Question about Steel and Aluminium

[Nando]

thread can be closed now, i know what direction to go now thanks to N1ck.

[Billzilla]

Useless trivia -
I used to fly a Metroliner turboprop in the 90's and on one flight a few minutes before landing it decided that it didn't need its hydraulic oil and spat it all out. I had to do an emergency extension on the landing gear and land with no flaps, no big deal.
Anyway when the engineers came to fix it, they found that the aluminium engine cowling had been rubbing on one of the stainless steel hydraulic lines and warn a hole in it. There was a groove worn in the alloy, but it made a hole in the stainless steel first.

[Greg Locock]

(Hi Bill)You see similar thing with nylon and steel, it is not unusual for the steel shaft to wear faster than the nylon bearing that supports it.

[Billzilla]

Hey Greg - I'm still posting on 'that other forum', under another handle.
Can't keep a good man down, hey?

I'd be interested to see the explanation of the process of how softer materials can wear harder so quickly at times.