From: Joe Shannon (fordpart@bellsouth.net)
Date: Sun Sep 22 2002 - 08:33:38 PDT
I have found the a grade 5 or less lock washer is pretty much useless
because any heat or vibration will cause it to loose is spring tension
and relieve the torque placed on the fastener. And a grade 8 can break.
The way a bolt works is when it is tightened it stretches like a rubber
band. If the bolt is retorqued enough it will be stretched to its limit
and will not remain tight because it has lost its elastic nature. You
ought to try to explain this to a customer who wants to know why you put
$100 worth of new bolts on his dozer or truck. Anyway, on an
application like a steering gearbox or mounting a hitch you should use
new bolts and I have taken hitches on pans (earth movers) off to replace
the bolts.
This same principle gives up extruded aluminum like in a ladder. The
aluminum is formed and then stretched over a period of time in a heated
chamber to give it strength.
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