Drive Shaft Bolts Loose

[pirateslair]

The bolts that hold my '61s driveshaft keep loosening up at both ends. I know that new ones with lock washers are an obvious must, but does anybody suggest nylock nuts, or liquid methods to reduce this result? Should I be torquing the nuts to specific weights or just crank them on? And, are grade 8 sufficient or should I buy OEM?

Ken

 

[Degnol]

That is a problem especially with the older, smaller bolts. I'd get the OEM if available. They are a special bolt with a large shoulder. Use loctite on them, too.

GL

Ed

 

[IDave]

Yep, get the shouldered ones and BLUE loctite them.

Since I started blue loctiting, I never had a driveshaft fall off again.

 

[BC Cruiser]

I would use bluelock tight, and either a lock washer or a nylock nut, but nylocks are a one time use only nut.

 

[Degnol]

Regardless of size, they should look like this. The unthreaded portion is what rides against the two flanges......The nuts are flanged, too. I did not use a lock washer, just the loctite.

Ed

 

[inkpot]

I would use bluelock tight, and either a lock washer or a nylock nut, but nylocks are a one time use only nut.

Howdy! I read in an old engineering manual years ago that split-ring lock washers are actually designed to be used only once. Repeated applications wears down the sharp edge that provides the "bite" into the mating surfaces. While I have been know to reuse them, I do check them over and replace them after only a "few" uses. John

 

[miker]

Ita a lot more work than just replacing the bolts but if you get OEM driveline bolts and nuts, get the next bigger size and drill out the flanges to match and it will be much better. I think those early ones were 8mm, so get the 10mm instead. Drill them out on a drill press to keep the holes straight and round (after removng the flanges).

 

[BC Cruiser]

Howdy! I read in an old engineering manual years ago that split-ring lock washers are actually designed to be used only once. Repeated applications wears down the sharp edge that provides the "bite" into the mating surfaces. While I have been know to reuse them, I do check them over and replace them after only a "few" uses. John

Your right, thats why old lock washers are flatened down, and dont have any spring left to bite into the surface.