Experience over 45 years: they all work to some extent at REDUCING loosening. But the only lock device that categorically prevents it is a castle nut & split pin.
I work in the aerospace field and this is exactly why we always use lockwire (safety wire) for aircraft applications. Even with torque specs applied, they can break loose.
I was about to say this. A good lockwire application is a great way to prevent vibration loosening, as far as I see. With my limited knowledge, I only see creep or fatigue as potential problems.
Preload is the key to a successful joint. Lockwire (like a castellated nut) is really only intended for dynamic joints. In the case of a structural joint that is for whatever reason is overloaded, lockwire does not prevent failure…… it simply becomes a lanyard to retain the bolt head that pops off.
@@jstwatchnread8420 The question is that, how much vibration are they subjected to? For example, jet engines and rocket engines are told as vibration monsters. And this video shows how vibrations can loosen fasteners. Are non-racing car nuts also subjected to problematic amounts of vibrations?
I was an active duty sailor "Opticalman" back int he late 70's. I worked on a sub tender, pulling, repairing, and installing submarine periscopes. One of the more grueling aspects of the removal/install process was dealing with the large (3/4" thread?) nylock nuts that clamped the lower seal complex to the submarine inner hull. There were a lot of them - I seem to remember 12 or 16, the nut prevailing torque had to be greater than 15 pound/ft or you replaced with a new one, and they were way up in the overhead in a mass of pipes and cables. Used a collection of cut-off wrenches, pull bars, crowsfeet, sockets. The first few were OK but you get tired working up in the maze, hanging over the periscope well. Every turn of the nut required force, and many times it was a 1/12 turn using a 6" long cut-off wrench, flipping it every turn. Literally thousands of manipulations. Especially nasty was the install torque to value - around a 115 ft/pounds. And if with a crowsfoot, more force on the pull bar. All being watched (but not helped) by the sub's sailor assigned for QC. I don't know what was used before Nylocs. I imagine it was some kind of split washer system. That would make the nut running up and down FAR easier.
@@scroungasworkshop4663 Right, safety wired or castellated nuts were probably used. In fact, in my dusty 45 year old memory banks, I kind of remember seeing some big castellated nuts in the Periscope Shop storage area.
Strangely I have read accounts that claimed split, (we call them spring) washers don’t do anything , (after me using them for about 50 years) . You certainly laid that to rest and that is why I watched your video. Thanks.
I installed a bike rack with a few split lock washer more than 4 years ago, keeps solid af. 🙌 Nylocs are used on the shaft of the washing machines. So not a surprise for me😂
Excellent test!! I had an issue with a 75hp Evinrude e-tec outboard motor. I had some work done on it, replacing a power cable due to saltwater ingress near the battery. Thereafter I had trouble starting it, just not enough power getting through. I kept saying there was something wrong, they said that I didn't use the motor enough. This went on for a couple of years. Eventually I looked at it and they had used '2' of the internal lock washers on the Solenoid!!! Not enough power was getting through. They SAID that this is the Evinrude specification. I removed both internal tooth washers, put a flat washer on the inside of the post, a nylon lock washer on the outside. In the 4 years since the motor starts 1st time every time and the lock nut hasn't moved. I finally feel vindicated. The connection is more secure and sufficient power gets the the solenoid to do it's job. Thank you.
Excellent test! The split washer and nylock performed exactly as I expected. I would be interested to see the difference between fine threads and coarse threads. Theoretically, find threads are much more resistant to vibration due to the lower angle of the threads. Like a wedge-shaped door stop that is made with too low of an angle can be wedged into a door super tight.
You confirmed my suspicion that the split lock washer is better than the internal star lock washer when it is between a flat washer and the nut. Thank you. Great video!
Thanks for this interesting test video! I have found that Nylock and Metalock (like your Top Lock) are almost 100% effective because no matter how much the bolt loosens they will not freely spin off the fastener. Cotter pins are almost as good, however they can shear off, allowing the nut to freely unscrew with no warning. When the Nylock or Metalock are loosening by accident, they do so gradually so that the parts become gradually looser, allowing noise and vibration to build with time; thereby giving the operator time to stop the machine before it becomes catastrophic.
Nice job.. You should do another one and consider taking your top three and add NORD lock washer which is supposed to be the best in the business. You should also do a grand finale using red loctite.👍
I can confirm that nord lock washers are absolutely insane! It took more force to loosen than I used to tighten them. The only thing I'm not a fan of is how difficult they can be to acquire and how infrequently they're used.
Wow, super interesting! I wasn’t surprised by the split washer, they’re my go-to. The Nylok was a big surprise though, and especially the check-nut (!)
My grandfather invented the split lock washer. It was originally called a lock nut. I have all of his original patents. He even invented the tools to make them. The original lock nut looked the same as the current lock washer on the inside, but they were cut out like a triangle, with a hole in the middle, then split. When installed, the points on the triangle could be peened up over the nut. He was also one of the thee who invented separately putting gas takes on the back of a car. They had no fuel pumps yet, so the gas was siphoned to the engine. He also invented many of the components for railroad tracks.
When I read reviews on Amazon about hitch carriers and other devices that people complain about things coming loose, I immediately by nylon, threaded nuts, and also use liquid thread lock
iirc the internal tooth lock washer, keep nut, and serrated flange nut are designed to not use a washer so they can bite into the softer metal they are clamping. Like cast iron or aluminum. If you can swing it, can you set up a separate jig no washer into cast iron or aluminum? Or even a softer steel. All in all great video and great testing!
