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split lock washers are junk?

Posted by michmark

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split lock washers are junk? #1
michmark Mark Bates Michigan, USA 1968 MG MGB GT	Posted: April 07, 2012 08:35AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 79

Howdy all,

My brother referred me to this website that talks about the how and why of fastener loosening. The interesting aspect is their claim that in the 1960's, it was discovered that split lock washers are not only ineffective but seem to hasten fastener loosening. Any thoughts from the forum?

Bolt Science

Mark

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Re: split lock washers are junk? #2
underdog Jim Underwood Pittsburgh, USA 1972 MG MGB 1980 Triumph TR8 "Fabulous Trashwagon" 1999 Chevrolet Corvette "Darth Vader" 1999 Chevrolet S10 "Spare Change" 2003 Jaguar S-Type "Eleanor"	Posted: April 07, 2012 08:49AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 9,390

I've seen them break in half resulting in a loose fastener. These days I prefer to use blue locktight on fasteners I want to stay put. Nylocks are also effective but can lose their grip if reused.

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Re: split lock washers are junk? #3
gooser Drake Myers Danville Va, USA	Posted: April 07, 2012 09:25AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 6,931

what is going on this morning? split lock washers are junk? dot 3 and dot 5 brake fluid can be mixed? next you guys will be saying that the earth isn't flat. i'm scared.

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Re: split lock washers are junk? #4
twigworker Jack Austin Blowing Rock, NC, USA	Posted: April 07, 2012 10:13AM Registered: 7 years ago Posts: 20,761

Didn't read the article yet, but my experience tells me that new split washers MADE OF GOOD MATERIAL work well in the right applications. I did have a TR3 come into the shop once with big lock washer under the cylinder head nuts. What a mess that was, but that isn't a "right application". winking smiley

My take is that if the washers are new or used with lots of "spring" left in them with sharp cutting edges they will work fine.

I am always a little suspect of published things that go off on esoteric tangents based on unusual test applications or lab experience. The best way to deal with this sort of thing IMHO is to read and learn what you can and then carefully apply the information to you real world situations with generous attention to your own experience of what works and what doesn't.

Jack

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Re: split lock washers are junk? #5
Jim1971 Jim Smith Cassidy, BC, Canada	Posted: April 07, 2012 11:27AM Registered: 9 years ago Posts: 5,632

When working on the cars I always replace the old lock washers, bolts and nuts with new ones. If there is no lock washer Loctite blue is always used.

Jim...Nanaimo, BC
1971 MGB collector
1975 MGB driver
1975 MGB in pieces waiting for V6
2005 Mini Cooper

A wise man overhauls his brakes before his engine.

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Re: split lock washers are junk? #6
EW Chapman Earl Chapman Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 1969 MG MGB	Posted: April 07, 2012 11:56AM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 465

Split lock washers are used often in aviation, so I'd question the actual research that says they're ineffective and promote the loosening of something. If this was the case, they would have been banned years ago, and the MIL spec for the washers would be cancelled.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the efficacy of a split lock washer probably has more to do with what it's made of and how it's made. I've never run into an occasion where one has worked loose, unless of course you reused a lock washer that was already flattened and didn't have the ability to lock in the first place.

Nylock nuts can also safely be reused without issue. So long as effort is required to overcome the friction of the nylock insert of the nut as it's being put on, it will do it's job. It becomes quite obvious when they're worn out and shouldn't be re-used. Just my $.02

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Re: split lock washers are junk? #7
spikemichael Michael Caputo Athol, MA, USA 1973 MG MGB 1973 MG MGB "Freebie" 1976 MG MGB "B-4" 1979 MG MGB "MegaBeanie" 1989 Suzuki Intruder 800 → more	Posted: April 07, 2012 12:04PM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 6,790

In reply to # 2033680 by gooser what is going on this morning? split lock washers are junk? dot 3 and dot 5 brake fluid can be mixed? next you guys will be saying that the earth isn't flat. i'm scared.

It isn't.

It is hollow.

Hollow

Michael J. Caputo
'79 RBB and '73 CBB owner with extensive experience in 12v Audio System design and installation.
Vendor of Regalia and Promotional Products. Forum Member with a warped sense of humor.

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Re: split lock washers are junk? #8
BritishV8 Curtis Jacobson Longmont CO, USA	Posted: April 07, 2012 12:33PM Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 1,659

I don't use split washers, ever, and haven't since I was taught not to in college many years ago. I use hardened flat washers under both the head of every bolt and under every nut. I also use a lot of cinch nuts and/or nylon lock nuts. The only application I can see for split washers is when used for clamping soft materials together, where it's impractical to tighten the bolt up to its full torque spec - but in those cases I think Loctite is a better idea. Where a bolt is torqued up to its spec, split washers can't do much one way or the other since they're already squeezed dead flat.

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Re: split lock washers are junk? #9
RAY 67 TOURER Ray Marloff Fort Bragg, CA, USA 1967 MG MGB "My Girl"	Posted: April 07, 2012 03:05PM Registered: 3 years ago Posts: 5,952

They work just fine when new, but if you try to reuse one, that has been under tension for 30+ years, failure will most likely occur. I've never had one lose its tension and cause a nut to come off. RAY

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Re: split lock washers are junk? #10
Gerry Gerry Masterman Prairieville, Louisiana, USA	Posted: April 07, 2012 03:12PM Registered: 13 years ago Posts: 18,629

I rarely will reuse one. I have gotten my hands on some without any tension new from the store. BlueLoctite is my standby as well

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Re: split lock washers are junk? #11
RAY 67 TOURER Ray Marloff Fort Bragg, CA, USA 1967 MG MGB "My Girl"	Posted: April 07, 2012 03:15PM Registered: 3 years ago Posts: 5,952

Gerry, I use blue Locktite as well, but I've had good luck with split lockwashers over the years. RAY

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