[Healeys] Stripped shock mount nut

[Bob Spidell]

re: "I know racers and aviation don't trust lockwashers"

Neither did Carroll Smith.  I think with aircraft the issue is that if for some 
reason the fastener loosens with a lockwasher, it'll eventually come loose. 
Safety wiring all but prevents that from happening.  Also, the point of properly 
torquing a bolt is to apply the correct tension by stretching the bolt; if you 
use a lockwasher that may not be possible (AFAIK, safety wiring is not meant to 
keep tension on the fastener, just to keep parts from coming apart).

That said, I think lockwashers have their place.  For instance, I began using 
hardened flatwashers with locktite on aluminum parts, like the shock mounts (I 
know, the shock bodies are a "dirty" Al/Zn compound).   However, when I tried 
that on the rear shock mounts the bolts would loosen without a lockwasher under 
the nut.

Note that safety wiring is a skill; aircraft mechanics spend quite a bit of time 
learning how to do it properly (see: FAA AC43-13).  I suspect most shadetree 
mechanics aren't quite as well trained.


bs



Steve B. Gerow wrote:
> Richard Mayor wrote:
> 
>> Belleville washers are not going to help keep shock bolts tight. Proper
>> tightening, using flat washers, will do the trick.
> 
> With respect, when the bolts are torqued down, the belleville washers _are_ flat washers. Though the wikipedia article 
> doesn't talk about them much as lockwashers, they're used extensively in Alfas as lockwashers and that's why I started 
> using them against aluminum surfaces in the Healey. None of my 3 Alfas ever used a split-ring lock washer on an 
> aluminum surface, as Healeys do.
> 
> FWIW - air cooled VWs use wave washers a lot on the engine - I wonder if they act differently from bellevilles.
> 
> I know racers and aviation don't trust lockwashers - undoubtedly with good reason, but they seem to work pretty well 
> on everyday cars.
> 
> 

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Bob Spidell           San Jose, CA            bspidell at comcast.net

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