Thank you for this experiment. The problem with the top lock nut is its single use application. Tests have shown the Simmonds style nylock can be used 15 times without loss of integrity
Where a lot of people go wrong, is using a flat washer under a locking washer. Preventing the locking washer from griping to both surfaces. The flat washer starts to slip first allowing the nut to loosen. Also I have also seen bolts wired incorrectly, where the wire tension is placed in the wrong direction allowing the bolt to loosen a few degrees.. I don't expect red loctite to do well in this rig, red loctite is brittle when dry fully and can be broken with impact.( a hit with a hammer )
I think you will find, as the tightening torque increases, the game changes. Higher tensile fasteners and higher tightening torques change the game in several ways. Toothed fasteners and spring washers fail earlier as both the hardness of the metal and the tightening torque increses. Plain fasteners hold better as the tightening torque increases. Finer thread pitches increase available fastener tension and friction. one of my favorite combinations is a high tensile bolt , nut and washers backed up by a nyloc nut as a lock nut.
They have some other purposes also. It's not only for holding a bolt. If you use for example a softer material with bolts, you will need a spring washer because you can't tighten it like you would with steel. The one with teeth is good if you want to prevent the bolt from sliping as you tighten it. They're good for many things.
Have recently found your channel and love the straightforward testing but wondering why such low torque values are used here? 11ft/lb is pretty low. Snugged up will be 25-30's with a normal socket.
Because I’m poor and tested cheap A307 grade nuts and bolts. LOL. Torque charts call for 11 ft-lbs. I’ll need to save my pennies in order to buy grade 5 nuts and bolts. 😎
I will suggest that jam nuts need to be closer to yield in order to stay jammed. Further suggest using a different method for the jam nuts: 1) Apply the required torque with the first nut. First nut should be the full nut. My sources disagree with your sources (name yours and I'll name mine:) ) 2) Jam the second nut at max torque allowed for the bolt, rod, stud, or shaft (while not allowing the first nut to turn and this may be much higher torque than allowed for the first nut). The jam nut does not need to be a low profile nut: it can be full. 3) I am not suggesting that clamping force will be unaffected by the second nut.
This is a great test. Our big swarf conveyors on machine tools have the scrapers attached to the chain links using jam nuts. However the jam nuts have cuts made across them with a saw which I guess helps the main nut bite into them. Lockwire is the way to go though. Or Nordlock washers. All depends on the application
We've tried all types of locking fasteners on the conveyor flights (scrapers) to keep them attached. Over time they all work themselves loose and a flight will turn sideways jamming the conveyor and often bending it and other things in the process. Really sucks when it knocks the entire chain out of the guides on that side turning the entire thing into a giant pretzel. Short of deforming the exposed threads, welding, or wire/pinning, all types come loose. That's why most OEM's rivet the flights onto the chains. The downside is if the conveyor chains come out of the guides and jams up, I have to remove a number of flights to get get everything unbound. I can work an Allen wrench and combo wrench underneath coolant to accomplish this with nuts/bolts. If there's still original rivets, smashed threads, etc., you can't really run a cut-off wheel under water requiring you to pull the conveyor or drain the sump so we prefer to use a bolt/locknut. I've found the deformed nut style of locknut to be better than Nyloc's as the synthetic coolant we use degrades all types of plastic over time.
I'm surprised the nyloc moved at all. I've replaced a few of my old 2 strokes nuts and bolts. The thing vibrates anything off, but anything replaced with nyloc's haven't budged in forever
Excellent video. I have always wanted to test many of these as well. I liked the test set-up. I thought it was very clever. I have always liked using the flange nut for surface area, but it did not do very well in this test. They do, however, bite into the painted surfaces very well since they do not require a washer so I am still mixed on the performance of these. Thanks for sharing this!
i would like the split lock washer retested on a setup where the large flat washer is not keyed to the bolt. i have found that in a lot of cases a split lock washer is used on top of a flat washer and would result in the assembly coming off sooner than your test shows.
Great test procedure!! Thank you! Now ...question. Best/optimum washer arrangement for a manual tightening function that will SELF-restrain bolt head while tightening the knob or nut side by hand???? (note: this is a bolt that must slide in a slot, for adjustments---so bolt head can NOT be glued down, or otherwise restrained!!) For shop work/applications. Also, an aside ... was cropduster in Bull Stearmans for 10 years ... ALL critical nut/bolt connections were secured by 'safety wire' (locking wire) and castlenuts. Don't recall a single failure!!! Was generally extreme vibration environment.
Thanks for doing this test; I've been looking forward to it. Surprised the split washer did so well but I'd be worried about the damage it did to the surfaces. I'd love to see a showdown of the three survivors (Nyloc, split washer and top lock) where they are left vibrating for a long time. My feeling is that the split washer would be the next to go, but I'd be very interested which one between the Nyloc and top lock does better after prolonged vibration. Judging by this current test, it'd be the top lock (which are new to me; I hadn't heard of them until today).
@@HacksbyDad There's some locking washers called 'Nord-Lock' that look interesting, but all the tests I've seen on TH-cam are either by Nord-Lock or someone who sells them.
My bet is that no washer and opinionated tight - the M.A.N. method - will win. When that manufacturer puts a washer there it is in my experience with their printing presses to ensure that you can take it apart.
If you: 1) keep the split-rings away from galvanized steel, and 2) replace both nut and washer each time you unscrew the nut, then result: the damage caused by the split-ring doesn't matter. Nuts & washers & etc. are consumables, so you should feel comfortable replacing them whenever you unscrew them. So long as you don't have _another_ reason to care about surface damage (e.g. corrosive conditions are a reason to care), and are willing to use a washer to protect the surface of the part, split-rings should be considered a good option. In those cases where you _can't_ use a split-ring, a plastic-filled locknut should probably be your default.
I'm still looking forward to your vibration test for Loctite, etc. A observation: I'm sure that your vibration rig provides a significant shock component, which is not particularly realistic in most applications.
