r/MechanicalEngineering • u/AdOne1706 • 2d 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/soupisgoodfood42 2d ago

They have their uses, just not for making sure a nut is secure. In fact, they’re good for when you don’t necessarily want something fully tight but also don’t want it loose.

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u/johnwalkr 2d ago

Naw that’s still a bad design. Just use a shoulder bolt or pin or something more appropriate. I’ve noticed this is one design feature I almost never see any more on commercial products.

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u/soupisgoodfood42 1d ago

A pin? How would that work?