In a message dated 8/4/05 12:22:26 AM, vanagon@ASTOUND.NET writes:

<< Stainless has far less strength than steel. >>

Taken in the broad sense in which it is stated, this statement is absolutely
false.  Without specifying the class, alloy and state of a metal, such
comparisons mean nothing at all.

As to why someone would stick a piece of stainless (SS) to carbon steel, it
may be because stainless has become so cheap, what with China, Korea and India
gleaning SS scrap from decommissioned reactors, or wherever they get it, and
shipping it back to us.

As far as mixing SS and carbon steel in the puddle of a weld, I do not have
the wherewithal to research whatever alchemy might take place, but I know it
ain't a good one.  I've seen SS welded to mild steel before in noncritical
fabrications such as hamburger grills, but, I have yet to meet a card-carrying
welder who would weld the two materials and then say,"You're good to go,"
especially if he realized that a 400 pound (bone dry with no air in the tires and on a
good day) Hondoo was going to be cantilevered from the ass-end of a Vanagon
dependent on his handiwork.

This brings me to the bike on the hitch.  Please take that thing off the
ass-end of your van and never put it there again.  It is a stupid and dangerous
way to carry a bike and it verges on being criminal.  If you do not know
anything about physics or rigging or hauling or structural fabrication, for the love
of God, find someone who does and talk to him.

The REAL tongue weight of this inanity is so far beyond the specification it
is no wonder that you are popping air bags.

George