How weatherproof are extruded aluminum tslot bars and their fasteners?

off-roader

Expedition Leader
Anyone using extruded aluminum tubing and tslot bolts in an exterior application? I'm looking at the stuff that comes from 80/20 corporation (http://www.8020.net). I know aluminum is pretty weather resistant as far as oxidation is concerned, plus theirs already comes clear coated. My concern though is the t-slot nuts/fasteners. I'm not sure if they have available stainless or galvanized hardware.
 

off-roader

Expedition Leader
I checked with 8020 and they said they offer stainless hardware. The tubes themselves are painted and only $16 for 72" or 6'. You can also get them in black but they're more than 2x the cost @ $33 for 72". Hello rustoleum LOL...
 

Jay H

servicedriven.org
Aluminum T slot is used frequently for solar pannels in out side settings.
See if you can get it anodized as for hard ware I would try to avoid mixing lots of different metals.

If it is going to be exposed to road salt just use something cheap and throw away and replace.
 

off-roader

Expedition Leader
Aluminum T slot is used frequently for solar pannels in out side settings.
See if you can get it anodized as for hard ware I would try to avoid mixing lots of different metals.

If it is going to be exposed to road salt just use something cheap and throw away and replace.

Im considering powder coating the tslot bars but will see how they weather first. For hardware, I was going to use all stainless steel fasteners (tnuts, eye bolts, & the bolts/nuts to mount the tslot bars to the roof rack).

The Garvin rack itself is heavily powder coated steel and frankly the finish has worn very little in the nearly 10 years I've owned the rack. I do live in the SF Bay Area so I don't have to deal with snow/ice & salted roads during the winter which I'm sure helps.
 

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