Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

Anyone ever have stainless steel lug nuts rust? Bought 26 from (a vendor) and they came in the raw, unpolished state. Buffed them up on the ragwheel til they looked like new chrome and installed them all.

About a week or two later, just from air moisture, they turned cloudy and a number of them have red rust on them.

I'm thinking VERY low-grade stainless here. I suppose I could have waxed them all...maybe that would have helped.

But anyway, should've stuck with the plated for far less money...

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

stainless steel does eventually rust - just takes longer. but yes it should take many years not 2 weeks...

may have gotten zinc plated or some sort of galvanized which is just a thin coating over regular steel and when you buffed them you buffed it all off.

either way you can try buffing again and waxing really good. ive also heard of using clear coat to "paint" over them to prevent rust again. never tried it so cant say how well it works...

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

The radiator shell on my 31 is stainless steel, its 83 years old and no rust! Real stainless steel doesn't rust. There are many different grades of stainless steel. I would guess you have cadmium lug nuts mistaking sold as stainless.

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

Go back to your vendor and see what they will do. My SS lugs show no change in a year of use. I think you got a bad batch or a poor quality set.

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

The McGard's on our trailer 8yrs, no rust, not stainless...
http://i61.tinypic.com/33zb9dx.jpg

Bob
:cool:

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

Here is some interesting info on various grades of stainless steel.

http://www.corrosionist.com/Stainless_Steel_grades.htm

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

I haven't tried this, but I've heard that if you sandblast SS lug nuts, they look like they're cad plated.

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

Place a magnet against them, you will soon see if they are proper stainless or not.

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

some SS alloys are magnetic. Some alloys will rust some will not.

send'em back, cheapo crappo from China

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

ok let me show you an ORIGINAL NON magnetic ford bumper clap
I peeled it off and was doing some restoration on it
we had a freak rainstorm in the summer here in California and the next day
I went out to continue working on this cover
this is what I found,its got a good bit of rust on it
I did heat the edges only to take the temper off
but I did not heat the center at all
I also Have an ORIGINAL stainless 30-31 headlamp shell
it was perfect except it went through a fire
I polished it up ,but it never met my expectations
within a few days it reverted back to a rusty mess
and yes I tested it with a magnet,it wouldn't stick at all
I ended up painting it black
both of these stainless objects were original ford
tom

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

Depends on how much chromium is in the stainless steel if it rusts (oxidizes) or not. Chinese stainless steel has high carbon steel content and low chromium content. As tbirdtbird said, Chinese stainless is magnetic and will oxidize readily.

Personally I wouldn't use stainless lug nuts at all. Stainless steel galls easily unless you used a anti-sieze.

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

Don't know what you mean by rag wheel. You may have caused your own problem if the wheel you used was previously used on another item with or with compound. If that wheel was in a dirty environment and you polished the items you may have placed minute particles of iron on to the surface of the stainless. That is what is rusting really, not the stainless. In the machining and forming of the part the tools could have also left traces of iron on the surface causing the problem. Modern industry uses the process called passivating to stop this reaction. Acids and other chemicals are used to clean the metal after machining and forming. Our 30-31 radiator shells are nearest the industry grade of stainless know as type 304 which is "rust less". There are many different stainless grades and each is formulated for certain properties. Leave a piece of raw unfinished steel with a little water on it on a sheet of stainless 304 and you will at some time see a rust stain. Chinese, India or other names don't refer to stainless steel grades. They have alloy numbers and trademarked names to describe them. I have a metal analyzer that I use daily in my recycling business and if you send me the nut I can tell you exactly the grade and the percents of the nickel, chrome and iron contained in it. It is a non destructive test.

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

Also, if SS is heat treated it is more prone to rusting.

Re: Stainless Lug Nuts....Stained.
 

Just go with the best....made right here in WNY.

Bob
:cool: