Have fun....
Cheers,
Mark
am building a locost with just the chris gibbs book and you guys as help but i aint exactly sure when i should be using washers when there not needed and when to use nyloc bolts or just normal bolts any help would be thaankful adam
Best to use washers to save bolt head and nut from chewing up parts also best to use nylocs but only really supposed to be used once...
Have fun....
Cheers,
Mark
That’s not a stupid question at all.
Washers are used to spread the load over the parts and to stop the surface being damaged when you turn the nut. Select the correct type for the
material to be clamped, for example on glassfiber or aluminium parts use as large as you can get (called penny or repair washers). On the suspension
use thicker ones so that they don't distort due to the higher loads. You will also most likely need them to pack out things like the coilovers
basically using them as heavy shims. If possible use stainless fasteners on all but the high tensile ones and make sure you use the correct strength
grade checking what’s written on top of the bolt like 8.8, good quality nuts will have this stamped on at least one face, assume any that are not
marked to be rubbish. Personally I'd use nylocks on everything except bolting on the stereo and the exhaust system (brass nuts on stainless bolts
are great here). Buy the fasteners on line or at an industrial supplier, not somewhere like B&Q. Even using stainless ones it should not be more
than £50-£80 for the whole lot.
If you’re not at any point sure what to use ask on this site, we know everything 
I agree not B&Q, unless you have money to throw away, a single 12mm x 60mm bolt is over a £1 whereas from supplier you can buy a box of 50 for about £9
Agree
Go to a bolt supplier, and buy arange of sizes + washers + Nuts & Nylocks- may cost u £100 + for a load. say sizes M6, M8, M10 & M12.
& specify 8.8 Grade. For things smaller people like machinemart or screwfix do selection boxes.
Cost might be large for bolts but once you have em the ammount of time it will save and cost it will save will be unbelievable.
Have a look on Ebay aswell there is a guy that sells K'Bin rack systems cheaply. Buy one of these and mount it in the shed/wall and you will be
able to lay you hands on the bolts rather than scrabble about in a big tub.
For nuts and bolts etc. try Tifosi. web site is Tifosi-Devon, I think. If he hasn't got it he will try to source it for you.
I would use stainless for everything, cos it stays looking nice.
I prefer locking washers to lock nuts, cos when your trying to tighten up nuts, you can wind them up to almost tight you can do it with your fingers,
especially usefull in difficult to get to places and they are re-usable.
For short locking nuts you can get aircaft ones, I think from Burton-Power
just worth noting, don;t use stainless bolts for anything structural (i.e brakes/suspension)
Ray
B+Q typically don't have the one you need anyway 
but they're useful for the occasional "if only I had one more ......" type situation...
B&Q are open late and at weekends. You pay for the privelage, but if you need a nut / bolt / washer / length of tube, grinder disc etc. to finish a job...
one other point about stainless is that some grades (especially low quality stainless) are extremely prone to galling were the nut and bolt start
basically fuse and tear each others threads to bits. Never try to bolt up a sticking thread, it will just get worse till they fuse solid. Copper slip
helps prevent this but is not 100% effective and WD40 is utterly useless. This is why I use the brass nuts on the exhaust system as the vibration can
over time make them gall too, to stop the brass nuts slackening just use two tightened against each other.
[Edited on 16/5/08 by Mr Whippy]
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
B&Q are open late and at weekends. You pay for the privelage, but if you need a nut / bolt / washer / length of tube, grinder disc etc. to finish a job...
I agree with Triton "......also best to use nylocs but only really supposed to be used once."
However, if like me, you need to assemble & disassemble several times then buy some ordinary ones as well - cheap as you can get, use them so that
you can dismantle and re-assemble as many times as you need then when you are sure that the job is completed replace with the nyloc ones.
John W
I think the rule of thumb with washers is, if in doubt, use one.
At the risk of repeating my learned colleagues.....
The washer usually fits under the turning element (usually the nut) to prevent it 'picking up' or biting into the material being clamped. It
also distibuites the clamping force more evenly.
Nyloc nuts are good but don't be afraid to use 'Loctite' on standard nuts. It's a thread-locking liquid and comes in a wide
variety of strengths and applications (some allow dis-assembly and some are for life)
Use good quality, plated, fasteners with at least an 8:8 (10:9 are ok too) embossed on the head. This is an indicator of the bolt's tensile
strength.
Get a tub of Copperslip and put a small dollop on everything during assembly - you will thank me in a few years.
Oh and I think Mr W means copper nuts on the exhaust - they don't sieze when heated.
I was told several years ago you should never use a spring washer with a nyloc as it works against the nyloc and can cause it to come undone!!
Mr Wippy could well use brass nuts. Exhaust manifolds all had brass nuts when I started. Now I'd use copper exhaust locknuts.
Before you go into an industiral fastner shop, make sure you know the correct name for what you want and the difference between a screw and a bolt
(nylocks are nuts, not bolts for instance). They tend to take the wee if not in those places!
adrian
quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
(nylocks are nuts, not bolts for instance).
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
(nylocks are nuts, not bolts for instance).
Nylok Bolts
Just a pedant taking the wee!
[Edited on 16/5/08 by David Jenkins]
quote:
Originally posted by adithorp
difference between a screw and a bolt (nylocks are nuts, not bolts for instance). They tend to take the wee if not in those places!
adrian
I've just re-read my post and I'msorry if it sounded like I was being pedantic. It wasn't meant that way.
However the guys that work in nut and bolt shops always seem to be, They'll bring exactly what you ask for, which is never what you actually
want. Then they'll tut and roll thier eyes and slope off for (exactly) what you've now explained you want and then...Some time later you
might get what you want!
Just dont ask for 4 candles!
adrian
Don't worry - I was only yanking your chain!