Something I have wondered about for some time. If you put a flat washer under the lock washer and nut does the lock washer work like it is designed to?? The flat washer is free to turn; not locked. Regards, Twobit ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and if a tree falls in the forest... I would say yes, it still works-the lock washer is still putting tension on the nut, and it is very doubtful the flat washer will be free to turn.
You got me wondering. Split lock washers turn smoothly when you tighten them. But they are designed to dig in when they are backed off. So when backing them off does it cause wear and you shouldn't re-use the lock washer?
Using a flat washer between the lock washer and the surface of the clamped part will work, in fact it is recommended as the flat washer will disperse the load and prevent the surafce from being marred by the lock washer and possibly creating a stress fracture, dedpending on the material. If the componants are critical try not to reuse the hardware as the mechanical locking forces are reduced. Although not period correct the nylock nuts are preferable. The rule of thumb is mechanical locking on a nut and bolt, safety wire on a blind fastener and chmical as a last resort (loctite)
the spring tension of the lockwasher is what keeps the nut from backing off, in my trade we use conical spring washers for transformer and power distribution terminations. This looks like a flat washer that is "cupped", this applies the necessary force if not over torqued.
I never reuse a lock washer and I only buy & use grade 8 lockwashers, regardless of the application. I've found the grade 8 lock washers hold their shape or "springiness" better.
Just do a Google search. The standard, one surface "lock washer" isn't very effective at locking fasteners from vibration induced loosening. Star washers are good, Loctite, safety wire are about as good as you can get. I try to stay away from the "one surface" type lock washers. My cars, I use star lock washers, Loctite and safety wire. My motorcycles, I use...the same. Mike
I will never use the standard split spring type lock washers on anything. Period. I'll use locking nuts, nylock or otherwise, or loctite. I have seen far too many of the split spring lock washers that break and then the pieces fall out leaving the fastener loose and on it's own. For the most part that style of lockwasher is junk.
the SAE did a study a few years back and found that lock washers are not worth the time nylock nuts or stover nuts or locktite are the way to go
I work as a millwright for US steel, they will not let us use split lock washers. They say that they break and fall out, leaving the bolt loose. I've seen it many times.
I have NEVER seen or even heard of a lock washer backing off. In fact, I have them on my pitman arm and steering arm and other parts of my car. They haven't even changed position in the last 4 years. Use them in combination with a flat washer and forget about them. Not using them is as crazy as using grade 8 fastners in EVERY application. Over kill at it's finest. I know the HAMB is slow during working hours, but really. Lock washers?
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