Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Home About Us Software Services Training Download Pricing Bolting Info News
The use of two plain nuts goes back at least 150 years based upon observation of
historic machinery. Tightening one nut down and then simply tightening another nut on
top of it achieves little locking effect. A specific procedure needs to be followed if
locking is to be achieved. When a thin and thick nut are used, it may be thought that the
thick nut should go next to the joint since this would take the entire load. However, by
placing the thin nut on first, when the thick nut is tightened on top of it, the load on the
threads of the thin nut are relieved of their load.
When the thick nut is tightened onto the thin nut, as the load increases,
the load is lifted from the pressure flanks of the thin nut. As tightening
continues a point is reached when the bolt thread touches the top flanks
of the thin nut. At this point F3 = F2. Continuing to tighten the top nut
results in the jamming of the threads leading to F3 > F2. If tightening is
continued, the force between the two nuts will continue to increase. If
the thick nut is overtightened, there is the risk of thread stripping or the
tensile fracture of the bolt between the two nuts.
http://www.boltscience.com/pages/twonuts.htm 1/8/2018
The Use of Two Nuts to Prevent Self Loosening of Fasteners Page 2 of 4
The two videos shown below presents the results of a Junker fastener vibration test performed on the two arrangements
that a thick and thin nut on can be arranged. The tests were conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the two-nut
method in terms of resistance to self-loosening. A Junker transverse vibration test machine was used with M10 nuts and
bolts. The results are illustrated in the graph below. With the small nut on top, both nuts can be observed to rotate
together and can subsequently come completely loose. The results are slightly better than is normally observed with a
single plain nut. With the small nut next to the joint, some relaxation occurs but not a significant amount of self-
loosening . The performance of the two-nut method, when properly applied, provides a superior locking capability when
compared to many so-called lock nuts. The proper application of the two-nut method is time intensive and requires a
degree of skill and is hence unlikely to make a major comeback on new machinery any time soon.
http://www.boltscience.com/pages/twonuts.htm 1/8/2018
The Use of Two Nuts to Prevent Self Loosening of Fasteners Page 3 of 4
A word of warning
Sometimes there are reasons other than self-loosening why two nuts may be used. Two nuts can be used to reduce the
risk of thread stripping especially if the threads are galvanised. Hence there may be a good reason to use two nuts i.e. to
ensure that the full strength of the bolt is developed rather than a premature failure from thread stripping. If there is a
significant amount of fastener extension that would be developed i.e. when a long bolt is used, then using the thin nut on
the bottom can be inappropriate. In such circumstances the bolt extension could be such that the thin nut would sustain
thread stripping due to the extension exceeding the thread clearance available in the thin nut. Hence the warning that
placing the thin nut next to joint is not appropriate in all circumstances.
Tightening the thin nut on top of the thick nut tends not to work since there is minimal bolt extension existing in the
threads between two nuts. Hence they prone to loosening as a result of embedding between the nut surfaces even under
an axial load situation when self-loosening (i.e. nut rotation) would tend not to occur.
If you are still in doubt about the above, take heed of the following statement in section 5 of ISO 898-2: 2012
(Mechanical properties of fasteners made of carbon steel and alloy steel — Part 2: Nuts with specified property classes
— Coarse thread and fine pitch thread), to quote: "Thin nuts used as jam nuts should be assembled together with a
regular nut or a high nut. In assemblies with jam nut, the thin nut is first tightened against the assembled parts and
then the regular or high nut is tightened against the thin nut."
Published in the November 2008 issue of Fastener and Fixing magazine, this article
looks at the use of two nuts to prevent self-loosening. Many types of old machinery have
two nuts on the bolts. A thin nut is frequently used in these applications. Sometimes the
thin nut can be observed on top of a standard thickness nut and on other installations, it’s
http://www.boltscience.com/pages/twonuts.htm 1/8/2018
The Use of Two Nuts to Prevent Self Loosening of Fasteners Page 4 of 4
next to the joint, under the thick nut. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, the thin
nut should go next to the joint and not be put on last. In other applications, for example
on column attachments, two standard thickness nuts are frequently used.
A series of tests were conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the two-nut method
in terms of resistance to self-loosening. A Junker transverse vibration test machine was
used with M10 nuts and bolts. With the small nut on top, both nuts can be observed to
rotate together and can subsequently come completely loose. The results are slightly
better than is normally observed with a single plain nut. With the small nut next to the
joint, some relaxation occurs but not a significant amount of self-loosening . The
performance of the two-nut method, when properly applied, provides a superior locking
capability when compared to many so-called lock nuts. The proper application of the
two-nut method is time intensive and requires a degree of skill and is hence unlikely to
make a major comeback on new machinery any time soon.
| Home | About Us | Software | Services | Training | Download | Pricing | Bolting Info | News |
http://www.boltscience.com/pages/twonuts.htm 1/8/2018