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| Unsing flat washers as spacers for bolts that are too long | |||
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| Posted by: timmyo ® 04/11/2008, 15:02:30 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
I know I have heard more than a few times that it is never a good idea to use a flat washer as a spacer for a bolt that is too long for a nut. Basically, the typicall scenario would be: you have a 1" long bolt and your fastener is 7/8" deep, so you use a 1/8" thick flat washer under the head so the bolt does not bottom out before the connection is tight. This would be done on a 5/8" dia bolt that would receive high loading (1000 lbs or greater) so I really want to avoid the washer scenario. I need an explanation for my boss as to why we should buy non-standard length bolts that are more expensive, but actually fit the nut and tighten the connection properly. Thanks in advance. |
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| : Unsing flat washers as spacers for bolts that are too long | |||
| : Unsing flat washers as spacers for bolts that are too long -- timmyo | Post Reply | Top of thread | Forum |
Posted by: randykimball ®  04/11/2008, 15:49:13 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
Hello, welcome aboard, So let me see if I understand... if you do not use the washer the bolt will extend 1/8" past the outer end of the nut? Perhaps you did not mean a nut but a threaded blind hole. But.. If the fastener is 7/8" deep and the bolt is 1" long.... and you might use a 1/8" thick flat washer.. what is the bolt holding to the fastener? I ran out of bolt length in my head. What is not a good idea is stacking flat washers to make up for bolts that are too long. You are not refering to stacking washers. I would prefer a hardened washer in your case, and a hardened 5/8" flat washer is some thicker than 1/8" as I recall. According to your numbers, you are not leaving any length tolerance for a long bolt, a shallow hole, a thin washer, or washer crush. That is a lot of chance for a thread jamb, unless your threaded holes are really almost 1" deep. The worst suggestion of your lifetime may be the catalyst to the grandest idea of the century, never let suggestions go unsaid nor fail to listen to them. Modified by randykimball at Sun, Apr 13, 2008, 00:17:59 |
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| : : Unsing flat washers as spacers for bolts that are too long | |||
| : : Unsing flat washers as spacers for bolts that are too long -- randykimball | Post Reply | Top of thread | Forum |
| Posted by: sneitzel ® 04/11/2008, 17:38:31 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
It is not a good practice to stack washers in a fastener joint. Each stacked element acts like springs in series, consequently, fastener joint stiffness would be compromised. A 5/8" SAE case hardened washer can range in thickness from .122" to .177". |
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| : : : Unsing flat washers as spacers for bolts that are too long | |||
| : : : Unsing flat washers as spacers for bolts that are too long -- sneitzel | Post Reply | Top of thread | Forum |
| Posted by: timmyo ® 04/11/2008, 18:05:54 Author Profile eMail author Edit |
Oops forgot to mention that I was actually fastening something with this hex head bolt. Yes there is 1/2" of steel bar between the proposed washer (under the head of the bolt) and the hex nut. So add a 1/2" to length of the bolt. The proposal was to use just one flat washer so we will not be stacking them. Thank you for the SAE 5/8" info. The spring action makes sense with multiple washers and we would never attempt that. |
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