RPod Fender Attachment

Originally posted by StephenH HD = Home Depot, not a grade.

and... HDG = Hot Dip Galvanized. HDG are great when you can't get stainless.

Jagmar, I understand what Milspec [Military Specification] is and that there are fasteners of all sorts that are sold meeting those specifications, but I don't follow you on your reference to SS vs. HD in reference to stainless steel fasteners.  I am aware of the difference, for example, between18-8, 304, and 316 stainless fasteners.  There is a whole number grading system for stainless depending on the composition and metallurgical characteristics, but HD and SS as grades?  Where do you find them?  Just wondering.

I moved one of the fenders (de and then remounted) because the factory mounted fenders were not mounted evenly over the "port side" tire. I put the fender back on with stainless steel screws. The inside area of the fender gets beat up with water, dirt, rocks, salt etc. and needs high quality fasteners and good seals to keep the fenders from failing and damage to the rest of the side and under carriage. The OEM screws showed rust so I used high thread count #10 screws because a course thread can not "bite" on the thin fiberglass. I used high grade SS (MilSpec but easily available), not the HD/Lowes quality, but anything is better than the corroded Cad plated stuff I found. I put sealant in the new hole before I put new screws in (pre-drilled with a pilot hole)and the gave them a good coating of sealant over the screw heads. Make sure your fender-to-camper fiberglass gasket is in good condition and in place. I remounted the other side because I figured it was equally vulnerable to corrosion. I probably went a bit too far, but I won't need to worry about the fenders falling off again.

Go to an RV store and buy some more Robertson screws, unless your local Ace carries them.  You may want to consider going to a slightly thicker screw, since you probably enlarged the original screw holes when you pulled your fender away.  Also, get little tube of bedding compound and fill the screw holes with it before you reattach them.  It gets pretty wet in the wheel well and you don't want water entering the screw holes.

Why not back out one of the remaining screws to get the size and length? Take it to your local hardware or big-box home store and get something the same size, even if it does not have the square drive.