Split Ring Lock Washers - Spring Locking Action | Fasteners 101

Loose bolts can lead to all kinds of problems in any application. Vibrations are one of the most well-known causes of loose fasteners. So fasteners were made to counter the effects of vibration and few are more well-used than split ring lock washers.

While not the best locking washer, split ring washers have found use in a wide array of applications, offering moderate vibration resistant and easy installation. Learn how they are used and how they work in this video.

You can shop our wide selection of split ring lock washers here:

[faealindell]

Just received an item in the mail from that I had to put together. No instructions. This was a GREAT tutorial on how to use the flat and locking washing to put together the items I purchased. Thank you!

[WayneTheSailor]

Thank you for producing this video. I am a senior citizen and have bee working with nuts, bolts and washer since I was very young. However, people are never too old to add to their knowledge data base or at least refresh it. I will watch more of your informational videos.

[rosykatzCATS]

Thanks, my maintenance guy wouldn't even answr these questions let alone help a 73 year old disabled woman. I saved your video.

[elizabeththomas]

This is so helpful! I bought a coffee table and the instructions are confusing. The label says to use the flat washer next to the bolt head and then the flat washer but the picture looks the opposite. Your video makes sense. So will go by label and not picture 👍

[austin]

Thanks for the explanation, I use lock washers because I was told to but never understood why or how they worked, and now I have a better understanding.

[nortextv]

I have a bed frame with the same screw size i wanna know two things one is it ok to leave the spring ring out and just use the flat washer would it still have the same effect and two which one is more better the high or the regular flat washer cause I don't want the screws to be loose.

[mi]

plz also demonstrate some uses specially my bicycle side kickstand keeps getting loose .. so plz demonstrate the best combination i.e. exactly/ideally where the kickstand metal should get sandwiched between which of these and how is there a multiple combination for better avoidance against loosening with kicking stand and vibrations... plain-washer(s), lock-washer(s), bolt, nut(s), checknut(s), flange-nut(s)... anxiously looking forward.. thank you!

[giovannicalicchio]

What’s a good lock washer for motorcycle battery terminal. To keep from vibrating loose? (Lithium) battery if that matters.. Thank you 🙏

[DavidTerryTAEC]

Does the standard washer not defeat the purpose of the lock washer? Now the nut and the standard washer are held together with the locking nut, but the whole nut-lockWasher-regWasher system can rotate. I guess the larger bearing/friction area of the regular washer will help to prevent the whole system from rotating, but still.

We spec out lock washers on telecommunication tower projects, as they move a lot in the wind. The lock washer must be installed between the bare metal and the nut to function.

[nortextv]

Do you put the lock washer first then the flat washer next

[Vipre]

When a split lock washer is compressed, the washer is just flat, no better than a regular flat washer, at best. At worst, the split washer can spread apart under heavy application of torque and it just kinda smears and permanently deforms. When that happens, now you've got uneven distribution of force between the screw and clamped surfaces. This is a failed joint that you probably won't want to rely on for anything important.

When a split lock washer is fully compressed, the edges of the split are not angled in such a way that they can gain any purchase on the mating materials in order to bite in and provide much of any useful or measurable locking action whatsoever. They just slide along the surfaces of the mating materials, unable to grab anything that will prevent the screw from rotating. Further, the compressive spring force is too low to do much good in adding to or helping to maintain clamp load under the head of the fastener if it stretches or starts to back out. The force they provide is just miniscule compared to the nominal clamp load applied under a properly torqued screw. A conical or Belleville washer will be a better option if you're looking for a washer to help maintain consistent clamp loads, for example due to expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. Belleville washers will provide a better spring rate than a split lock washer, but even those are limited in their usefulness and they often will lose some or all of their conical shape permanently after being fully compressed in a bolted joint and don't fully spring back. When that happens, you're basically working with a flat washer again. By the time a fastener backs out or stretches enough that the angle on the "teeth" on a split lock washer could hope to bite in, there is is simply not enough clamping force left in the joint to make it bite in. The joint has already failed at that point and no washer can help you.

If you truly want a good locking washer, an external tooth lockwasher will be your best best for commonly available hardware. These will actually bite into the material, provided the clamped materials are softer materials than the washer and you're using something less than a Grade 5 screw. A much more expensive and harder to find option is to use a Nordlock washer, which is a two piece washer stack with different serrations on each side. Nordlocks work very well, but they take up a fair amount of space relative to the size of the screw.

[surajseepersad]

I am just 16, and sometimes I see questions such as, draw modifications to support the drawing, I just wanted to know what those washers and split pins do.

[yojamey]

Recent findings suggest that spring lock washers do more harm than good to prevent loosening.

[TheOnlytonid]

Does the split ring go on the same side as the nut or the flat washer?

[adamwest]

Shoulda covered all those washers. I did learn about those high collar washers though. Thanks

[ennelle]

dont you put the washer on first in the first example?

[jbamerican_usnavy]

some sites say you have to put the lock washer first...

[amanda]

Would u be able to unscrew bolt if need when using spring washer?

[karinnaa]

How can you remove that lock washer? ANSWER

[larrycole]

I'm confused... You didn't explain where the lock washer goes. Against the nut? Or against the flat washer?