How Do Locking Fasteners Work?

Locking fasteners play a crucial role in various industries and applications, ensuring the security and stability of assembled components. They are generally designed to prevent unintentional loosening or disassembly of threaded connections, providing a reliable solution to combat vibrations, impacts, and other external forces. Among the different types of locking fasteners available on the market, lock nuts and jam nuts serve as the most popular types for their simplicity and effectiveness.

A lock nut, also known as a bearing lock nut, is a type of fastener that features a specialized design to resist loosening due to vibrations or rotational forces. Its unique construction involves the use of a secondary locking mechanism, which adds an additional layer of security to the threaded connection. This mechanism typically takes the form of a nylon insert that deforms under torque and creates friction between the threads, thereby preventing the nut from backing off.

The working principle of a lock nut lies in the interaction between the nylon insert and the threads. When the lock nut is tightened onto a mating bolt or stud, the threads cut into the nylon material, deforming it and increasing the resistance to rotational forces. As the threads engage with the nylon insert, they create a prevailing torque that prevents the nut from rotating freely. This prevailing torque effectively locks the nut in place, ensuring a secure and reliable connection.

Jam nuts are another type of locking fastener frequently used alongside standard nuts to provide additional locking capabilities. Unlike lock nuts, jam nuts do not feature a specialized locking mechanism. Instead, they rely on the interaction between two nuts to achieve a locking effect. When two nuts are tightened against each other, they create a frictional force that prevents both nuts from loosening under external loads or vibrations.

To use jam nuts effectively, the first nut is tightened onto the threaded connection, followed by the second nut. As the second nut is tightened against the first nut, the resulting frictional force between them increases the overall resistance to rotation. This frictional force acts as a lock, preventing both nuts from loosening unintentionally.

Lock nuts and jam nuts are commonly used in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, construction, and machinery sectors. More than that, they offer several advantages over traditional nuts, such as providing enhanced reliability and security. Furthermore, they can withstand severe vibrations, ensuring that critical components remain tightly fastened and operational.

Additionally, lock nuts and jam nuts are reusable, allowing for easy disassembly and reassembly when required. This reusability reduces maintenance costs and makes them a cost-effective choice for many applications. While lock nuts and jam nuts provide reliable locking solutions, they may not be suitable for all applications. Factors such as temperature, material compatibility, and the level of vibrations must be considered when selecting the appropriate locking fastener.

If you find yourself in need of high-quality fastening solutions for your operations, we invite you to explore Sourcing 3Sixty’s expansive inventory of products. With countless new, used, obsolete, and hard-to-find items by leading manufacturers on our Approved Vendor List (AVL), customers can easily meet their rigid time constraints and inflexible budget parameters. Get started today by submitting an RFQ form through our website or contact us via phone or email at any time; we are available 24/7x365!