Thanks! Yeah... it wasn't meant as a real-world test. It's more of an overkill test for entertainment. If anything, the survivors will more likely perform well in real-world conditions. 😎
Nordlock two piece lock-washers are by far the best lock-washers I’ve seen. Try them once and you will be shocked at the torque it takes to break them loose.
Great video, thank-you. This echos my practical experience over the last 50 years. I have used locking nuts on machinery, railway track-work and classic (vibrating) motorcycles. My go-to nut is the Nyloc but the top lock nut is a close second choice. I have only used the split lock washer for budget applications and am pleasantly surprised how well it performed.
Thank you very much for doing this testing. I now have much more confidence in split lock washers. It's important to not reuse them. For that extra bit of security you can always use Loctite on the threads. Even the green wicking type is beneficial.
I had a bolt and a regular nut put on the bottom of my power chair and it came off within two months. I had a new bolt and nut with a lock washer put on this time. (Your test is really helpful.)Hopefully I won’t have the same problem a second time.
@@HacksbyDad Thanks for the quick reply. Looking forward to it. Just for grins, how about seeing how much Teflon tape helps (for all the naysayers, I know that's not its purpose).
That's very interesting, the test is BRUTAL, like, not just vibration, but downright impact loads on the system, but it does indeed make a lot of sense when you're just trying to losen up the system as fast as possible. Kinda surprised about some of the bad results tho, this begs the question of whether they have different applications that would benefit more on their construction, like the ones that bite into the metal being more suited to softer materials or such. One that would have been very interesting to compare is a normal nut, with red thread-lock added.
@@RobMrowiec Interesting, I don't know the correct torque values without a look up table so wouldn't know it (specially imperial), good to know, I imagine this has affected quite a bit the results then. Probably some of the biting types would have more of an effect that way, even tho they already left quite the marks on the metal.
@@Kalvinjjwell, I'll tell ya. If they were m8 8.8 bolts, he is only using half the torque value. Instead of 11ftlb it should be 22, then he could of rattled till his teeth fell out. Not much of a test if you don't use the equipment properly.
One big reason for using nylon locking nuts is not so much to avoid them loosening, as to avoid the nuts falling off and causing havoc. So for example, you could have a panel secured by twelve bolts (for redundancy) but one of them comes loose (expected, which is why you have the redundancy) but if it or the bolt falls right off it would e.g. end up wrecking a turbine. A nylon lock nut will keep things together until the next inspection.
Thanks for making the video. Interesting methodology. You got a lot of responses curious about "what if?". It looks to me like the real winner, hands down, is the fasteners holding your jig together through ALL the testing! Just kidding......sort of. My experience tells me that if the design of the joint allows for enough torque, then you don't need lock washers. Lug nuts, connecting rod big ends. But of course there is not always the option to design joints to allow that much torque. My experience with split washers is that they will spread open before you get to enough torque.
LOL! The bolts holding the rig together experience a less intense axial load versus the more intense transverse load that the jig experiences. As far as torque... these were low-grade nuts and bolts that can't handle too much torque. I plan to conduct a future test with grade 5 fasteners and more torque. 😎
It's like your videos are reading my mind. I was just telling a friend maybe put a lock washer on his chainsaw to prevent the adjustment screw from loosening. I get to see if it will work.
I was a bit surprised that the serrated flange nut did nothing to prevent loosening. I have used them a lot up against aluminium surfaces, where they seems to hold on well.
Interesting. Adrian Steel used serrated flange nuts on their truck shelf assemblies for years, I have had little trouble with them walking loose after years and many miles. Still, around 5 years ago they went to nylon inserts.
The castle nut w/cotter pin and staked nut used for fasting steering-links and Cv axles, respectively, are sure locking mechanisms, they both being critical points of failure. That stated, one wonders if the other fastening methods are affected by resonant frequencies like the Tacoma Narrow Bridge (1940). For example, would the locking methods tested all survive a ultrasonic tank, they having a operational frequency between 40K and 60K, yet fall apart very quickly when subjected to specific lower frequencies. Then there is harmonics to consider as well. As a tutor of college mathematics and physics, I find this experiment intriguing to say the least.
Whoa! That was way over my head! I’m just a guy with time on my hands goofing around in my garage. LOL I’m currently running red and blue Loctite through the extreme vibration test. Keep an eye out that video. 😎
Interesting results. Repeating each test at least three times would have been very beneficial. I'm still skeptical that split lock washers have much value, but I could be wrong
From my experience, the single split lock washer seems to work the best as long as it can bite into the material below and the nut above and it's usually the cheapest option too!!!😁👍🏻
That is why good split lock washers are made of much harder steel than the regular washers and nuts they are meant to penetrate and lock together. In some applications the lock nuts are also considered as single use items as their edges get dull and the nut itself gets deformed after it is tightened and does no longer generate as much holding force as the first time.
What worked here is what locked the nut to the bolt. What did not was what locked the nut to a flat washer that is locked to nothing. It's like painting on top of paint. If you lock a nut to the washer, and the washer is only locked to the nut, then it's going to come off. Try putting an 80-grit sandpaper washer under the flat washer and those toothed washers and the split ring will work a lot better. Ya got to lock to something that won't move.
I worked for a (globally known) company where the use of any of these "securing" washers was prohibited. They are also never used in aircraft or missiles.
I'm too lazy to go through all the comments to read anything similar. Another way of seeing movement on the nuts that held in place I would mark the assembly all the way through. There is a possibility that the washer is moving but the torque on the bolt and nut is sufficient to remain in place. So is the nut moving around the threaded shaft. Would mark the threads, nut and washer
I remember when I worked at a place years ago we would use 5/16 washers under 3/8" bolts. It fit tighter. Use fiber nuts alot. I wonder of fiber nuts and split washers combined would work?
