing and galling of all metals on chassis and engines
• Withstands temperatures up to 1600 degree Fahrenheit
• For easy removal of spark plugs, cylinder head and exhaust head bolts
• Apply to anchor pins on brake assemblies, U-bolts and spring bolts, hinges, gears, chain, sprockets and rollers

The darn stuff does seem to have an amazing ability to jump across air from the workpiece to your fingers and hands, so I have learned to wear disposable gloves when working with it.