jbonina@nectech.com wrote:
>
>
> Bob, Justin, et al,
>
> The name of my original post was "washer necessary?".
>
> Well, I had new, correct tie rods installed to fix the problem. However, when
>I
> looked at the work the mechanic did, he did not reinstall any washers. I
>guess I
> will do this myself. Seeing that the nylocks are new, do you feel it is
> wise/unwise to reuse them just once if they aren't damaged.
>
My previous post already went into the re-use of such nuts. If I had
installed the tie rods myself with new nuts... and for one reason or
another, had to take them off and put them back on... I would re-use the
nuts... But Bob does point out... the mechanic seemed incompetant? If
so... did he over-torque those nuts? Look for evidence of this... use
your judgement.
I remember when I was a teen, I was told these nuts were not to be used
more than once... then I ran into people who are engineers or are in the
business of nuts/bolts... and they would all tell me... "Oh yeah, we
hear that a lot... you heard wrong". So I felt a need not to let Bob's
post perpetuate the idea that these fasteners can not be re-used. They
can be. And more importantly, they were DESIGNED to be used more than
once.
ON THE OTHER HAND... and I hope you also got this from my post... it's
all a judgement call... based on your knowlege of the fastener's
past... and it's application...
Bob's choice not to re-use these fasteners, period, gives him peace of
mind. And this can be a good thing and is certainly a safe policy.
Personally... when I was restoring my TR 4A... I could not afford to
replace every nyloc nut... I had no problem re-using the majority of
them. When they appeared worn out, I would often replace them with a
used one from my buckets of spares...only re-using those that appeared
to be in unabused shape, with the nylon part also in good shape. I
used loctite often... And where I felt the nut was critical... I would
replace with new... or better than new. I also used safety wire or high
tech/high grade lock nuts in the most critical applications.
If someone jumps on me and says it's only $ .60 here, .60 there... I
say, it all adds up... and when you need that money to buy something
else, like a new brake master cylinder... I'll lean towards the safety
of having a new brake master cylinder...
rather than the piece of mind of replacing EVERY nut on the whole car.
I always use a torque wrench and follow provided guidelines for all
critical applications. I have complete confidence in my work and my
judgement; I have total peace of mind. If I could afford to go 1st
cabin the whole way... I would have replaced every nut AND bolt, but I
don't.
There you have it. YOu have to use your own judgement. We all have to
trust that you make the wise choices... just as we all trust each other
to drive safely and sober.
> Also, any special material for the washers? Is steel O.K.?
Use a good automotive or better grade of washer... not some soft thing
from K-Mart or made for wood work, etc.
Carroll Smith: "Flat washers serve as bearing surfaces to prevent bolt
heads and nuts from digging into the work surfaces. They also allow more
accurate installation torque or strain measurements. Finally, they
serve as shims. The only functional requirement is that they have a
hole the right size, that they be flat--which is just about guaranteed
by the manufacturing process--and that they be hard enough to prevent
the nut or bolt from sinking into them under load."
>
> Last, do I need to have the front end aligned after the new tie rods? It
>seemed
> to be running straight and vibration free this AM at 70 mph. (Yikes was it
>cold,
> 35 degrees with a 70 mph wind chill.)
Probably a good idea.
>
> Thanks kids,
> Jeff
>
> '73 TR6
> ______________________________ Reply Separator
>_________________________________
> Subject: Re: Tie rods - washer necessary?
> Author: Bob Lang <LANG@ISIS.MIT.EDU> at SMTP
> Date: 4/13/98 9:40 AM
>
>
> On Fri, 10 Apr 1998, Justin Wagner wrote:
>
> [stuff deleted]
>
> > I don't fully agree... Let me quote from Carroll Smith's book: "Nuts,
> > Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook" (Carroll Smith: professional
> > racer, driver, team manager, driver coach/guru, and, most importantly, a
> > design/develpment engineer.)
> >
> > "Nylon collar elastic stop nuts cannot harm the bolt threads, are
> > reuseable many times and are also available as castellated nuts. They
> > are manufactured to AN specs ....
> > I use AN variety."
>
>
> I have the book. I have read it.
>
> I don't re-use stop nuts on critical suspension components.
>
> You can't be too safe.
>
> You can re-use them if you want.
>
> > And in my own experience, I feel they can be re-used. Certainly, I
> > start to get nervous about re-using the ones that came with the car,
> > that, through appearance or ease of installation, seem worn out, or that
> > are of
> > unknown origin, etc. (particularly on such critical areas...) BUT Jeff
> > asked, if he needed to replace the one he just intalled...which suggests
> > to me, it's KNOWN TO BE a relatively new nut... and he's wondering if it
> > should be replaced, just because he's used it once or twice... NO, I
> > don't think so.
>
> > If in doubt... just add locktite... and, of course, always torque
> > properly.
>
> I'd like to point out that the original post indicates that mechanic
> doing the work may not have followed procedure. This, in effect,
> indicates that caution should be used here. That is all.
>
> > My 2 cents. I do recommend Carroll's book... it's a good read.
>
> I agree.
>
> In fact the whole series "***** to Win" is really good.
>
> > --Justin
> >
> > http://www.greenheart.com/jmwagner
>
> C ya,
> rml
>
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