Spreaders

[Jack B]

Hi,
Just a quick question, should spreaders be aluminium or stainless or does it not matter?
Thanks Jack.

 

[sailorman]

ali is lighter aloft, if you know what i mean

 

[Jack B]

Thanks,
One more question, should one use Ali bolts with Ali tube to prevent corrosion.
Jack

 

[ganter]

Generally aluminium into stainless steel bearers or very tough composite at the mast.

Like this...

[url=http://postimage.org/]
photo share[/URL]

 

[VicS]

Thanks,
One more question, should one use Ali bolts with Ali tube to prevent corrosion.
Jack

Stainless bolts I would think for strength but use Duralac paste, or Tef Gel perhaps, to prevent corrosion

 

[merlin3688]

Spreaders used to be round alloy tube but now are nearly all aero but still alloy. Many years ago the spreader bracket may have been stainless but this was not good as corrosion would accure. Always fit spreader to bracket using stainless bolt, most companies (Possibly all) use stainless fastenings to attach spreader to bracket. Interesting the photo above is an Isomat mast with welded sockets, this was made this way about 30 years ago, if you broke the spreader bracket you had to replace the mast! They changed to riveted on spreaders and now they use through bars although not called Isomat any more!