Lock Nuts
Lock nuts differ from standard nuts in that they have pitted grooves built into them
that are designed to interlock with protruding pieces in locking surfaces to create a
more secure fastening hold and prevent fastener slippage. There are many differing
types and sizes of lock nuts for use in a wide range of applications. The need for
these types of nuts depends on the mechanics of fastener stress.

Lock Nuts: a New Spin
The most common need for lock nuts is in any component or piece of equipment that
spins on a constant basis. Sanders and grinders are good examples where this type
of nut, used in conjunction with a rubber pad, is essential. Spinning action can cause
fasteners to come loose in power tools and in car or other vehicular components.
This is the most obvious need for these types of fasteners, but by no means the only
one.

When it comes right down to it, lock nuts are a good idea in any application where
there is a concern with fasteners becoming loose, such as in cars or motorcycles.
Think about what makes a fastener come loose in the first place. It doesn't
necessarily have to do with stress, heat or vibration as one might assume. As
external pressures increase, all that's really occurring is that the excess clamping
force of the joined components is decreasing. Fasteners fail at stress levels below
their rated cyclical load tolerances when the stiffness of the torque is miscalculated.
As a rule of thumb, a joint should be eight times as stiff as the fastener to prevent
parts from coming loose or breaking.

Lock nuts help by taking the problem of loosening joints out of the equation. They
don't prevent breakage, but this isn't usually a concern anyway when you are dealing
with the types of top rated quality fasteners we sell here at NutsandBolts.com. It's the
loosening of bolts from nuts that is the biggest problem among mechanics and
engineers. Lock nuts are designed to alleviate this problem. Browse around our easy
to navigate site and see what we have to offer here at NutsandBolts.com.