Conventional wheel nuts used on heavy vehicles loosen. This unfortunate and long-standing truth has resulted in wheels dislodging and causing accidents involving property damage, personal injuries and, in the worst case, fatalities. Productivity, delivery efficiency and operating costs are negatively affected.
The new Nord-Lock wheel nut eliminates unintentional loosening of wheel nuts, the main cause wheel loss. Based on proven wedge-locking technology, the Nord-Lock wheel nut is designed for both on- and off-road vehicles. It suits standard flat-faced steel rims, M22x1.5 studs and is easy to install. The Nord-Lock wheel nut is available this spring.
Wheel Detachment: A Widespread and Dangerous Problem
In the United States, the National Transportation Safety Board reports that wheel detachments occur at an estimated rate of 1,000 per year – almost three a day – resulting in about 20 accidents per week. In other countries, wheel loss occurs at comparable rates.
Even when the wheel does not become dislodged, loose wheel nuts can:
- Jeopardize delivery efficiency and vehicle productivity
- Increase fuel consumption and tire wear due to the effects of unbalanced wheels
- Increase costs of spare parts due to increased wear of the wheel assembly
- Increase operational costs from damage, repair, and possible fines or insurance claims
- Damage the image and safety record of the vehicle owner
The Simple and Cost Effective Way to Make Wheels Safe
The Nord-Lock wheel nut safely secures wheels by maintaining a high clamp force even under severe operating conditions. Each nut incorporates a pair of washers that have cam faces on one side, with a cam angle ‘α‘ greater than the thread pitch ‘β’. On the opposite side there are radial teeth. When the wheel nut is tightened, the teeth of the Nord-Lock washers grip and lock the mating surfaces, allowing movement only across the cam faces. Any rotation of the wheel nut is blocked by the wedge effect of the cams. Once tightened, the Nord-Lock wheel nut cannot loosen by itself.
Based on Proven Technology and Pemium Quality
The Nord-Lock wheel nut is based on the patented wedge-locking technology of Nord-Lock, which has been used in millions of bolted applications for over 25 years worldwide. The product is manufactured of high-quality steel and complies fully with EU directives 2000/53/EC for the End of Life Vehicles (ELV) and 2002/95/EC for the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS).
Proven in Tests
The product has been thoroughly tested in laboratories as well as under extreme and normal operating conditions. In all tests, the Nord-Lock wheel nut safely secured all wheel joints with no signs of rotation or loosening. Independent comparative testing was performed during 2009 in the laboratories of IMA, a leading material testing and research institute in Germany. In their series of tests, it achieved outstanding performance compared with conventional wheel nuts.
Testing of an on-road vehicle was performed on RDW’s Test Center track in The Netherlands. In extreme operating conditions tests, a 3-axle truck fitted with the Nord-Lock wheel nut was driven in both directions in on an oval track with concave, banked curves in order to exert the same stress on all wheel joints. The Nord-Lock wheel nut was not retightened after 60 miles of driving in order to simulate human error in combination with a worst-case driving scenario. Under normal operating conditions, the truck was used to perform transport services for 4350 miles on highways and urban roads. In both tests, the Nord-Lock wheel nut safely secured all joints and there was no detection of rotation or loosening.
About Nord-Lock
Nord-Lock bolt securing systems are designed to secure fasteners in extreme conditions. We have over 25 years of experience in collaborating with our customers to achieve effective bolt security. Our international team of sales engineers will help you optimize your bolted joints in order to minimize overall cost and maximize safety.
Our premium bolt securing systems give effective security throughout an assembly’s lifetime, resulting in:
- No bolt loosening caused by vibration and dynamic loads
- Minimized cost of maintenance, repair and overhaul
- Significantly reduced risk of lost production or operation due to bolt failure
