Unless specifically designed for the purpose such as a Grade C prevailing
Torque locknut, nuts should never be reused in a critcal application. Most
of the preload is taken on the first three threads and they will always
deform when properly torqued. Given the same torque, used nuts will not
provide the same or consistant tension. High end fastner suppliers can demo
this with a bolt tension gauge. When repalcing, you also need to get the
proper grade or property class fastners and the bolts, nuts, washers, need
to be match or at least suitable. For anything that maters you want at least
P.C. 10.9 including heat treated washers. Grade C locknuts are lubricated
and while difficult to run down a bolt, reqiure less final torque to achive
the final clamping load as a standard dry nut.

Dennis

>From: Allan Streib <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>
>Reply-To: Allan Streib <streib@CS.INDIANA.EDU>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: nuts in steering linkage and rack
>Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:03:15 -0500
>
>The illustration in the Bentley manual specifically indicates the
>nuts, not the bolts, with the "always replace" admonishment.
>
>I looked again and noticed an astersik with a footnote, and it says
>"self locking nuts".  I wonder if these are just nuts pre-treated with
>thread locker.  I looked at the ones I removed and they do not seem to
>have any "deforming" features that would preclude re-use, in fact they
>look completely ordinary.
>
>Allan
>
>Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> writes:
>
> > I don't know about your VW  stealership but mine would have a hard time
> > finding those bolts in the parts pictures and ordering them.  NLA
>wouldn't
> > surprise me even.  I don't think they are stretch type, but I'm not
>certain.
> >
> >   Liability and safety would be the obvious concerns.
> > 'modern' ?? you're calling a 1980 to 1991 Vanagon 'modern' ??