Titanium Fasteners

Hey fellas!

I have a new to me 2010 RCSB with the bed bounce/choppy ride issue.

I pulled the rear cab mount nut and washer off to take a look and see if the TSB had been completed by one of the previous 4 owners. As you can imagine, the original mount was still there.



I got all the black liquid/gunk leaking out, that others have described. (photos below) Interesting enough, the front cab mount did not have any fluid leak out.





Both the front and the rear pairs of cab mount bolts were majorly corroded.



This got me thinking about replacing the fasteners with another material during the TSB swap. I've always been intrigued by titanium, and there began my research.

It is my understanding that Grade 5 Titanium is similar in strength to grade 8 steel. I've read that tensile and compressive strength are very good, and that shear strength is not. The weight-saving variable is particularly interesting to me, despite the understanding that it is relatively negligible.

 

My search for the massive bolt size led me to only one company that offered them, Ti64. Prices are very high (photos below), but I figured I'd be the guinea pig and just go for it. The idea is that the fasteners would never need to be replaced again, as titanium is remarkably corrosion resistant.



Here are some prices I paid:

 

I plan on doing the install this weekend.

I was told by one of the owners of Ti64 to use manufacturer torque specs, but I will be using Moly paste on the threads. It is my understanding that the torque value needs to be decreased by 15-25% when using a thread lube. The moly paste should help prevent galling, as well as protect the steel nuts from corroding.

I decided to use OEM all metal locking nuts to the cab mount bolts. I read that using titanium nuts with titanium bolts significantly increases the tendency for galling.

I'll post some side by side shots of the fasteners, washers, and mounts.

 

I know it's 6 weeks later, but I'd like to post recent findings.

First of all, some side by side photos:



And this is what happens when you try to reuse an all-metal locking nut, on a rusty OEM bolt:



Final impression is that the rhythmic bouncing is reduced around 50%. My passenger seat slightly bounces up and down, whereas it used to violently bounce.

You can still feel the bouncing, but it no longer seems that the truck is unsteady.

 

I though the bed bounce issue was only on the longer frame models. I’ve never experience any issues on my rcsb.

 

I did the TSB in 2011

 

You might wanna check this out:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_series
The farther apart the metals are, the more rapidly ions are exchanged (galvanic corrosion being ion exchange)
If it were me I'd consider titanium nuts and washers.