Rocker block stud nuts

[Mongrel505558]

Does anyone use regular 5/16-24 nuts on the rocker saddle block studs? Am I doomed to have to buy a locking nut and stud kit every time I take a rocker bearing off?

[Excalibur]

I vote regular nuts with Loctite blue.

[Mongrel505558]

I vote regular nuts with Loctite blue.

I think after the first heat cycle the loctite blue would be cooked. I was thinking regular 5/16-24 nuts (like kicker cover stud nuts) and star lock washers.

[Larry]

Nylocs are good to 250 F

[RooDog]

Jim....
What seems to be the issue?
Are your nuts one-use only?
Here's a source, but they may be too tall....
https://wbpartsexpress.com/ms21045l5

And I like these on eBay...., but the seller is smoking crack @ $12 per each....
https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-5-16-24-AIR ... 2267820466

And finally, Fastenal has them listed in low profile, just what a Harley needs.....
https://www.fastenal.com/product/fasten ... lyId=26219

Good Hunting.....RooDog....

[kitabel]

The temperature is an interesting question.
The head castings may reach over 300 F, but the blocks are somewhat cooled by the oil flow.
Has anyone experience with a conventional nut backing off?
Ever seen safety wire used?

[RooDog]

The temperature is an interesting question.
The head castings may reach over 300 F, but the blocks are somewhat cooled by the oil flow.
Has anyone experience with a conventional nut backing off?
Ever seen safety wire used?

I had some nuts back off back in 1968. Fortunately, I had a set of Custom Cycle Engineering's cast aluminum valve covers in place, so no damage was done. Since that one occurrence, I have never had this problem, and I have always reused the torque reacting lock nuts that were in place whenever I disassembled a set of rockers. I always reinstall them with a torque wrench to 27 ft/lb....
I also like to use thin AN flat washers under the nuts....
....RooDog....

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[Excalibur]

Nice discussion.

Loctite 242 blue is rated to 300°F (149°C).

Must point my temperature gun at the tins, head casting, etc and see what it reads... It will be interesting.

[Panacea]

I wonder if oil would lessen the locktite's grip? I've always re-used the lock nuts I took off...

[nmaineron]

Oil will definitely have an effect on the locktite. You really want as clean a surface as you can get. You can use brake clean or carb cleaner or anything that will cut the oil and use compressed air to blow them out. Lock tite has an accelerant that will help the clean and speed up the cure.

[Excalibur]

Used my temperature gun a number of times on the top end over last few weeks. It's mid summer here.
Highest recorded head casting temperature exceeded 180°C/ 356°F. This was at the exhaust port end of the head.
The tins were consistently quite a lot cooler, around 70°C/ 158°F.
I think Loctite Blue would be OK, but in any case some Loctite threadlockers have temperature resistance up to 650°F.
Example: Loctite 271 Red resists to 260°C / 500°F

Up to $83USD for me to land a set of locknuts from Ebay No thanks.

Hope this helps.

[Mongrel505558]

Used my temperature gun a number of times on the top end over last few weeks. It's mid summer here.
Highest recorded head casting temperature exceeded 180°C/ 356°F. This was at the exhaust port end of the head.
The tins were consistently quite a lot cooler, around 70°C/ 158°F.
I think Loctite Blue would be OK, but in any case some Loctite threadlockers have temperature resistance up to 650°F.
Example: Loctite 271 Red resists to 260°C / 500°F

Up to $83USD for me to land a set of locknuts from Ebay No thanks.

Hope this helps.

Well, I ended up using some spare 5/16-24 kicker cover nuts I had around for this application. I did use blue Loktite, even though I don't know how effective it will be. Cleaned everything up with alcohol. Torqued them evenly and I'm hoping this is good enough. With the studs just about contacting the pan, the nuts are not going to fall off anywhere, and since there's no torque load on them there is no reason for them to loosen other than vibration.