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Split washers are worse than no washer at all.
Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 5:16 pm
by RSorak 71Westy
For preventing the loosening of a nut or bolt. To repeat split washers are completely worthless. No washer at all, or a flat washer will resist coming loose longer. Just for your info.
Re: Split washers are worse than no washer at all.
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 7:37 am
by Amskeptic
RSorak 71Westy wrote:For preventing the loosening of a nut or bolt. To repeat split washers are completely worthless. No washer at all, or a flat washer will resist coming loose longer. Just for your info.
Where split washers are called for, they do their job. They depend on a few parameters that many people are not considering at the time of assembly.
One parameter is relative hardness. A split washer depends on the softness of the metal it is being used against. If you have a punky split washer or a too-hard component, it will not be able to do its job.
The other parameter is the metallurgical quality of the washer itself. I am sure you have loosened a bolt/nut and marvelled at the broken split washer that falls out, I have had this happen on pressure plates that never wanted a split washer in the first place, not to mention a cheap one from the FLAPS aisle.
I strongly recommend that we not delete the use of washers because we don't like the washer in question. Go find another one! With our aluminum/magnesium alloy engines and transaxles, washers are a critical component for distributing load forces across a broader area.
Colin
Re: Split washers are worse than no washer at all.
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 9:37 am
by vdubyah73
you can usually get grade 5 and 8 stuff at quality hardware stores.
Re: Split washers are worse than no washer at all.
Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2012 10:37 am
by RSorak 71Westy
I AM not complining about all types of washers JUST split washers. Yes I agree washers are essential with the soft metals.
I knew Colin would disagree here's proof.
http://www.boltscience.com/pages/helica ... ashers.htm
I cant find the main NASA reference I saw for this....
Re: Split washers are worse than no washer at all.
Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2012 6:08 pm
by Amskeptic
RSorak 71Westy wrote:
I knew Colin would disagree here's proof.
That video was an eye-opener, though a little difficult to see the context in which it backed off. In my real life experience with these washers, I see more gouging of the part being fastened than this video. I always thought that the gouging was a successful bite. So here is my question ... does anyone know of VW oem application of these "helical split" washers?
I will not disagree from any dogmatic entrenched ego, I just want to be thorough and careful.
Colin