There are two distinct versions of nylocs, one of them has about 6 indentations in the metal around the nyloc and the other, inferior one has only one such indentation. I only use those with multiple indentations
Interesting test...something I haven't seen before. I was a little surprised you didn't test the external tooth lock washer. Because it not captive to the nut, with the necessary flange to hold it in place, I believe results would have been at least in the second group, if not the third. It is my personal go-to for assembling fasteners sized #6 through 1/4" that are under light to moderate stress and vibration. I experience less than one percent failure after one year of use in a light production woodshop.
Because it's much more preferable for the nut to open more than to ever tighten (think about shaking it and making it tighter... never gonna happen, right?), it's quickly accelerating thing that nuts always loosen eventually. Nordlocks try to make it so that more the nut tries to loosen, tighter it gets because the wedges are at higher angle than the fasteners pitch... obviously they'll also fail eventually, but they've been very very robust when CORRECTLY INSTALLED. Try them as well? :)
I feel line a flange holds up very well but require a lot of torque normally to do their job. In my experience though lock washers are a favorite with supplies being more common do it is nice to see it do well. As far as nylon nuts though in my personal experience I see them fail often. Like they do a great job at staying on but once they are loose it’s toast and they are a pain to get back off.
In my experience, internal tooth lock washers do a great job. Noticeably more torque needed to removed the nut. Surprised by the results of that one… maybe need to try a test with bigger nuts/ bolts?
This wasn't a torque test though. He has a video with torque testing. I think it's important to realise that loosening by vibration and loosening by torque have different results.
You should hae tried the Nord-lock washers. The best to my knowledge. Downside of thread lock or nylocks is that those those work in hot conditions like exhausts.
Check out all of my Nuts and Bolts videos in this playlist... th-cam.com/play/PL_WcGw5s6Cq6YK_s-NNne1838j25ijmii.html
👍😎
Experience over 45 years: they all work to some extent at REDUCING loosening. But the only lock device that categorically prevents it is a castle nut & split pin.
The aircraft industry trust their twisted safety wires just as much as a castle nut.
I agree,I believe as a 39 yr tech that a castellated nut and cotter key to be the best.
What about loctite?
Damn, where did I put those cutting disks for my Dremel!
Stage 8 locking fasteners as well where a castelated nut and cotter pin combo cant be used
Na just weld the nut. Fuck it
I work in the aerospace field and this is exactly why we always use lockwire (safety wire) for aircraft applications. Even with torque specs applied, they can break loose.
I was about to say this. A good lockwire application is a great way to prevent vibration loosening, as far as I see. With my limited knowledge, I only see creep or fatigue as potential problems.
Preload is the key to a successful joint. Lockwire (like a castellated nut) is really only intended for dynamic joints. In the case of a structural joint that is for whatever reason is overloaded, lockwire does not prevent failure…… it simply becomes a lanyard to retain the bolt head that pops off.
Hex head bolts are sometimes wired together on production machinery too. I've come across these several times.
Surprisingly car wheel nuts all are conical without any washer at all, & they proven last for many miles or even years, no issues...
@@jstwatchnread8420 The question is that, how much vibration are they subjected to?
For example, jet engines and rocket engines are told as vibration monsters. And this video shows how vibrations can loosen fasteners.
Are non-racing car nuts also subjected to problematic amounts of vibrations?
I was an active duty sailor "Opticalman" back int he late 70's. I worked on a sub tender, pulling, repairing, and installing submarine periscopes. One of the more grueling aspects of the removal/install process was dealing with the large (3/4" thread?) nylock nuts that clamped the lower seal complex to the submarine inner hull. There were a lot of them - I seem to remember 12 or 16, the nut prevailing torque had to be greater than 15 pound/ft or you replaced with a new one, and they were way up in the overhead in a mass of pipes and cables. Used a collection of cut-off wrenches, pull bars, crowsfeet, sockets. The first few were OK but you get tired working up in the maze, hanging over the periscope well. Every turn of the nut required force, and many times it was a 1/12 turn using a 6" long cut-off wrench, flipping it every turn. Literally thousands of manipulations. Especially nasty was the install torque to value - around a 115 ft/pounds. And if with a crowsfoot, more force on the pull bar. All being watched (but not helped) by the sub's sailor assigned for QC.
I don't know what was used before Nylocs. I imagine it was some kind of split washer system. That would make the nut running up and down FAR easier.
Thanks for your service! Appreciate you sharing your experience. 😎
Now that's some gruntwork a Marine respects. :) Thanks for keeping the rust-buckets afloat, my salty compadre.
Thank the Brits. Simmonds invented what we now know as the Nylock knock off by Abbotts
Generally castlated nuts with a split pin, think ball joints, or wire tied nuts which are still used in aircraft today.
@@scroungasworkshop4663 Right, safety wired or castellated nuts were probably used. In fact, in my dusty 45 year old memory banks, I kind of remember seeing some big castellated nuts in the Periscope Shop storage area.
Would have been nice to include Loctite threadlock (red & blue) to the experiment.
Yep, when you want to be sure you use loctite - orange is good stuff
+1 for locktite and it would be nice to check locking-wire.
Next video hopefully
Looking forward for the next test.🎉
Locktite would pass espocially if you use high or medium strength
I want the nuts holding the rig together 😂
LOL!
I tighten those nylocs between tests. 😎
Send me your address I will send you some Nord-Lock washer samples
This is the best test of nut retention I've seen. Thanks for sharing your results.
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Project Farm 2.0? This is great stuff. Keep the videos coming.
