The 25-Piece Titanium Powerhead Stud Kit from Buckshot Racing #77 sets a new benchmark in high-performance marine fastener technology. Engineered for use with 12-inch studs-down Mercury Racing mid-sections, this kit is designed to handle the extreme demands of competitive racing applications, including the SST-120, S3000, US F1, F200, F1H20, and various 2.5-liter drag race outboards.
 
It offers a lightweight, high-strength, corrosion-resistant alternative to traditional steel hardware, tailored specifically for Mercury’s racing-grade 2.4L and 2.5L V6 powerheads.
 
Each stud is precision-machined from Ti-6Al-4V titanium, an aerospace alloy renowned for its strength-to-weight ratio. Compared to stainless steel, titanium offers a 45% reduction in weight; compared to alloy steel, it is 55% lighter.
 
Despite the weight advantage, this titanium alloy delivers up to 30% more tensile strength than stainless steel, providing exceptional resistance to deformation and stress during repeated high-RPM operation, thermal expansion, and engine vibration.
 
Stud Geometry, Fastener Design, and Material Properties
 
The Buckshot Racing #77 studs are built with rolled threads, which are smoother and stronger than cut threads, increasing fatigue resistance and minimizing the risk of galling.
 
The US SAE 5/32-inch internal hex drive allows for precise torque application during installation and simplifies service in tight engine compartments. This design also reduces setup time during rebuilds, ideal for race teams and performance technicians working on rapid turnaround cycles.
 
Each stud is finished with a rainbow PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) coating, delivering a surface hardness of 2000–3000 HV—up to ten times harder than standard electroplated finishes.
 
The ultra-thin PVD layer, typically between 0.5 and 5 microns, enhances corrosion resistance by up to 50%, reduces wear by up to 70%, and maintains full structural integrity in high-temperature environments up to 500°C (932°F). The low friction coefficient of the PVD finish, as low as 0.1, ensures accurate torque without thread damage or preload loss.
 
Compatibility with Mercury OEM Hardware and Racing Platforms
 
This titanium stud kit replaces Mercury OEM stud part numbers 822182 and 8221821, commonly found in assemblies such as the Driveshaft Housing 821986A5. The thick washers included are dimensionally matched to OEM parts 12-856774 and 8M0214963, ensuring an exact fit into the recessed nut seats found in Mercury’s 12-inch offshore racing mid-sections.
 
This kit is fully compatible with Mercury 2.4L and 2.5L V6 racing engines across all major competition formats, including tunnel hull F1, SST-120, S3000, and 2.5L drag racing outboards. These applications depend on consistent, high-clamp-load fasteners that maintain head gasket integrity, alignment, and preload even during extreme thermal cycling and sustained full-throttle use.
 
Weight, Strength, and Corrosion Benefits in Marine Environments
 
By replacing chromoly or stainless fasteners with Ti-6Al-4V titanium, racers and technicians can reduce top-end weight, minimize corrosion risk, and improve powerhead service life.
 
Titanium’s resistance to marine corrosion is especially critical in saltwater conditions, where steel fasteners often degrade over time. The combination of a corrosion-proof base material with a high-hardness PVD surface finish ensures unmatched protection in wet or chemically aggressive environments.
 
In addition to weight and strength, the kit's superior thermal stability helps preserve bolt torque across the wide temperature swings typical in performance outboards. 
 
What’s Included in the Buckshot Racing #77 Kit
 
Each Buckshot Racing #77 kit includes eight (8) titanium powerhead studs machined for the 12-inch studs-down mid-section pattern, eight (8) case-hardened thick washers compatible with Mercury nut seat castings, eight (8) stainless steel nylock nuts for vibration resistance, and one (1)  5/32-inch Allen wrench for installation.
 
Final Technical Summary
 
The Buckshot Racing #77 Titanium Powerhead Stud Kit delivers aerospace-grade fastener performance to Mercury Racing 2.4L and 2.5L V6 platforms, offering unmatched strength-to-weight ratio, thermal stability, and corrosion resistance.
 
This Aerospace-Grade Ti-6Al-4V Titanium exclusively from  Buckshot Racing #77 is for F1H20, SODA, DSRA, USF1, ODBA, F200, OPC, APBA, UIM, and other sanctioned boat racing around the world using the 12-inch section.
 
Contact Mike at 714-697-1716 or mike@buckshotracing77.com for technical support