STA bolts

[spc751]

Will blue loctite work on my STA bolts to keep the wing nuts from loosening so often?

 

[M-Cameron]

it may, but loctite degrades in water....its hard to say how long itll hold.

a better option would be to get a Nyloc nut, instead of loctite, it uses a little ring of plastic to hold the nut in place.

you can get them from any hardware store, or from McMaster-Carr.com

 

[grf88]

Spring (split) washers work well.

 

[CuriousRambler]

Spring (split) washers work well.

This is my solution. If you have an aluminum backplate, use a flat washer, then place the split washer on top of it, or you'll gouge the backplate over time. Not really an issue with a stainless backplate, but I still use flat washers just so it's all the same.

 

[lexvil]

I believe you can go to a well equipped hardware store and find stainless wing nuts with nylock.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I've never seen a wingnut with the nylon, but that would be nifty.
If you never disassemble the rig, then the lock nut with a washer will work great. I did used to have the wingnut, split washer, then flat washer, but that's a lot of little parts and over time I lost the split washers.

I really love the larger, milled Delrin nuts. Deep Sea Supply started that trend as far as I know, but they are out of business. Dive Rite sells some now, and I'm sure many other companies as well. They are easy to spin on tight, don't seem to loosen up too easily, and let you get them off easily too. And, no washer required.

I still keep a few wingnuts around in my save a dive kit for emergencies, for the day when I lose one of the Delrin ones....I'm sure it will happen eventually.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I use delrin thumb wheels similar to the ones below. They lock down tight and don't loosen. I've never used wing nuts. Not on doubles nor my STAs.

Same with @JahJahwarrior I started with the DSS thumb wheels. I still have several sets I use all the time. I have used these from DGX also and they work just as well.

DGX 5/16-18 Delrin Thumbwheel Nuts, Set of Two | Dive Gear Express®

 

[dmaziuk]

it may, but loctite degrades in water....its hard to say how long itll hold.

a better option would be to get a Nyloc nut, instead of loctite, it uses a little ring of plastic to hold the nut in place.

View attachment 600841

you can get them from any hardware store, or from McMaster-Carr.com

I used hardware store nylocs once, I got rust stains all over my shiny FP, so... never again. And yes, they were from "stainless steel" box. Though not "marine grade".

McMaster-Carr has 316 nylocs and even titanium ones. Maybe some day I'll save up enough to buy from them.

 

[dmaziuk]

I've never seen a wingnut with the nylon, but that would be nifty.

Try McMaster-Carr.

 

[grf88]

Try McMaster-Carr.

I could only find zinc plated ones there.