SPRING LOCK WASHER FOR STUD 2

[slhandle]

When you bolt two components together using a stud and one nut at each end of the stud, would you use one spring lock washer or two spring lock washers (one for each nut) to prevent the nuts from coming loose. Why?

 

[btrueblood]

Neither. I'd torque the fasteners tight enough, or use a locking compound.

 

[slhandle]

Thank you for the reply. Locking compound cannot be used for this application. If spring lock washers have to be used, should I use one or two? Why?

 

[NickE]

Spring washers (unless really big ones) are not really effective in preventing loosening. The holding force of the nut comes directly from the tensile force on the bolt and the friction in the thread. You either have to increase the tensile load on the bolt, or you must increase friction.

Threadlockers "glue" teh threads together and are effective. Nylock also comes to mind at lower temps. Below 300F (IIRC). For higher temp and more severe conditions there are various all-steel types including Flex-Top, Deformed Thread, and Steel Insert...

Go to McMaster Carr....



Nick
I love materials science!

 

[MintJulep]

I would not bolt two components together using a stud and a nut at each end. I would use a bolt. That is what they are designed for.

Spring lock washers are useless (in all sizes) and should not be used, ever. For any size bolt, the tensile forces developed by proper preload are far in excess of the force required to completely flatten the lock washer. The spring force of the lock washer thus can only come into play AFTER THE JOINT HAS LOOSENED. By the time it does anything, it's too late.

 

[arto]

See pp 6-10 here for what works & what doesn't [i.e., split lockwashers] for thread locking:

http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/1990/RP-1228.pdf

 

[borjame]

MintJulep is right, it's just bad pratice to use spring lock washers, if you can't use a locking compound use eliptical or deformed nuts, sometimes call self locking nuts, with a bolt. And tighten the nut, not the bolt.