LCGB Forums

Not sure we’re to put this question but here goes. Is it important/ necessary to use nord lock washers on sip tubeless alloy wheels? Has anyone tried anything different.? Every time I remove a wheel it seem at least one of the halves disappears with the other small lambretta bits which have made a bid for freedom at various times. Thanks.

Never liked the nordlock system and I use the Mb’s stuff for the sip rims

ULC Soulagent wrote:Never liked the nordlock system and I use the Mb’s stuff for the sip rims

. +1

Nord locks are easily the best way of maintaining bolt tension if used properly. That means not using against anything that can rotate, for example a plain washer on the other end of the bolt. And also not used against paint.

They can be a bit of a pain, and are less effective once they've been on/off.

Personally on wheels, I use nylocs. They don't maintain tension anywhere near as well, but my main concern with wheels, is simply not coming off. If they slacken slightly, you'll notice.

Think the idea is great, but I have had them fail while riding when I've used them on wheels, so stopped using them after that.

I have a box full of Nordlocks and change them every time I remove a wheel.

they shouldn't fail IF used the correct way round & oiled up
in the oil & gas industry in the Nth Sea etc......... its now common to replace spring washers with Nord Locks.

Both previous comments are fair points. Changing them every time is the gold standard I would say, but they are supposed to be able to be reused a few times as I understand it.

I have not seen any mention of needing to have them oiled up before, and don't doubt their effectiveness, but I lost my confidence in using them on wheel studs through my experience with them.

fair point kid, but I've re-used mine several times with tyre changes etc.............except when they've made a bid for freedom or I've used excessive force & snapped 'em (not correct torque setting)

These threads do make me weigh up the cost of replacing such parts every time, as opposed costs saved when re-using?

Nord-Lock Washers can be bought for a couple of pound for 4.

Bit like always replacing an inner tube each time you change a tyre, an inner tube is around £10 on top of the £30 or so for the tyre.

The potential cost of either of these parts failing as they have been re-used more than once.......??

I know what my preference is.

I only use stainless ones as I "borrow" them from work, ours are all for offshore, hence the stainless.

The oil must be for carbon steel ones to stop them rusting?

dickie wrote:I only use stainless ones as I "borrow" them from work, ours are all for offshore, hence the stainless.

The oil must be for carbon steel ones to stop them rusting?

Do you take them back when you have finished with them ?

What I don't like about Nordlock system is the thickness, you loose about 3 mm of thread, A pal has some SIP rims on an older 1960's vespa and with the Nordlocks there is only 3 or 4 threads left on the cast in studs for the nuts to hold the wheels on. I don't know which shop fitted them for him but id not be happy riding it.

I just use nylocks with loctite and change for new nuts often.

no chance of changing his studs then bud?

I run AF tubeless rims & after an incident on a coast 2 coast where I parted company with the back wheel due to loose wheel to hub fasteners, & having spent most of my working life in Airframe structures test, I went down the 'aerospace' route
K-lock stiffnuts - from Demon Tweeks https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/demon-t ... ut-243560/

you can get them from E-bay etc but I'm always a bit nervous of their real quality & provenance

NOTE: Based on my Aero test experience, they only retain full 'stiffness' for 3 or 4 installations/removals so I tend to replace every couple of years

£2.59 each Swatty

hullygully wrote:£2.59 each Swatty

No price on safety

with those nuts, the last few threads are a slightly shallow i/dia, hence their locking ability, so with constant use they'd wear certain parts of the studs' thread,
I'm sticking with Nord Locks on SIP wheels

merlin motorsport sell high temp k-nuts as well as standard.price are similar to demon tweeks.

Mark N Sven on Facebook is selling Nordlock washers at a very decent price.

Rich'