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MS20844 nylock nut
MS20845 nut
A Lock nut resists turning. Usually nuts are free spinning, but locknuts nuts have a plastic patch that causes resistance to nut turning. This resistance is called "prevailing torque". Prevailing torque is the torque required to turn the nut. None of the prevailing torque goes toward tightening the bolt.

Lock nuts nuts fall within a group of nuts called 'lock nuts" Lock nuts come in all types and sizes. Typically there are the "Nylock" or elastic stop nuts, and the "all-metal" lock nuts.

The rule of thumb is to add the prevailing torque to the torque value when torquing a lock nut. This is because the prevailing torque doesn't contribute to bolt tightening. It is just friction that needs to be overcome.

For example, a Grade 5 1/4-28 bolt in tension lubricated zinc plating, with a torque of 10.5 lb. ft. produces a clamping load of 2,511 pounds.

If we use a use a lock nut that takes 2 lb. ft. of torque to turn, then 2 lb. ft. of torque is used in turning the nut leaving only 8.5 lb. ft. for bolt tension. Our clamping load is reduced to 2,009 pounds.

If, however, we take our original torque of 10.5 and add the 2 that the Nylock requires and set our torque wrench to 12.5, our clamp load is 2,511 pounds. The same as it was without the nylock.

You can use your torque wrench to measure lock nut torque and then add this value to the bolt's required torque.

Prevailing torque calculation should be done with your nut and your bolt using your thread lubricant. Published prevailing torque charts may give you an idea of how much torque is used up by the nut's locking feature, but in actual conditions, the results will vary. There is an interaction between the bolt threads, nut locking feature, and the thread lubricant (whether liquid or plating) that makes each prevailing torque calculation unique.


--exceptions to this rule----

Usually you wouldn't add prevailing torque to the torque value published by the equipment manufacturer. The equipment manufacturer has already done this for you. For example, propeller bolts use elastic stop nuts (prevailing torque nut). The propeller manufacturer is aware of this. So just go ahead and use the published torque values.

If you use a different nut or a different thread lubricant than what the manufacturer specifies, then the proper torque is unknown.

Should lock nuts be re-used?

More about the software used to compute the bolt and torque values in this article.

Read more about nut strength
Nyloc is a registered trade name of Forest Fasteners.

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40 software programs written especially for the mechanic
Mechanic's Toolbox - Software for the Mechanic
40 software programs written especially for the mechanic
Mechanic's Toolbox includes: Anti-Seize Selector, Torque Wrench Calculator, and Bolt Strength Calculator. Compute torque from bolt strength, clamping force, breaking strength, shear strength. Includes strength charts,torque wrench extension calculations, torque conversion charts, standard torques for most nuts, bolts and screws, K factors, torque accuracy. etc.