wr0ngway Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 This has to do with a lawnmower wheel but I'm posting here in case anybody has encountered and solved this very frustrating condition- I replaced a 1/2" bolt on the wheel connection assembly and decided to be smart and use a nylon lock nut. The new nut went on the new bolt, nice and tight, about half way down the 3" bolt and then wouldn't "go no mo", neither back nor forth, lots of muscle, though not with a cheater bar, just an 8" crescent and socket, but the nut barely moves. It's as TIGHT AS [insert anal reference]. i'm thinking there is a reaction which makes the nylon turn into glue from the heat of friction but I can't find any data to confirm this. I'll try some penetrating oil and when that doesn't work I'll heat up the nut to soften the nylon (i think it was an ehow article that said +250 degrees). I've used nylon lock nuts in the past, never had this problem before. Thanks, Sticky Nuts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Krypt Keeper Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Heat is your friend. Or get a can of air for computer keyboards. Turn upside down and spray stuck nut with it. Might harden nylon enough to help it move. But also shrink nut a wee bit. Works on bubble gum in hair and carpet also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoWhee Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 You didn't by any chance use a drill or electric screwdriver to tighten the nut? I did this when I was assembling a pool ladder, since there were a bunch of them to do. If you spin the nut too fast the nylon seems to melt and "weld" itself in place. I don't have any suggestions on how to unstick it, I just cut the bolt and put in a new one. Could you use a dremel to cut off the nut? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 +1 on the dremel to cut the nut off. Probably the fastest solution other than soak the crap out of the bolt with lube and hope it just lets go. An impact wrench MIGHT break it loose, but it could also shear the bolt if it's on real bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superhawk996 Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 (edited) Never had this happen because of a nylock and I wrench every day. Most likely something was in the threads that galled them up. If it's a stainless nut & bolt galling happens all the time even without debris in it, some grades require lube before assemble to prevent galling. More force, or cut it. If you want to add a tool to your collection, get a nut splitter; quick and easy. Most likely the bolt is now fucked anyway so you have nothing to loose with more force and breaking the bolt. Edited June 18, 2014 by superhawk996 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02 SilverBird Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 This has to do with a lawnmower wheel but I'm posting here in case anybody has encountered and solved this very frustrating condition- I replaced a 1/2" bolt on the wheel connection assembly and decided to be smart and use a nylon lock nut. The new nut went on the new bolt, nice and tight, about half way down the 3" bolt and then wouldn't "go no mo", neither back nor forth, lots of muscle, though not with a cheater bar, just an 8" crescent and socket, but the nut barely moves. It's as TIGHT AS [insert anal reference]. i'm thinking there is a reaction which makes the nylon turn into glue from the heat of friction but I can't find any data to confirm this. I'll try some penetrating oil and when that doesn't work I'll heat up the nut to soften the nylon (i think it was an ehow article that said +250 degrees). I've used nylon lock nuts in the past, never had this problem before. Thanks, Sticky Nuts Did you start the nut with your fingers? It should not be nice and tight it should thread up to the nylock very easerly (nylock on outside) then tighten down with wrench till tight, I think you may have cross threaded it or nut and bolt have different thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon haney Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 It's definitely not the nylon portion of the nut keeping it from turning. What Superhawk said is most likely what happened, but Silverbird could also be right. If you can replace both the bolt and nut, do it. My guess is you won't have a choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVLXX Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 , I think you may have cross threaded it or nut and bolt have different thread. +1 Which may not have been your fault.... I've found Lots and Lots of Bad nuts, that have damaged or improperly cut threads straight out of the "New" box. A Nut with the wrong pitch threads starts out great, but slowly shaves of more and more metal, until it goes into lock up, as you described. However, this usually happens on a Bolt that's too Long. The Bolt threads should never stick out of the back of the nut more than 1/2", if they do... wrong bolt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 FYI, I remember a trick of manually testing nuts and bolts BEFORE installing them...just to be sure they work properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superhawk996 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Some sizes of metric and sae hardware will seem to match 'till you get almost the full length of the nut on, something you can't easily test for with a nylock. If by 1/2" bolt you mean it has a 1/2" head, that most likely makes it a 5/16 bolt which happens to mate pretty well with an 8mm nut of the right thread pitch. If it's a 1/2" bolt I don't think any metric will be close enough to make it seem right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nova Scotia Mike Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Verdict? What was the outcome wr0ngway? I never knew galling happened so easily, and I'm not even really sure what galling is. I gots some more reading to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superhawk996 Posted June 26, 2014 Share Posted June 26, 2014 I'm sure there's a better definition of galling, but basically the nut and bolt stick and rip. It's most prevalent with certain grades of stainless, I think 300 series. Mixing different metals between nut and bolt will usually keep it from happening as will certain lubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.