[F10Dan]

Recently my tie rods needed to be replaced, the whole unit, not the ends. Why? My mechanic could not get the ends to move for an alignment, even with major heat, because the aluminum ends had fused to the steel rods.

As most of the F10 is mostly aluminum with steel nuts, bolts, screws, washers etc... I am concerned about future repairs. For instance, what will happen when I try to remove a steel bolt from an aluminum control arm years from now. Or steel bolt from an aluminum frame to replace sway bar bushings.

So, I am wondering if you can shed some light on what you have found to be helpful, if anything, in preventing or delaying this issue.

Do treatments like Fluid Film help at all?

[Surly73]

I'll follow this thread with interest. I too had a tie rod end replaced at alignment time, though it was covered under warranty because I was at the dealer. The car was significantly younger with not much salt exposure yet when this happened too.

I will point out that there may not be as much "steel bolt into aluminum" as you fear. Instead, almost every maintenance operation I've attempted says "renew bolts" in TIS because they're aluminum too. More than once I haven't factored bolts into the repair prep and had to buy/order them full price at the dealer just-in-time.

As for what to treat with - in an area that does not see blasting road spray, I would think something more like Amsoil MP (Metal Protector) would be superior to FF because it's thin and dry/not sticky. Sticky rust inhibitors over time just attract dirt and salt and can make things worse.

[F10Dan]

Surly73, I find it hard to believe that high stress bolts are aluminum as it has such a lower tensile strength then steel, but I am not an engineer. It would be interesting to hear input from an automotive engineer. I seem to remember seeing “society of automotive engineers” on some tech’s shirts. Perhaps one of them can speak to these items with certainty. This situation must be ubiquitous with so much aluminum being used in structural components these days.

[Surly73]

Originally Posted by F10Dan

Surly73, I find it hard to believe that high stress bolts are aluminum as it has such a lower tensile strength then steel, but I am not an engineer. It would be interesting to hear input from an automotive engineer. I seem to remember seeing “society of automotive engineers” on some tech’s shirts. Perhaps one of them can speak to these items with certainty. This situation must be ubiquitous with so much aluminum being used in structural components these days.

Brake caliper carrier mounting, subframe, steering rack, front chassis stiffening plate, pretty much everything visible when you look down on an open hood, strut hats, sway bar mounts...

Doesn't equate to "everything", but all this stuff didn't say "renew bolts" in the instructions for older models.