Flat washer under shakeproof -what does that achieve?

Plum

Well-known member
Joined
6 Jun 2001
Messages
4,504
Location
UK East Coast
Visit site
Unless you are fastening a non metalic/compressible component or bolting through a slotted hole there is no benefit from a flat washer and if then the bolt is tightened correctly there is no benefit from a shakeproof washer. If you take apart a modern car/engine you it will be rare to find any washers at all in these types of joints. Bolting plastic type materials is different .

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 

<152587>

...
Joined
4 Dec 2014
Messages
529
Visit site
This thread just about sums up the engineering knowledge on here. Nixt, zilch, none, aucun. And the shameful part is that you all purport to advise on subjects to novices.
 

Lon nan Gruagach

Active member
Joined
12 Mar 2015
Messages
7,172
Location
Isle of Eigg
Visit site
This thread just about sums up the engineering knowledge on here. Nixt, zilch, none, aucun. And the shameful part is that you all purport to advise on subjects to novices.

Are you going to provide some useful information or just slag everyone off, even if some of the posts are open question about what had been presented as best practice by very qualified engineers?
 

Lon nan Gruagach

Active member
Joined
12 Mar 2015
Messages
7,172
Location
Isle of Eigg
Visit site
You come over as an experienced engineer, as such you shouldn't need me to educate you. Lets hear it from you. Judging from your post #3 you aint got a clue. Subject closed.

Yes, I am experienced. Experienced enough to know that I don't know everything. In cases where I don't know, I happily use methods and systems designed by those that do. Every once in a while I see a casual opportunity to find out. This appeared to be one of those.
As far as you are concerned it seems I was wrong.
So, on this particular subject I'll carry on implementing what is specified.
 

CLB

Well-known member
Joined
18 Jun 2013
Messages
4,959
Visit site
You come over as an experienced engineer, as such you shouldn't need me to educate you. Lets hear it from you. Judging from your post #3 you aint got a clue. Subject closed.

Ok, but what about the rest of us? You have an opportunity to educate those that are interested and not experienced.
 

lw395

Well-known member
Joined
16 May 2007
Messages
41,951
Visit site
A spring washer keeps the bolt under tension, even if the joint moves, the bolt stretches a little, temperature etc.
So the nut is much less likely to come undone.
The flat washer has a bigger radius than the spring washer, so has more friction against the base material than it does against the spring washer. It's unlikely to rotate. It's there to avoid damaging softer metal base material usually, or to spread the load, or to provide a regular surface for the shakeproof washer to work on. E.g. if the surface of the base part is not machined.
 

reeac

Well-known member
Joined
6 Jun 2003
Messages
5,356
Location
Orford, Suffolk, UK
Visit site
A spring washer keeps the bolt under tension, even if the joint moves, the bolt stretches a little, temperature etc.
So the nut is much less likely to come undone.
The flat washer has a bigger radius than the spring washer, so has more friction against the base material than it does against the spring washer. It's unlikely to rotate. It's there to avoid damaging softer metal base material usually, or to spread the load, or to provide a regular surface for the shakeproof washer to work on. E.g. if the surface of the base part is not machined.
My observation is that the ends of the spring washer dig in slightly so giving some locking although the compressive compliance does also tend to maintain the compression in the event that something stetches a bit. I don't know about modern car engines ...haven't rebuilt one since 1982 although that one's still running well.
 

pagoda

Active member
Joined
19 May 2008
Messages
2,227
Location
Scotland
Visit site
A spring washer keeps the bolt under tension, even if the joint moves, the bolt stretches a little, temperature etc.
So the nut is much less likely to come undone.
The flat washer has a bigger radius than the spring washer, so has more friction against the base material than it does against the spring washer. It's unlikely to rotate. It's there to avoid damaging softer metal base material usually, or to spread the load, or to provide a regular surface for the shakeproof washer to work on. E.g. if the surface of the base part is not machined.
+1
Modern car nuts often have a built in flange (AKA flat washer) to spread the load on the base material. The nuts also are frequently self locking (use once versions)
 

paulajayne

Active member
Joined
28 Nov 2015
Messages
474
Visit site
A spring washer keeps the bolt under tension, even if the joint moves, the bolt stretches a little, temperature etc.
So the nut is much less likely to come undone.
The flat washer has a bigger radius than the spring washer, so has more friction against the base material than it does against the spring washer. It's unlikely to rotate. It's there to avoid damaging softer metal base material usually, or to spread the load, or to provide a regular surface for the shakeproof washer to work on. E.g. if the surface of the base part is not machined.

Question was shake proof washer not spring.

A flat washer under a shake proof negates the advantage of a shake proof.

So it is poor engineering to fit like this.
 

greeny

Well-known member
Joined
15 Jun 2004
Messages
2,355
Location
Portugal
Visit site
The flat washer has a bigger radius than the spring washer, so has more friction against the base material than it does against the spring washer. It's unlikely to rotate. It's there to avoid damaging softer metal base material usually, or to spread the load, or to provide a regular surface for the shakeproof washer to work on. E.g. if the surface of the base part is not machined.[/QUOTE]

I'll hang my hat on this being the reason. Fine if the base material is soft plastic or irregular surface there's good reason for the larger flat washer. Too often I've seen them fitted in circumstances where i would not consider them advantageous and may even increase the likelihood of the fastening becoming loose.
I'll now brace myself for the broadside from "third engines" when he tells us the real reason. hehe.
 
D

Deleted member 36384

Guest
What’s a shake proof washer? There are many types and some are used with washers, some not. RFI.

Go to www.dropsonline.org and download reliable securing. Spring washers are shit.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

lw395

Well-known member
Joined
16 May 2007
Messages
41,951
Visit site
Question was shake proof washer not spring.

A flat washer under a shake proof negates the advantage of a shake proof.

So it is poor engineering to fit like this.

There are many sorts of 'shakeproof' washer and many engineering problems.
There are times when proper engineers who know what they are doing, specify a flat washer with some sort of shakeproof under the nut.
Many types of serrated shakeproof washers are made of spring steel and work as diaphragm springs.
If you've ever had trouble getting a product through qualification, including vibration testing, you'd know that some things are counter-intuitive.
 
Top