Strangely I have read accounts that claimed split, (we call them spring) washers don’t do anything , (after me using them for about 50 years) . You certainly laid that to rest and that is why I watched your video. Thanks.
Thanks! I conducted another test with interesting results. That video will be posted in a couple of weeks. 👍😎
I installed a bike rack with a few split lock washer more than 4 years ago, keeps solid af. 🙌
Nylocs are used on the shaft of the washing machines. So not a surprise for me😂
Excellent test!! I had an issue with a 75hp Evinrude e-tec outboard motor.
I had some work done on it, replacing a power cable due to saltwater ingress near the battery.
Thereafter I had trouble starting it, just not enough power getting through.
I kept saying there was something wrong, they said that I didn't use the motor enough. This went on for a couple of years.
Eventually I looked at it and they had used '2' of the internal lock washers on the Solenoid!!! Not enough power was getting through.
They SAID that this is the Evinrude specification. I removed both internal tooth washers, put a flat washer on the inside of the post, a nylon lock washer on the outside.
In the 4 years since the motor starts 1st time every time and the lock nut hasn't moved.
I finally feel vindicated. The connection is more secure and sufficient power gets the the solenoid to do it's job. Thank you.
Great story! Thanks for sharing! 👍😎
Excellent test! The split washer and nylock performed exactly as I expected.
I would be interested to see the difference between fine threads and coarse threads. Theoretically, find threads are much more resistant to vibration due to the lower angle of the threads. Like a wedge-shaped door stop that is made with too low of an angle can be wedged into a door super tight.
Thanks! Good idea! I just might test finer threads. Working on vibration testing threadlocker right now. 😎
Fantastic testing method, with some surprising results. Especially how quickly the double nut failed.
Thanks! I’m testing threadlocker next. 😎
You confirmed my suspicion that the split lock washer is better than the internal star lock washer when it is between a flat washer and the nut. Thank you. Great video!
Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated!
😎
Thanks for this interesting test video! I have found that Nylock and Metalock (like your Top Lock) are almost 100% effective because no matter how much the bolt loosens they will not freely spin off the fastener. Cotter pins are almost as good, however they can shear off, allowing the nut to freely unscrew with no warning. When the Nylock or Metalock are loosening by accident, they do so gradually so that the parts become gradually looser, allowing noise and vibration to build with time; thereby giving the operator time to stop the machine before it becomes catastrophic.
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Congratulations sir
You are a scientist
Great video!
LOL! Thanks!
I’m just a guy with time on my hands to goof around in the garage.
😎
Nice job.. You should do another one and consider taking your top three and add NORD lock washer which is supposed to be the best in the business. You should also do a grand finale using red loctite.👍
Nord-Lock washers are great, held every time I've used them!
I can confirm that nord lock washers are absolutely insane! It took more force to loosen than I used to tighten them.
The only thing I'm not a fan of is how difficult they can be to acquire and how infrequently they're used.
It would be very interesting to see how the nordlock washers would give for results. They are supposed to be some of the best in the world.
we use them at work, along with blue loctite. torque it down to 160Nm for M10 bolts iirc. Never had an issue with them
Wow, super interesting! I wasn’t surprised by the split washer, they’re my go-to. The Nylok was a big surprise though, and especially the check-nut (!)
Thanks! What are your thoughts on threadlockers? That's what I'm testing next. 😎
My grandfather invented the split lock washer. It was originally called a lock nut. I have all of his original patents. He even invented the tools to make them. The original lock nut looked the same as the current lock washer on the inside, but they were cut out like a triangle, with a hole in the middle, then split. When installed, the points on the triangle could be peened up over the nut. He was also one of the thee who invented separately putting gas takes on the back of a car. They had no fuel pumps yet, so the gas was siphoned to the engine. He also invented many of the components for railroad tracks.
this video needs to be mandatory for all vehicles mechanics under trainee/apprenticeships, especially in aircraft maintenance
Thanks. Very interesting. Would also be interesting to see regular nut with blue/ red Locktite.
Thanks! Working on it. Taking a long time because I need to wait 24 hours between each test to allow the threadlocker to cure. 😎
When I read reviews on Amazon about hitch carriers and other devices that people complain about things coming loose, I immediately by nylon, threaded nuts, and also use liquid thread lock
iirc the internal tooth lock washer, keep nut, and serrated flange nut are designed to not use a washer so they can bite into the softer metal they are clamping. Like cast iron or aluminum.
If you can swing it, can you set up a separate jig no washer into cast iron or aluminum? Or even a softer steel.
All in all great video and great testing!
Thank you for this experiment. The problem with the top lock nut is its single use application. Tests have shown the Simmonds style nylock can be used 15 times without loss of integrity
Thanks! I'll look them up and see if I can find a supplier. I'll test them if not too expensive.
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Nice experiment!
Thanks! Appreciate it!
Where a lot of people go wrong, is using a flat washer under a locking washer. Preventing the locking washer from griping to both surfaces. The flat washer starts to slip first allowing the nut to loosen. Also I have also seen bolts wired incorrectly, where the wire tension is placed in the wrong direction allowing the bolt to loosen a few degrees.. I don't expect red loctite to do well in this rig, red loctite is brittle when dry fully and can be broken with impact.( a hit with a hammer )
This is why I love TH-cam! I had same question and someone did the experiments. Love it.
The last one you used, "top lock nut" or as I know them "stover nuts", are the main ones we use for in HD equipment we work on.
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This taught me that it doesn't matter if i tightened it month ago or longer thats why i need to check it
I’ve noticed some Chinese manufactured nylok nuts have an extremely narrow band of nylon that barely grab a single thread.
I'm looking at the thumbnail and can see the nylon on the nut there and it looks like maybe 1 or 1.5 threads.
Very interesting. This is the kind of experimentation that built the world!
