girdle nuts

[akadeutsch]

I am seeing an issue with my girdle nuts. If you look close at these nuts you can plainly see that there is a crimp at the top of the tread making them lock nuts. However, after adding the hardened washers as spacers for con rod to girdle clearance my girdle nuts no longer engage the crimped part of the thread on the nut. So now my question is. Are my girdle nuts going to vibrate loose now that they are not on all the way?

[SilverXJ]

Probably not. I've never heard of that happening. Torque them to 35 ft/lbs. Use locktite if you are concerned. I do.

[spudgunster]

I noticed and fretted over this, ended up doing as silver XJ said, put red loctite on them and torqued them to 35, plus an extra 1/8 turn or so (I think I'm experienced enough to feel the bolt yield about to start, stopped just shy of that, that's how I tighten all bolts that I don't know the torque specification) I think the girdle does more than most forum members think it does for longevity (as opposed to ultimate strength). Factory would never spend the extra money and time on a hardened steel plate and a whole new custom bolt production to go with if it didn't significantly reduce failure rates. ARP needs to get on the ball and make those stud-head bolts, and with longer 3/8" threaded section for the stroker community, obviously there's at least some market for it, they could charge 20% more for them and I'd buy it. Someone ought to make aftermarket girdles too. That'd be neat.

[Cheromaniac]

A bedplate that ties together all of the main bearing caps would be even better.