Application guide for Push-On Nuts (Starlock Retainers) to Trade series (push-on retaining washer). The core duty of the type is retaining a component on a plain unthreaded shaft, permanently and without machining a groove. The typical industries, the how-to-specify checklist, assembly practice and the exclusion cases are set out below. Stocked across roughly 3 mm to 10 mm, they cover general to heavy-duty work.
Typical Applications for Push-On Nuts (Starlock Retainers)
The most common settings where these are specified:
- Fabrication & metalwork: bench and on-site assembly of steel frames, enclosures and weldments.
- Bolted joints: the clamping counter-face on studs and bolts across every assembly type.
- Vibration-prone equipment: where a locking or flanged style resists loosening.
- Frames & weldments: captive or welded options for repeatable assembly.
- General machine building: fastening covers, brackets, motors and sub-assemblies on production equipment.
How to Specify Push-On Nuts (Starlock Retainers) for Your Application
- Size: Select on nominal diameter, then on the hole tolerance and fit class — the fit, not the diameter alone, determines whether the part locates or slips. This product spans 3 mm–10 mm; check the full table below for the exact dimensions of each size.
- Locking & grade: Match the strength grade to the bolt, and choose a locking style (nyloc, all-metal, serrated flange) if the joint sees vibration.
- Environment: For damp, coastal or chemical exposure prefer A4/316 stainless or a suitable coating; indoors, plated steel or A2 is usually sufficient.
- Standard: This product is supplied to Trade series (push-on retaining washer). Quoting the standard on your order guarantees interchangeable dimensions between suppliers.
Installation & Assembly Practice
- Run the nut down by hand before applying the wrench to catch cross-threading early.
- Tighten the nut rather than the bolt head where access allows — the torque-to-preload relation is more consistent.
- For locking styles, note that nyloc inserts are single-use in critical joints and lose grip above roughly 120 °C.
Common Selection Mistakes with Push-On Nuts (Starlock Retainers)
- Pairing a high-class bolt with a lower-class nut — the nut strips before the bolt reaches proof load; the nut class must meet or exceed the bolt class.
- Using a plain nut with a spring washer in severe vibration instead of a prevailing-torque locking nut.
- Re-using nyloc nuts in critical joints.
Where Push-On Nuts (Starlock Retainers) Are Not the Right Choice
Not on their own — they need a matching bolt or stud — and a plain nut is not a substitute for a locking type under heavy vibration.