Thanks!
Now this is very useful testing. Thank you.
Well done.
I think you will find, as the tightening torque increases, the game changes.
Higher tensile fasteners and higher tightening torques change the game in several ways.
Toothed fasteners and spring washers fail earlier as both the hardness of the metal and the tightening torque increses.
Plain fasteners hold better as the tightening torque increases.
Finer thread pitches increase available fastener tension and friction.
one of my favorite combinations is a high tensile bolt , nut and washers backed up by a nyloc nut as a lock nut.
Thanks! I'm saving my pennies so I can redo the test with grade 5 fasteners and higher torques. 😎
Love learning something new... I did not expect the toothed versions to perform so much worse than a plain nut
They have some other purposes also. It's not only for holding a bolt. If you use for example a softer material with bolts, you will need a spring washer because you can't tighten it like you would with steel. The one with teeth is good if you want to prevent the bolt from sliping as you tighten it. They're good for many things.
Have recently found your channel and love the straightforward testing but wondering why such low torque values are used here? 11ft/lb is pretty low. Snugged up will be 25-30's with a normal socket.
Because I’m poor and tested cheap A307 grade nuts and bolts. LOL. Torque charts call for 11 ft-lbs. I’ll need to save my pennies in order to buy grade 5 nuts and bolts. 😎
I will suggest that jam nuts need to be closer to yield in order to stay jammed.
Further suggest using a different method for the jam nuts:
1) Apply the required torque with the first nut. First nut should be the full nut. My sources disagree with your sources (name yours and I'll name mine:) )
2) Jam the second nut at max torque allowed for the bolt, rod, stud, or shaft (while not allowing the first nut to turn and this may be much higher torque than allowed for the first nut). The jam nut does not need to be a low profile nut: it can be full.
3) I am not suggesting that clamping force will be unaffected by the second nut.
interesting points
yeah same here, I've never heard of putting the jam nut on first. That makes no sense to me.
This is a great test. Our big swarf conveyors on machine tools have the scrapers attached to the chain links using jam nuts. However the jam nuts have cuts made across them with a saw which I guess helps the main nut bite into them.
Lockwire is the way to go though. Or Nordlock washers. All depends on the application
We've tried all types of locking fasteners on the conveyor flights (scrapers) to keep them attached. Over time they all work themselves loose and a flight will turn sideways jamming the conveyor and often bending it and other things in the process. Really sucks when it knocks the entire chain out of the guides on that side turning the entire thing into a giant pretzel. Short of deforming the exposed threads, welding, or wire/pinning, all types come loose. That's why most OEM's rivet the flights onto the chains. The downside is if the conveyor chains come out of the guides and jams up, I have to remove a number of flights to get get everything unbound. I can work an Allen wrench and combo wrench underneath coolant to accomplish this with nuts/bolts. If there's still original rivets, smashed threads, etc., you can't really run a cut-off wheel under water requiring you to pull the conveyor or drain the sump so we prefer to use a bolt/locknut. I've found the deformed nut style of locknut to be better than Nyloc's as the synthetic coolant we use degrades all types of plastic over time.
I'm surprised the nyloc moved at all. I've replaced a few of my old 2 strokes nuts and bolts. The thing vibrates anything off, but anything replaced with nyloc's haven't budged in forever
Excellent video. I have always wanted to test many of these as well. I liked the test set-up. I thought it was very clever. I have always liked using the flange nut for surface area, but it did not do very well in this test. They do, however, bite into the painted surfaces very well since they do not require a washer so I am still mixed on the performance of these. Thanks for sharing this!
Thank you! 👍😎
You are doing awesome job with the vibration test jig
Lock washer is worth using. Thank you for your video. I will now use the lock washer with the solar panels stands
The flat serrated washer from Snorr is a good option, you can also put 2 on-top of each other
Well...I would have never guessed that. Thanks!
i would like the split lock washer retested on a setup where the large flat washer is not keyed to the bolt. i have found that in a lot of cases a split lock washer is used on top of a flat washer and would result in the assembly coming off sooner than your test shows.
Great test procedure!! Thank you! Now ...question. Best/optimum washer arrangement for a manual tightening function that will SELF-restrain bolt head while tightening the knob or nut side by hand???? (note: this is a bolt that must slide in a slot, for adjustments---so bolt head can NOT be glued down, or otherwise restrained!!) For shop work/applications. Also, an aside ... was cropduster in Bull Stearmans for 10 years ... ALL critical nut/bolt connections were secured by 'safety wire' (locking wire) and castlenuts. Don't recall a single failure!!! Was generally extreme vibration environment.
Thanks for doing this test; I've been looking forward to it. Surprised the split washer did so well but I'd be worried about the damage it did to the surfaces. I'd love to see a showdown of the three survivors (Nyloc, split washer and top lock) where they are left vibrating for a long time. My feeling is that the split washer would be the next to go, but I'd be very interested which one between the Nyloc and top lock does better after prolonged vibration. Judging by this current test, it'd be the top lock (which are new to me; I hadn't heard of them until today).
You're welcome and thanks for the suggestion. I'll add it to my list. I'm thinking of doing the vibration test with blue and red threadlockers.
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@@HacksbyDad There's some locking washers called 'Nord-Lock' that look interesting, but all the tests I've seen on TH-cam are either by Nord-Lock or someone who sells them.
@@balicrimechannel8143 Yeah... I've seen their videos and some others. I purchased and tested what I could get from my local home improvement stores.
My bet is that no washer and opinionated tight - the M.A.N. method - will win. When that manufacturer puts a washer there it is in my experience with their printing presses to ensure that you can take it apart.
If you:
1) keep the split-rings away from galvanized steel, and
2) replace both nut and washer each time you unscrew the nut, then
result: the damage caused by the split-ring doesn't matter.
