Do you use spring washers?

[old-git]

And if so, why?

 

[SLEEPER]

only when i cant get the winter ones

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

only when i cant get the winter ones

There is always a clown on every forum Are you nominating

 

[T9 man]

Great reply sleeper :smile:


I personally, for certain items under the bonnet use spring washers. On many occasion I have noticed things have become loose through vibration of the engine. The worse culprit was the coil pack cover closely followed by the front strut brace. After I fitted a spring washer and in one case a shake proof washer I had no issues with these 2 rascals. General electrical maintenance/installation on items such as cables lugs onto busbars and or distribution boards, motor connections etc. I insist on these having spring washers to reduce the risk of the nut or bolt slowing undoing itself which happens through the very nature of electricity being applied through the connection and which is why maintenance is so important.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

You may want to consider NORD LOCK washers as spring washers don't work well on manifolds and turbos where the temperatures work against spring washers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgwmuZuJ02I

 

[SLEEPER]

To answer the question for TJCJB's benefit.

If the manufacturer fitted them then yes. In general they know best,

I cant recall many nuts ever coming loose when they were not used and the nuts tightened correctly

I still prefer my first reply though

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

I have been having problems with the turbo to manifold nuts that require regular checks as have found them missing or loose despite being tightened to spec with a W&B quality tension wrench with spring washers under all nuts. Hopefully the Nord Lock washers will solve this perplexing problem.

Loved your first reply couldn't stop laughing and wished I had thought of that.

PS I posted the link as info for people that are experiencing the same problem and looking for a solution/fix

 

[HDi fun]

Spring washers or those toothed deformable ones like a gear cut on the inside of the circumference of a flat ring.

I have to be honest I do not do much at all myself mechanically (not any longer anyway) but I would always go like for like if I was doing so.

My DIY is limited to engine and cabin air filters; adding screenwash fluid to the tank; adding oil when the light appears (if indeed it does); wiper blades; tyre pressures (very fussy about this);replacing failed lamps (bulbs, if you want to use the wrong technical term) etc etc. All schoolboy stuff for me now :-D

 

[old-git]

I can't see how spring washers actually work.

They are crushed flat well before the bolt has reached its torque setting so is not going to increase the actual friction between bolt head and surface until the bolt is almost undone.

Also, by fitting a spring washer you reduce the contact area between bolt and surface.

If spring washers are so good, why are they not used on critical bolts such as head and big ends?

If a bolt is torqued correctly (threads clean and lubricated) then a spring washer is not required, in fact it weakens the joint..............IMO

If you are still concerned that the bolt may rattle loose, use a little thread lock on it

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

My turbo nut problem may be related to 4 cylinder harmonics as I have removed the balance shafts and have a stroker crank.FYI the complete rotating assembly was balanced.

 

[HDi fun]

Fours are prone to secondary harmonic imbalance - hence the (often pairs) of balancer shafts