<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><div>Michael has a valid point. The alloy in the shock body is relatively soft and a small contact area under the bolt head or spring washer is counterproductive. A larger and close fitting washer to provide a broader contact area is an improvement.</div><div>If you look up engineering manuals on the three types of design joints ( 1.snug, 2.? Cant remember,3. high strength friction grip )with bolts you find that importance is paid to having the mating surfaces flat and parallel to each other and clean. ( trust me don’t assume they are, check)</div><div>Preferred tightening method in engineering is tighten the bolt snug ( lightly tight and without clearance between the mating surfaces including washers and then tighten the nut a set degree to ensure the bolt has been stretched.(Torque is a general indicator of bolt stretch but friction, mis-alignment and soft commercial washers etc can make torque readings very mis-leading.) This is where to issue of 'soft' alloy bodies raise their head and thus the bigger hard washer surface area requirement .</div><div><br></div><div>Joe</div><div><br></div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION"><div style="font-family:Calibri; font-size:11pt; text-align:left; color:black; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt"><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject: </span> Re: [Healeys] Keeping rear shock bolts tight<br></div><div><br></div><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small">Probably more work than most people would want to undertake but, because for competition work I found that washers eventually dig into the ears, I cut a "washer" the same shape as the shock "ear" out of 3/16" steel plate and then put the bolt through it and tacked the head of the bolt to my "washer". <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small">This method has the added advantage that you don't need to hold the bolt head while tightening the nut.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small">Michael S<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small">BN1 #174<br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Jan 3, 2016 at 7:08 PM, Bruce Steele <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:healeybruce@roadrunner.com" target="_blank">healeybruce@roadrunner.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" lang="EN-US"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; ">Seeking ideas on how to keep the rear shock mount bolts tight. They work loose every 1,500 to 2,000 miles, and tightening them is routine with my annual maintenance. I currently have grade 8 bolts, nuts and split washers. Grade 5 bolts, nuts, and split washers were no worse (or better) than the grade 8. Tried Nord-Lock washers 2 years ago after someone posted about them on this list. They loosened more quickly than split washers. Tried thread locker and nylocks as well, neither of which were better than split washers. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; "><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; ">Anyone have a method that actually keeps the hardware tight?<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; "><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; ">Bruce Steele<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; ">Brea, CA<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; ">1960 BN7<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p></div></div></blockquote></div></div><br></span></body></html>