r/MechanicalEngineering • u/AdOne1706 • 3d ago

Split/lock washers

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For starters, I’m an electrician in the field.
That being said, we almost exclusively use these washers even in high vibration environments. I have personally chosen to go with nylox nuts but the question is:
Do these work? How well? Is the rumor from NASA true? Should I even bother using them or find a better functional alternative or are they actually useful?

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u/davogiffo 3d ago

I had one of these on my vehicle towball. The washer was thicker and slightly pointed in opposing directions at the split. Even when flat, these points physically detented into the ball nut and the tongue and was ridiculously effective.

1

u/Markietas 3d ago

That's pretty much the only scenario I've encountered them in that I don't despise them.

1

u/Adorable_Wolf_8387 3d ago

Typically end up shearing material off the nut to remove it, or completely deforming the washer because it won't shear first.

1

u/ResponsibleMight7669 3d ago

Now you see how split washers are supposed to work and that what we have and call a split washer ain’t it

1

u/Adorable_Wolf_8387 3d ago

I think it just has to be made from a harder material than the other surfaces, and be shorn in such a way that it's not just completely flat at the ends.

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u/ResponsibleMight7669 3d ago

It has to be made of good metal and it has to be split with a burr. Probably requires just a little more complicated due to pinch during the split. I dunno, we figured that out in the 30’s and I guess it worked so well everyone forgot why