In disassembling and cleaning the TB/UIM/LIM, I've encountered several places (TB plates, 5/6 port linkage plates) where annoyingly soft and easy-to-strip-the-heads brass screws were used. Was there any real (engineering) reason for this, or if I can find some should I be fine with replacing them with nice steel hex-head bolts?

 

Ever since I started working with SU carbs (40 years ago!!??) I've run into the brass screws you refer to.
Either they thought the brass/steel combo wouldn't corrode in the air/fuel environment (optimists) or, when the screw actually did corrode (inevitable, really), it would be easier to somehow remove the softer brass stub.
Either way, they are a pain.

I've taken to replacing the brass with stainless screws, with a liberal coat of anti-seize.
So far, no ill effects.

 

unless its a ground, then no

 

its to prevent you from changing stuff. most people strip the head and then decide to leave it alone.

kevin.

 

That's about what I'm planning on doing, though I want whatever I use to have a hex-head on it so I can use a socket on it that's less likely to strip it than a screwdriver. I can imagine coating them in thread lock (like it looks like they did with the throttle plates) was not entirely too bad of an idea for people who were expected to never look at their engines, but for those like many of us that will probably be working on them several times a year, I think the anti-seize will be a much better idea.

 

haha, yeah, bascially.