Trivial question - Nylocs vs spring washers

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TheMegaMan

TheMegaMan

Well-Known Member
Posts
516
Location
Cambridge
Can I ask a quick (I hope) rather trivial question that's been in my head for a little while.

There are a lot of places on the Landy that specify spring/split washers under plain nuts.

With the obvious exception of potentially hot area, such as exhausts and brakes, is there any potential problem replacing most of these with nyloc nuts during my rebuild?

I assume nylocs weren't really a popular thing back when the Landy was designed, so just weren't specified. Why would I not want to use nylocs now, though?

(I'm not aiming for 100% authenticity with my rebuild - just safe and functional!)
 
One plus with nylock is they help prevent water and muck ging into the threads, so better when you need to take them off, I often smear some silicone grease on the threads and that helps, while the nylon insert still grips and prevents vibration loosening the nut.
 
No problem with Nylock in most places as you say. There are some who say they should only be used once but I recon not a problem unless it is a vital item. Another way is to use thread lock. I like this as it not only retains the nut but can help keep corrosion at bay for the next time you need to undo the nut.
 
I think you can look on nylocs as a later technology that's come along since. There were all metal lock nuts in the 50's and 60's but they were very expensive. Its a tough call, for some fiddley locations a nut in nicer becuase you can run it up by hand and only need to get a spanner on for the final turn, but if its that fiddley getting 2 washers on is a right pain. I've tended to keep the nut/washer combo where the original fixings are still OK, they look nicer - for example all round the rad cowl.
 
Thanks for the comments and tips, everyone. I had so many seized nuts when dismantling the Landy, that anything that will preserve the life of the threads has got to be a good thing! That might be a benefit I wasn't expecting - it's more trying to avoid balancing a stack of washers on the end of my finger and getting the nut in a downward-pointing bolt, that I was hoping to avoid.

But yes, nylocs don't look as good, do they? I'll choose my nut type selectively, and keep the nylocs out of sight! :)
 
Nylocs are indeed recommended as "Once-Only" usage.
I have had one undo on me and it cost me a taco'd rim on my trike while touring in Holland.
However, a gentle warming up is allegedly able to help with 2nd-time around usage as you re-cut the thread in the blue plastic..
Thing is spring/splits don't really wear out or degrade.
Have you seen the price of aircraft/aviation locknuts. That's scary. :eek:
 
TheMegaMan said:
Thanks for the comments and tips, everyone. I had so many seized nuts when dismantling the Landy, that anything that will preserve the life of the threads has got to be a good thing! That might be a benefit I wasn't expecting - it's more trying to avoid balancing a stack of washers on the end of my finger and getting the nut in a downward-pointing bolt, that I was hoping to avoid.

But yes, nylocs don't look as good, do they? I'll choose my nut type selectively, and keep the nylocs out of sight! :)
Click to expand...
Look at screwfix they sell packs of stainless steel nylock nuts I use them in applications where the nut is not in tensile load
 
I certainly wouldn't bother with a spring washer, old technology that simply doesn't work, in fact your better off with a simple plain washer. Stiff nuts are quite cheap in metric sizes, expensive in UNF and UNC and unaffordable in BSF and BSW.
 
Citizen Kane said:
I certainly wouldn't bother with a spring washer, old technology that simply doesn't work, in fact your better off with a simple plain washer. Stiff nuts are quite cheap in metric sizes, expensive in UNF and UNC and unaffordable in BSF and BSW.
Click to expand...

Can't say I have had a problem with spring washers personally. The ones on my Beta Kubotas seem to be working fine, neither engine has fallen apart yet! :D
 
The other problem with spring washers is unless you go to an engineers suppliers its hard to find a decent spring washer that lasts and doesn't loose its tension shortly after undoing it and re-tightening it.
 
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