Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

[JASinIL2006]

I pulled the winch stand/bow stop off my trailer for painting, and the existing bolts are showing some signs of age:




The bolts look to be half-inch, Grade 5 bolts, but I can't tell if they had any sort of coating or corrosion protection. (It kind of looks like they didn't, given the amount of rust.)

Am I OK using plain old Grade 5 bolts, or should I be considering stainless or hot-dipped galvanized bolts instead? I thought stainless bolts might be good from a corrosion-resistance perspective, but I'm concerned that they aren't strong enough.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Jim

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

One more thing: just to clarify, the bolts hold the encircled bracket (below) to the trailer. (Please ignore my daughter and her friends doing the Charlie's Angels Pose. We were on our way to Canada and they were bored....)

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

I'd spend a few more pennies and get strongest ones.. spray em yourself if u feel u need to

 

[Maclin]

Re: Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

Grade 8's seemed to me to be the best for strength and rust delaying.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

I'd spend a few more pennies and get strongest ones.. spray em yourself if u feel u need to

Do you mean get some Grade 8 bolts?

 

[dingbat]

Re: Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

Hot dip bolts are "soft" and stainless is over kill and will still "rust" given the application.

Use grade 5. Any of the typical finishes will suffice. If the bolt had no finish at all, it would have been rusted right out of the box.

Grade 8 is over kill. You wouldn't hang a porch swing with #2500 cable, would you?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

Hot dip bolts are "soft" and stainless is over kill and will still "rust" given the application.

Use grade 5. Any of the typical finishes will suffice. If the bolt had no finish at all, it would have been rusted right out of the box.

Grade 8 is over kill. You wouldn't hang a porch swing with #2500 cable, would you?

True, but the coating is usually a lot better on the grade 8 bolts and they don't really cost much more.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

ANY properly sized steel bolts will be more than adequate there.

BTW first time Charlie's Angels ever posed with double barrel pistols LOL

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

Do you mean get some Grade 8 bolts?

yep

 

[gm280]

Re: Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

Could always use stainless steel hardware OR have it welded back on. Then you would never have to worry about it coming loose or breaking off...

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Proper bolts for attaching winch stand to trailer

Well, as it turns out, Grade 8 bolts are not much more $$ than Grade 5, especially when one is only buying 3 of them, so Grade 8 it is. (What can I say, 'overkill' is my middle name...) I'll give them a shot of paint and they'll be good to go.

Thanks everyone!