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Are used big end castle nuts that are in good condition better than basic nuts for securing head studs?
The nut is wider but not sure how the castle bit affects strength.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 926 Threads: 22
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Location: Near Cambridge, UK
Car type: 1928 tourer (mag type), short chassis Gould Ulster
I have never had a problem with standard nuts for a head, but I can't see a problem if you want to use old bigend nuts. The problems are normally with bigend bolts which have been overtightend to get the split pin into the next castellation, stretching the bolt.
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I have been using big end nuts on my head for years. I just bin bad ones.
They are generally much better quality than normal 5/16 BSF nuts. I also have loads of them to use.
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in which case I'll start using my thin head nuts for the temporary tightening of getting the crankshaft journals right, and swap the big end nuts up to the head!
Interesting that on checking some big end bolts, I've been spinning then in a pillar drill (lightly clamping the thread in the jaws) to clean up the shafts as some were a bit sticky when inserting. This showed quite clearly that it is because some seem to bend through tightening - so have been discarded.
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Are you re-using big end bolts John? Something I would never consideer. Other opinions may differ...
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read a bit closer, Hugh - its for a different purpose. As some have intimated, it's the bolts which get affected, and head use on studs "which could do with changing" sometimes could do with more thread length...
I'm using Phillidas locknuts on the big ends.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,193 Threads: 71
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Ah, sorry, I mis-intepreted your post...