PSA - Nord-Lock your drive shaft (CV) bolts

[Brian]

pft, I rather have overkill than be stuck. but a simple system is the best system, especially offroad man.
_________________
Wash your hands

'69 Bug
'68 Baja Truck
'71 Bug
'68 Camper

Only losers litter

[Gumboguy]

Yep, I have a 74 Westy with a soobie turbo. my engine went into a misfire and started bucking. next thing I knew, I hear a clunk and the bus slowly crept to the side of the road while the motor revved.

I looked under and saw the transaxle hanging down below the tranny. All six bolts had sheared off of the flange of the tranny.

Im going to find some higher test bolts, if they exist.

[Wildthings]

Don't know that any higher test bolts exist. What you want to do is tighten then as tight as you can get them without damaging them. This will cause the torque load to be handled by friction between the two mating surfaces verses shear in the bolts.

The Vanagon spec is 33 ft*lbs for the identical hardware and is what I have run for decades with not a hint of failure.

[raygreenwood]

[lil-jinx]

Using lock tight may cause torque problems,if you don't work quickly,the lock tight sets up before you do the final torque,causing a false reading.When installing cv joints you should tighten the bolts in a cross pattern,just like wheel nuts.Because of the hard access and the turning of the axle to get at the bolts,I would bet that most people just torque the bolts as they see them and the lock tight would have already set before they get the last couple tighten down.
If you don't use a cross pattern you won't get a proper clamping force on all the bolts.
_________________
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620186
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=668799
1974 Bay Westfalia. she likes to be called Ethel.
1968 Dune Buggy
1974 parts bus
A smart man learns from his mistakes,a very smart man learns from other's mistakes.

[wcfvw69]

Good advice^^

I've never been super picky when reinstalling a CV joint or drive shaft. I know there was grease on the bolts or in the threaded portion. I just make sure I tighten them in a crossing pattern with a good torque wrench. One I have them all back on and tightened down, I'll go back and double check all the torques a final time.

I've rechecked them 500 miles later and never had any bolts loosen up as long as I used the correct washers.
_________________
Contact me at [email protected]
Follow me on instagram @sparxwerksllc

Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.

**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored German Pierburg fuel pumps for sale or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche fuel pumps or I can restore yours**
**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours**

[Abscate]

Fastener torque involves components of face friction, thread friction, and shear force depending on application. There isn't one 'right answer' for all applications as to which combination is appropriate.
_________________
.ssS!

[Tcash]

[BUSBOSS]

Is this the right product?

https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/0162564?term=nord+lock+5%2F16
_________________
All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood
1976 Westfalia
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (sold - but not forgotten)

[Tcash]

To link to this post

[BUSBOSS]

Interesting. Are they reuseable like the standard NL ones?
_________________
All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood
1976 Westfalia
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (sold - but not forgotten)

[Busstom]

Yes, those are them, and yes, they can be reused. And despite some past comments that they may not work with fasteners as hard as ours, I'm telling you from work experience using them with metric class 12.9 /alloy screws...they WORK. As Ray stated earlier, 12.9 is much harder than grade 8...our SAE rough equivalent is termed "alloy" and ranges from about 160k to 190k psi tensile strength, depending on what you're after. Anyway, like I said, theories that Nords won't properly "bite" these hard fasteners and work as designed is purely mis-speculation, if that's even a real term.

[BUSBOSS]

Thanks! I will check availability at my local Fastenal on Monday.
_________________
All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood
1976 Westfalia
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (sold - but not forgotten)

[BUSBOSS]

Here is my promised update:

The NX series were not available at Fastenal online or brick/mortar. As a result, I went with the NL series. They are being discontinued so get them now if you want them. Alternatively, you can wait and see if they eventually stock the NX.

I have attached some pics in case they can help anyone looking to purchase them. They were only $11.00 for the package of 25 pairs.

_________________
All the redemption I can offer, girl, is beneath this dirty hood
1976 Westfalia
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (sold - but not forgotten)

[Busstom]

[BUSBOSS]

[OB Bus]

[awreed]

So to summarize this topic:

-Don't use cheap bolts
-Don't use used bolts
-Use the torque spreaders
-Use proper torque
-Don't get grease on the bolts or threads
-Check torque after 100 miles

Or the overkill route:

-Torque spreaders
-Safety wire
-Thread locker
-Spring washers
-Tab lock washers
-Fancy nord lock washers
-Doweled flanges
-Finish off by arc welding everything together.

[OB Bus]

^^^
_________________
Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.

[Hoody]

I love when people try to re-invent the wheel on this site! Just buy the genuine VW bolts and correct washers from BugHaus. He knows what he is talking about....period!