So, I'll pick up my new LHT soon (on order) and the first thing I'll do is throw front and rear fenders and a rear rack on. And maybe also the little metal QR hitch for the Burley trailer to tow the kids. All that stuff except the QR hitch will be screwed into the braze-ons and will sit up against painted frame. Anybody both putting anything between there? Felt? Nothing? The QR hitch-mount will touch the dropout in an even wider way. Has anyone here used one of these mounts on the LHT? It's not the one that clamps around seat and chainstays - it's the one you put your quick-release through and it sits flush against your left rear dropout.

Can you tell I just bought my first steel bike and I'm fretting over every little way it might encounter rust? <sigh>

YEs

leather washers: buy from velo orange or just go to a craft store, buy a small piece, cut into washers, use. =)

On the racks, do not put anything between the rack and frame. You want the frame to rack connection to be as strong as possible and any kind of soft spacer would likely weaken it. When my panniers are full and I hit a rough section of road, my biggest concern is shearing off a rack bolt, but have been lucky so far. I suggest blue locktite (or similar) on rack bolts, some suggest that on fender bolts as well.

I find no need to put anything between fender stays and frame, but that connection is not one that needs to be strong. So, if you want to put something there, it probably can't hurt. If I had a paint job that cost over a month of income, I might be tempted to use a stainless steel washer between fender stay and frame.

I however did put several layers of electrical tape on my kickstand before installing it on the frame to protect the paint. Others have used inner tube rubber for this purpose instead.

I have no experience with any trailer hitches and therefore can't comment.

I thought you were pulling my leg with the leather washers bit, but then I actually found them online. There is no end to what folks will do w/ their bikes! I've now found conflicting info on whether washers on the rack bolts are good or bad (maybe bad because the rack weight would be supported farther out on the bolt, etc).

Ultimately, I should probably just quit worrying about rust so much.

Agree =)

A solid rack connection is essential, any sponginess and the bolt WILL break, bend or process out under its own steam. Ive had pannier bolts unscrew all by themselves because they developed looseness. The LHT is a utilitarian frame and it will get dinged up. Its not painted by some artisan who signs his work, just a blue collar guy doing a good days work.