Nuts & washers & etc. are consumables, so you should feel comfortable replacing them whenever you unscrew them. So long as you don't have _another_ reason to care about surface damage (e.g. corrosive conditions are a reason to care), and are willing to use a washer to protect the surface of the part, split-rings should be considered a good option. In those cases where you _can't_ use a split-ring, a plastic-filled locknut should probably be your default.
I'm still looking forward to your vibration test for Loctite, etc.
A observation: I'm sure that your vibration rig provides a significant shock component, which is not particularly realistic in most applications.
Thanks!
Yeah... it wasn't meant as a real-world test. It's more of an overkill test for entertainment. If anything, the survivors will more likely perform well in real-world conditions.
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Nordlock two piece lock-washers are by far the best lock-washers I’ve seen. Try them once and you will be shocked at the torque it takes to break them loose.
Thanks! I've got them on my list.
Great video, thank-you.
This echos my practical experience over the last 50 years. I have used locking nuts on machinery, railway track-work and classic (vibrating) motorcycles. My go-to nut is the Nyloc but the top lock nut is a close second choice. I have only used the split lock washer for budget applications and am pleasantly surprised how well it performed.
The top lock and nylock are the best ones to use unless its a stage 8 locking fastener or a castle nut and cotter pin
Thank you very much for doing this testing. I now have much more confidence in split lock washers. It's important to not reuse them. For that extra bit of security you can always use Loctite on the threads. Even the green wicking type is beneficial.
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I had a bolt and a regular nut put on the bottom of my power chair and it came off within two months. I had a new bolt and nut with a lock washer put on this time. (Your test is really helpful.)Hopefully I won’t have the same problem a second time.
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Wonderful, very helpful for me to pick out the strongest nut.
This is an amazing test I NEVER expected those results. Gonna watch the video again! Excellent job well done, thank you!
Thanks! Much appreciated!
Have you ever done these tests with LocTite? Thanks.
Working on it. Stay tuned…
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@@HacksbyDad Thanks for the quick reply. Looking forward to it. Just for grins, how about seeing how much Teflon tape helps (for all the naysayers, I know that's not its purpose).
@@Colorado_Native Teflon tape? Hmmm... I might give it a try. Thanks!
That's very interesting, the test is BRUTAL, like, not just vibration, but downright impact loads on the system, but it does indeed make a lot of sense when you're just trying to losen up the system as fast as possible. Kinda surprised about some of the bad results tho, this begs the question of whether they have different applications that would benefit more on their construction, like the ones that bite into the metal being more suited to softer materials or such.
One that would have been very interesting to compare is a normal nut, with red thread-lock added.
@@RobMrowiec Interesting, I don't know the correct torque values without a look up table so wouldn't know it (specially imperial), good to know, I imagine this has affected quite a bit the results then. Probably some of the biting types would have more of an effect that way, even tho they already left quite the marks on the metal.
@@Kalvinjjwell, I'll tell ya. If they were m8 8.8 bolts, he is only using half the torque value. Instead of 11ftlb it should be 22, then he could of rattled till his teeth fell out. Not much of a test if you don't use the equipment properly.
One big reason for using nylon locking nuts is not so much to avoid them loosening, as to avoid the nuts falling off and causing havoc. So for example, you could have a panel secured by twelve bolts (for redundancy) but one of them comes loose (expected, which is why you have the redundancy) but if it or the bolt falls right off it would e.g. end up wrecking a turbine. A nylon lock nut will keep things together until the next inspection.
Love to see lock tite used and nordlock lock washers also
Loved the video extremely interesting ,I would like to see the nuts that held 90sec,do a 2minun endurance test ,love your changel
2 minutes? I’ll need to figure a better way to hold the recip saw. 😝
@@HacksbyDad hold ? Why don't you secure it to the bench
@@caramidacaramida3959 I don't have a bench. LOL
I'll think of something. 😎
Rust is an excellent thread locking compound. I've also had a good amount of success with nord-locks.
Thanks for making the video. Interesting methodology. You got a lot of responses curious about "what if?".
It looks to me like the real winner, hands down, is the fasteners holding your jig together through ALL the testing!
Just kidding......sort of. My experience tells me that if the design of the joint allows for enough torque, then you don't need lock washers. Lug nuts, connecting rod big ends. But of course there is not always the option to design joints to allow that much torque. My experience with split washers is that they will spread open before you get to enough torque.
LOL! The bolts holding the rig together experience a less intense axial load versus the more intense transverse load that the jig experiences. As far as torque... these were low-grade nuts and bolts that can't handle too much torque. I plan to conduct a future test with grade 5 fasteners and more torque. 😎
Nord-lock lock washers for the win!
Your curosity and mine, great video and idea.
Split washer with nylox nut. Got it. Thanks
Nordlock washers is the best that I know of. They are used on drilling equipment in the oil-industry, on cranes and so on.
Thank you. This helps with my future lock nut selection. I like Nylocks.
I had a exhaust manifold on a turbo inline 6 keep loosening no matter how hard it was torqued down, split washers fixed it no problem.
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It's like your videos are reading my mind. I was just telling a friend maybe put a lock washer on his chainsaw to prevent the adjustment screw from loosening. I get to see if it will work.
Hope it works! 😎
I wonder what would happen with fine thread ? Thanks for the experiment .
Surprised how bad those serrated or star washers fail.
Good info.
Appreciated.
Thanks!
I was a bit surprised that the serrated flange nut did nothing to prevent loosening.
I have used them a lot up against aluminium surfaces, where they seems to hold on well.
Thanks.
Would have been nice to see how things moved in refence to bolt,washer, nut.
