![]() Automotive Technology instructor Dave Sarna points out that very early castle nuts had only three widely-spaced turrets. Thread the castle nut in until the drilled hole shows up in two opposite “windows” or “turrets” in the castle nut. ![]() That’s the point where you want to lock the nut in position. The bolt that a castle nut threads onto has a hole drilled though it at a specific point. Let’s look first at the castle nut application. They are also used to hold clevis pins in place on various linkages, such as a carburetor or gearshift linkage. Here a side ghost view from a factory shop manual showing the cotter pin installed with the head vertical to the turret window in the castle nut (but horizontal to the ground).Ĭotter pins are found more frequently on older cars than they are on modern vehicles, but you will still see them used today on wheel spindles, suspension parts, ball joints and steering links, usually to keep castle nuts (nuts with a “castle turret” side) locked in place. ![]() Prongs have been straightened for removal. The cotter pin is installed with the short prong in and the head of the cotter pin vertical. The cotter pin goes through one turret window, through the hole and through the opposite turret window. The threaded stud on the ball joint has a hole drilled through it at the proper position. The standard-type cotter pin has been used on cars for a long time.Ī factory shop manual suggests installation with short prong down and head vertical. This design pushes the shorter prong forward, spreading the pin to hold it in place. Hammer lock cotter pins are installed by hitting the head with a hammer to secure the pin. Other styles of cotter pins are the mitered end type, the bevel end type and the hammer lock type. Standard cotter pins have equal length prongs. The most common cotter pin is the extended prong square-cut type. In some cases, the extended prong is curved or beveled and overlaps the shorter prong, making the cotter pin easier to install. They have one side longer than the other so it’s easier to separate the prongs. The cotter pins in the Harbor Freight kit are known as extended prong cotter pins. ![]() So other materials such as stainless steel are used to make stronger cotter pins when it is necessary to have a fastener that can resist strong metal shearing forces. This makes them easier to install and remove, but it can reduce resistance to shearing. Most cotter pins are made of soft metal such as mild steel, brass, bronze or aluminum. There are also eight metric sizes, each with a specific hole size and bolt size application. Some of these are suited for particular size bolts. According to Wikipedia, American cotter pins come in 18 different sizes, each with a specific hole size. At your local Harbor Freight store you can buy a kit with 555 cotter pins in six popular sizes for about $8. When the prongs emerge on the other side of the hole you bend them back.Ĭotter pins are simple and cheap. ![]() The slightly curved area below the head is the “neck.” To use a cotter pin, you squeeze the two prongs together so both can pass through the locking hole. This is actually called the “head” and prevents the cotter pin from passing completely through the locking hole drilled in other hardware or parts. At the top is a loop that resembles the “eye” of a sewing needle. That’s why some restorers call them “cotter keys.”Ĭotter pins are made from wire bent over bobby pin style to form two prongs. In addition, while a bobby pin is typically used to clip fabric or hair together, a cotter pin is generally used to lock hardware or parts in a fixed position. Febru| By John Gunnell They’re Among the Cheapest Components on Your Car or Truck, But Don’t Underestimate Their Importance to Your Vehicle’s Safety and Dependability.Īmericans call them “cotter pins” and British car enthusiasts call them “split pins.” They resemble the bobby pins that were in your mom’s sewing box, except that they do not have a “bumpy” prong like a bobby pin. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |