All About Lock Nut Bearings
When an assembly features bearings, nuts, and bolts, it is important that such components never become loose due to the forces of vibration or other factors. With a type of nut known as a lock nut bearing, bearing locknut, or locknut, assemblies are provided vibration resistance and may have their bearings and other components located onto an adapter or shaft. As components that are found in countless assemblies and applications ranging from the securing of aircraft bearings to the pulleys of industrial machines, understanding how the lock nut bearing functions is crucial for anyone operating such machinery.
Lock nut bearing components can often come in a variety of types, and they are often categorized by their characteristics, applications, and general design. For their common types, such components can come in the form of jam nuts, speed nuts, plate nuts, nylon nuts, and other such variations. Beyond securing components to an adapter or shaft, lock nut bearings may also be used to mount bearings onto seats with simple mounting and dismounting. As self-loosening is a common issue faced by lock nut bearing and bolt assemblies, it is important that there is a safeguard to prevent such occurrences. Despite numerous solutions existing for preventing self-loosening, one of the most simplistic and cheapest methods is to simply use two lock nut bearings.
While the locking of components can sometimes be achieved with the use of two conventional nut components, the space of an application may restrict an assembly to one nut. In such cases, the lock nut bearing is most efficient. In other situations, there may be a need for specialized solutions to accommodate specific applications, and the variety of types available will ensure that any need is met. Across all lock nut bearing types, the nylon lock nut bearing is the most common, and they feature a nylon ring that is inserted into the nut. As the ring is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bolt, it will secure itself with the threading of the bolt to maintain the assembly through friction. While other types will vary in the components that they use for securing a bolt, the methodology is often the same as many variations will utilize the friction between nuts and bolts in order to prevent any loosening from vibration. As some examples of types, lock nut bearings may utilize distorted nuts, tapered openings, serrated face nuts, and other such designs.
While a lock nut bearing may seem different than a standard nut, they are fairly identical in shape and design and thus can be tightened as any other nut would be. Nevertheless, it is still important to procure the correct tools for their installation, and various wrenches may be sufficient. When using a lock nut bearing for more rigorous applications such as when they are paired with
aircraft bearings, one should ensure that the tool used will provide proper torque for optimal installation. Regardless of application, one should always be careful not to tighten lock nut bearings too much as it may damage the component.