I would be interested to see how a Nord lock washer would hold up
Thanks for this video. Was wondering how the jam nut would fare.
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Interesting. Adrian Steel used serrated flange nuts on their truck shelf assemblies for years, I have had little trouble with them walking loose after years and many miles. Still, around 5 years ago they went to nylon inserts.
The castle nut w/cotter pin and staked nut used for fasting steering-links and Cv axles, respectively, are sure locking mechanisms, they both being critical points of failure. That stated, one wonders if the other fastening methods are affected by resonant frequencies like the Tacoma Narrow Bridge (1940). For example, would the locking methods tested all survive a ultrasonic tank, they having a operational frequency between 40K and 60K, yet fall apart very quickly when subjected to specific lower frequencies. Then there is harmonics to consider as well. As a tutor of college mathematics and physics, I find this experiment intriguing to say the least.
Whoa! That was way over my head! I’m just a guy with time on my hands goofing around in my garage. LOL
I’m currently running red and blue Loctite through the extreme vibration test. Keep an eye out that video. 😎
Interesting results. Repeating each test at least three times would have been very beneficial. I'm still skeptical that split lock washers have much value, but I could be wrong
great, I would be interested to see the performance of Nordlock washers, I think their wedging effect provides the best vibration resistance
From my experience, the single split lock washer seems to work the best as long as it can bite into the material below and the nut above and it's usually the cheapest option too!!!😁👍🏻
I was surprised that the split lock washer tested so well after reading several negative articles about them. 😎
That is why good split lock washers are made of much harder steel than the regular washers and nuts they are meant to penetrate and lock together. In some applications the lock nuts are also considered as single use items as their edges get dull and the nut itself gets deformed after it is tightened and does no longer generate as much holding force as the first time.
What worked here is what locked the nut to the bolt. What did not was what locked the nut to a flat washer that is locked to nothing. It's like painting on top of paint. If you lock a nut to the washer, and the washer is only locked to the nut, then it's going to come off. Try putting an 80-grit sandpaper washer under the flat washer and those toothed washers and the split ring will work a lot better. Ya got to lock to something that won't move.
I worked for a (globally known) company where the use of any of these "securing" washers was prohibited. They are also never used in aircraft or missiles.
Pehaps you could do the test again, but use aircraft grade bolts... Mil spec fine thread bolts, lock washers, and fire proof lock nuts etc
one thing i would add to the test is the re-tightening of the nut after the first thirty seconds.
Very nice. Would like to see the test using lock tight.
As you wish... th-cam.com/video/lwtUWB2TIYA/w-d-xo.html
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Thanks. This was very informative and interesting. But I still don't know why, but Thanks
I'm too lazy to go through all the comments to read anything similar. Another way of seeing movement on the nuts that held in place I would mark the assembly all the way through. There is a possibility that the washer is moving but the torque on the bolt and nut is sufficient to remain in place. So is the nut moving around the threaded shaft. Would mark the threads, nut and washer
Thanks!
Yeah... others have made the same suggestion. I'm doing a test with threadlocker now and am marking the flat washer, nut and bolt threads.
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I remember when I worked at a place years ago we would use 5/16 washers under 3/8" bolts. It fit tighter. Use fiber nuts alot. I wonder of fiber nuts and split washers combined would work?
There are two distinct versions of nylocs, one of them has about 6 indentations in the metal around the nyloc and the other, inferior one has only one such indentation. I only use those with multiple indentations
Thanks for the info! 😎
Interesting test...something I haven't seen before. I was a little surprised you didn't test the external tooth lock washer. Because it not captive to the nut, with the necessary flange to hold it in place, I believe results would have been at least in the second group, if not the third. It is my personal go-to for assembling fasteners sized #6 through 1/4" that are under light to moderate stress and vibration. I experience less than one percent failure after one year of use in a light production woodshop.
Hmmm... I didn't think about it that way. Thanks!
I actually have external tooth lock washers. Maybe I'll include them in a future test.
Because it's much more preferable for the nut to open more than to ever tighten (think about shaking it and making it tighter... never gonna happen, right?), it's quickly accelerating thing that nuts always loosen eventually. Nordlocks try to make it so that more the nut tries to loosen, tighter it gets because the wedges are at higher angle than the fasteners pitch... obviously they'll also fail eventually, but they've been very very robust when CORRECTLY INSTALLED.
Try them as well? :)
I swear you answer questions i have like a day after I think about them.
If you're thinking of the same questions as me... you've got a serious problem! LOL 😎
@@HacksbyDad hahaha, I’ve known that for a while.
I use double nut for some parts for securing. Also to ease my mind when it is double secured. But now it changes after watching this 😮
This was an extreme impact vibration test. Not sure how it relates to real world conditions, but was a fun project. 😎
This is super interesting. Thanks for making this!!
I use nylok nut with a split washer and loctite with all my recip saw projects.
Very informative and short. I like your video.
I feel line a flange holds up very well but require a lot of torque normally to do their job. In my experience though lock washers are a favorite with supplies being more common do it is nice to see it do well. As far as nylon nuts though in my personal experience I see them fail often. Like they do a great job at staying on but once they are loose it’s toast and they are a pain to get back off.
In my experience, internal tooth lock washers do a great job. Noticeably more torque needed to removed the nut. Surprised by the results of that one… maybe need to try a test with bigger nuts/ bolts?
This wasn't a torque test though. He has a video with torque testing. I think it's important to realise that loosening by vibration and loosening by torque have different results.
You should hae tried the Nord-lock washers. The best to my knowledge. Downside of thread lock or nylocks is that those those work in hot conditions like exhausts.
Nord-locks are on my list. Testing Loctite now. 😎
this is real science. I always wondered if these things actually worked. I assumed right at which ones are bad and good haha