Nyloc Nuts

[Steve T]

Having just stripped down my rear end 🙆🏻 to remove my diff for an upgrade I was debating whether to reuse all the nyloc nuts that I have taken off various suspension items or to replace them with new ones when it comes to reassembly.

 

I know they are cheap and easy to replace but what is the general concensus ?

[Stuart Miller 7]

Nyloc nuts work best on their first use. They still grip but not as well. I'd definately replace on major items like the diff bolts, but you can re-use in most other places. If in doubt, a dropof blue loctite will do the same job.

 

 

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

You should replace them, but it is ok to reuse !

 

If you want a bit more backup, use a spot or two of loctite on the thread too !

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

Snap !!

[Steve T]

Thanks, thats what I expected and what I was going to do but was wondering whether I needed to be are*d to find out all the sizes !!

[Pete-B]

Just out of interest what diff are you putting back?

[Team Escargot]

 

Although some manufactures say its ok to reuse Nylocks up to 5 times, re-use of Nylock nuts rather depends of the critical nature of the item being bolted up - if its very important or safety critical use new nuts.

Also don’t forget whatever Nyloc nuts you use, there should be a minimum of one and a half threads showing otherwise they don’t grip properly.

 

Nick

[Steve T]

Thanks Nick.

 

So where do you buy your new nuts from and what spec are they?

 

If I wanted to buy them from CC the new parts system doesnt seem to show many unless I am missing something.

 

Its hard enough working out which threads you need and what size. I think most of the ones I need are 1/2" UNF half nuts.

[Team Escargot]

Steve

There are loads of hardware (nut and bolt distributers) around - I have used:

 

JDA fixings

Unit 7 & 8 Indus Acre Avro Way Bowerhill

Melksham,

Wiltshire

SN12 6TP

Great Britain

Tel: 01225 432845

 

I know they stock metric, UNF and UNC so you should be OK

Grade wise: metric standard grade 8.8 (or in UNF I think grade 5 is equivalent)

 

Or try a Google search around your local area - (type in Nut and bolt supplier)

The advantage with a local supplier is that you can go in and they will check the thread size and grade if you are not sure.

 

Nick

 

[Rullingen]

Quoting Stationary M25 Traveller: 

You should replace them, but it is ok to reuse !

 

That's clear then! 😬

[Sheds Moderator]

Do yourself a favour and buy a few assortment packs of fasteners - places like Namrick and Screwfix are good for this. Metric - M4 5 6 8 10 are favoured, with M6 and M8 being universal, and on a 7 you'll use a few 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 UNF bits. These are usually found with 7/16, 1/2" and 9/16 heads and are the favoured sizes. If you have a selection of these and a box of washers you will cover almost all your eventualities and instead of farting about trying to recondition a rusty screw you can drop it in the bin where it belongs and put a new one on that will do the job and come off promptly when you want it to.

[Stuart Miller 7]

A call to Redline should sort you out the right bits and pieces.

 

If like me, you don't know or can't be bothered to measure up all the thread sizes, then call Redline and tell them them what year your car is and what nuts you need. i.e. "nuts for this, this, that and the part that goes here etc..) A jiffy bag will arrive in the post, probably the next day along with a very reasonable bill. Top service!

 

Good luck

 

Stuart

[anthonym]

So why don't we use Flexloc nuts? 

Seems nylocs lose their grip after some years (in our diffs). Mine were tightened and after 3,000 miles loose again. Now refitted with loctite. 

From google it seems Flexlocs would not come loose ever. 

[ECR]

Flexloc nuts are good for 15 cycles - not forever

[anthonym]

Assuming a cycle means being reused, so for my diff bolts where 15 cycles might exceed my lifetime does that mean once fitted they will never come loose like my nyloc nuts have, twice, in no cycles?

in any case replacing the nuts after 15 uses instead of the nyloc' s once sound at the least more convenient in not requiring re purchase?

is there any heat in that area? I mean significant to the life of a nyloc?

What at has lead me down this path has been the experience of nylocs losing their grip after 14 years in situ. Any alternative that does not come loose after some years is my interest 

[richy]

Quote anthonym 'What at has lead me down this path has been the experience of nylocs losing their grip after 14 years in situ. Any alternative that does not come loose after some years is my interest ' Unquote

Rust 

[7 wonders of the world]

or better still use Philidas nuts often referred to as 'aeroloc'.

[anthonym]

they're not rusty, that's our cat :-)

aeroloc.. thanks :-)

 

edit 

 

http://www.philidaslimited.co.uk/

 

 

[Jonathan Kay]

So why don't we use Flexloc nuts?

1. These things often don't have fully rational answers. When they're not critical it's probably a combination of the following:
2. Because the factory don't.
3. Because they aren't widely available. (Chicken and egg argument.)
4. Because we/ they/ others use Nyloc nuts for other purposes.
5. Because the cost of doing the comparison experiments isn't worth the knowledge gained or the consequent advantage. (See the waterless coolant thread.)
6. Are they more expensive, even though the total cost is low?

Jonathan

• PS: There are some interesting observations in the Chapman literature about how he thought about was critical, and innovated enormously in those areas, and what wasn't, and didn't bother in those, regardless of tradition.
• PPS: Small gains can, of course, be much more important in competitive sport and aerospace applications.