Nylocs coming undone on steering?

[farmer_bean]

As I only taxed my Sumo for 6 months following the SVA this May I ended up having to go for an MOT this week in order to retax it.

Glad I did take it in far an MOT as the tester found that the nyloc nuts on the upper wishbone ball joints had undone past the nylon part and were only held on by a turn and a half.

6 months and 1000 miles ago when I took it for the SVA the regulatory 2+ threads were showing out the bottom of the nyloc so I am concerned as to why they have come undone and worried that it might happen again resulting in accident or worse.

Any hints on stopping this happening again?

regards
Rob

[Purple AK]

Hi Rob.
Did you tighten and loosen the nylocs at any time? My advice would be to replace them with NEW nylocs and use threadlock as a backup :thumb: Just enhances the MOT every year thing even though some DVLA regions put a new build through as after 3 years

[mylesdw]

That's an odd one; I've never seen a nyloc do that. Are they sub-standard in some way? It's hard to see how a nyloc nut/bolt combination can come that loose.

[chedz]

I did something a bit daft while fitting these nuts that I noticed at the time and could be your problem.

The bolts I bought for the ball joints were a bit too long so I had to cut them down. I then fitted the nuts without grinding a bevel on the end of the bolts. This meant the tiny burs on the end of the bolt cut a tiny sliver of the nyloc plastic out as i did them up. I only noticed as one of them was left hanging like a little blue spiral. I suspect removing some of the plastic in this way would cause them to work loose over time.....

Could also be that they're too hot next to the manifolds and the plastic has melted a little or become hard???

Hope this helps
Graham

[farmer_bean]

Hi there

I think I undid the nylocs on the ball joints some time in the past when I adjusted the camber setting of the front wheels.

Will get some new nuts (for all bolts in the suspension system) and apply loctight as well.

Ta for the replies.
Rob

[mylesdw]

When you mentioned ball-joints I assumed you meant the upper balljoint but now that you mention it being near the exhaust I guess we are talking about balljoints at the inner end of the upper wishbone? Like a rose-joint? Is it possible that you have the assembly wrong and it is binding allowing the suspension movement to loosen the nuts?

[Clive]

Originally Posted by farmer_bean

As I only taxed my Sumo for 6 months following the SVA this May I ended up having to go for an MOT this week in order to retax it.

Glad I did take it in far an MOT as the tester found that the nyloc nuts on the upper wishbone ball joints had undone past the nylon part and were only held on by a turn and a half.

6 months and 1000 miles ago when I took it for the SVA the regulatory 2+ threads were showing out the bottom of the nyloc so I am concerned as to why they have come undone and worried that it might happen again resulting in accident or worse.

Any hints on stopping this happening again?

regards
Rob

Hi Rob,
What worries me is that if the nuts were torqued up to the correct setting they shouldn't have worked loose even though the nylon insert was damaged. Make sure that they are tightened up fully when you replace them.:thumb:

[steamyrotter]

How about using a different arrangement?
eg Split pins or lock wire?