Waxed Nylon Insert Lock Nuts

Lock Nuts with a Nylon Insert Stopper

A nylon insert lock nut is hex-shaped, internally threaded with a nylon insert or collar. The nylon material prevents loosening from vibration by increasing friction between the nylon and the screw thread. The insert deforms elastically over the threads of the screw, but threads are not cut into the nylon. This lock nut style is also referred to as a nyloc or nylock nut, polymer insert lock nut, or elastic stop nut.

The nylon insert locks the nut in two ways. First, it forces the bottom face of the screw threads against the nut threads' top face, increasing the friction between them. Second, the nylon applies a compressive force against the screw itself. Nylon lock nuts can maintain this locking ability up to 250 °F or 121 °C.

Nylon Insert Lock Nuts in this selection feature a waxed interior, which helps to prevent thread galling or fastener seizing, which is common in Stainless Steel Fasteners. The threaded interior of these lock nuts is treated with wax to act as an anti-seize without applying anti-seize to each fastener assembly. Because of this ease of use and time-saving property, waxed Nylon Lock Nuts are commonly used on assembly lines in factories and by anyone looking to save time and still protect their fasteners against thread galling.

Nylon lock nuts are not made to be backed-off after being applied. Attempting to do so creates cross threads that stop the nut from backing off the fastener.

Stainless Steel

18-8 or 304 grades of Stainless steel are suitable for many general purpose applications, especially freshwater and non-salt water wet environments. Corrosion-resistant and durable, 18-8 stainless steel is equivalent to the A2 grade of stainless steel.

For much more corrosive environments, such as in saltwater or marine applications, 316 stainless steel is the ideal choice. 316 Stainless steel is equivalent to A4 stainless steel.

Waxed Nylon Lock Nuts Prevent Thread Galling | Fasteners 101

Waxed Nylocks Prevent Galling
Waxed Nylon Lock Nuts Prevent Thread Galling Transcript

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Bob: This is a standard nylon lock nut, with the nylon insert. And this nut is what they call "pre-waxed". It's waxed to prevent any galling.

Galling gets into where your nut seizes onto the bolt and you can't go any further. The only thing that starts to happen is either you snap the bolt or snap the nut. So, we're going to demonstrate that we'll have no galling with this particular waxed insert lock nut.

This is a great product for manufacturing production. You don't have to put any anti-seize on to the nuts or screws. So this will save yourself a lot of time.

I have here a waxed nylon lock nut and waxed nylon lock nuts are used in manufacturing where you don't use any type of lubricant or anti-seize. This removes the requirement to dip a bolt inside some type of lubricant, so you don't have to waste time. They have what they call pre-waxed nylon lock nuts.

I'm just gonna screw this on right now with this ratchet to show you that it will not gall up as a normal nylon lock nut. If you put no anti-seize on it. This goes on like cake. It's so smooth; that waxing is amazing. So those who are manufacturing and want to get around the issue of galling or having your staff wasting time... That went all the way down. No galling at all. It's the perfect thing for manufacturing.

FAQs

How does a nylon lock nut work?

Nylon lock nuts have a nylon collar inserted into a recess at the nut's top. This recess and nylon insert are slightly smaller than the outer thread diameter. The insert deforms elastically over the threads of the screw, but threads are not cut into the nylon. This elasticity causes friction between the nylon collar and the screw making the connection resistant to loosening.

Which way do nylon lock nuts go?

Nylon lock nuts go nylon side away from the head of the bolt or screw. The threading should be coming out of the nylon insert side of the nut as the bolt or screw is fastened.

Are Nylock nuts reusable?

Yes, nylon insert lock nuts are reusable. However, we do not recommend frequent repurposing of the same nylon lock nuts in critical connections on a given application.

What is the purpose of a Nylock nut?

Nylock nuts are economical lock nuts for applications involving vibration or motion. The nylon insert of these locking nuts helps the assembly resist loosening under the application's vibration or motion.

How do you use lock nuts?

Most lock nuts are used the same way traditional nuts are; by simply fastening them to the opposite side of a bolt. The locking action activates after the nut is fastened down. The exception to this is castellated nuts and slotted nuts, which needs a hole drilled into the bolt and a cotter pin to finish installation.

Can lock nuts be removed?

They're not designed to be removed easily. If they were, they wouldn't be very good lock nuts! That said, it is possible to remove locknuts. It may require some patience and, in some cases, power tools to remove them. The exact method will vary based on application and lock nut.

Do you need a lock washer with a lock nut?

No, you don't need a locking washer to use a locking nut or vice versa. Most applications will call for using one or the other, not both. That's not to say you can't use both a lock nut and lock washer as part of the same assembly. It's just not common to do so; one will suffice for most jobs.