PINCHED NUTS QUESTION

[Dale Davies]

I have front strut rod nut that threads right on. Could I just give that nut a squeeze in the vice to distort it a bit at the trailing edge?

I would not do that. Best get the proper bolts as you don't want a steering component coming off. One way would be to center punch in three equal spaces around the "top" of the nut in similar manner to prevailing torque nuts.
There is a number of styles of these nuts. The type in the photos above in a few methods of accomplishing a deformity on the thread that resists free turning on the bolt. Another uses a slit cut perpendicular to the thread and then pushed down a bit to deform it. This is generally 1/16" to 3/32" from the top of the nut.
Then there is the nylon insert type, but generally regarded single use.
An aircraft supply may be a source as aircraft generally require positive retention on all fasteners retaining structural components. Drawback could be cost if for certified aircraft.
Wicks and Aircraft Spruce deal with the kit plane industry with non certified parts and some certified. In aircraft, nylock is generally frowned on. That leaves cotter pins through drilled bolts with castellated nuts, safety wire through a drilling through the apex of one corner of a bolt or nut on a stud or prevailing torque.
Just info and options.

 

[Dale Davies]

If its the nut in bottom pic of post #7 I think you could distort that thin neck on top of that nut just like factory did and be good to go, or just use a chisel to distort it a bit after torqued to spec.

RE: the chisel. Depends on how you do it as a chisel mark from the threads to the outside could set up a stress riser in the nut metal that could allow it to crack down the road. A center punch provides the desired result without inducing the stress.

 

[dadsbee]

Put it in a vice and use a punch to deform the outer ring a tad and repeat until you have some drag putting it on. OH and don't forget to put the split pin in the strut rod hole... ever wonder why it's there! LOL

If you want an aircraft nut... I have a few...

 

[dodgedude37]

You know there's therapy for that, don't ask how I know

 

[cudamark]

When it comes to the front nut on the strut rod, I've never seen or heard of one ever coming off. But, let's assume that's a possibility. By the time the nut would back off enough to get toward the end of the threads, you're going to notice something is definitely wrong long before the nut comes completely off. You're going to get a bad clunk like the bushings are totally gone and probably a loose wobbly suspension feel to it. Both the strut rod and nut are not hardened steel like the torsion bars. They're not going to fracture. They bend instead, so worrying about them cracking is needless.

 

[RedFish]

OK, Just saying, There are lots of ways to keep a nut from backing off. The OEM engineers looked at everything available and decided what was going to work, ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE. Plus what would work for 10 years.
That is not where we are. We are reworking and reusing OEM hardware. Today the quality of OEM hardware has went to crap, softer "torque to yield" hardware and we get OEM head bolts that we shouldn't reuse. That isn't what these classics were made of. as for the above posts.... I did consider a center punch versus a chisel. Chisel is one hit; center punch is two or three.
I have the machinist handbook. I've studied Interference threads because I had to create them at my job as machinist. I know about the problems Chrysler had with the 3 bolts mounting the steering box in early models and all they went through to solve it.
And I know a little bit about the aircraft thing. I'll stop right there. Good luck to all.