Run a tap through it.

O.K. You don’t have a tap … Make a very basic one by modifying a bolt.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 05/06/2021 21:12:55

Take the nylon insert out, if you ran a tap through it, it would reduce the friction to make it ineffective anyway, I assume it coming loose isn't an issue as you want the nylon insert to have no friction?

Use an ordinary nut, it's use for what was intended is pretty much destroyed anyway.

Robert Butler

By the time it's loose enough to turn easily with your fingers, surely all the benefits of the nylon insert have gone? Car manuals generally advise to replace these when taken off, I would assume their testing shows the nylon needs to be pretty tight to work properly.

How about using a plain nut with a low strength and slow acting/setting thread retainer such as Loctite; other thread locking fluids are available. This way you get the best of both worlds with a nut that can be tightened with minimum force and after 24hrs or so a nut that will be more secure than a bodged nyloc nut, probably better than a non bodged nut.

If this is a fit once installation and you don't plan to remove the nut then use a medium or high strength thread retainer. Horses for courses as they say .

Hope this helps.

Martin W

Stick it in the lathe and bore the nylon out slightly this will still leave some thread but the amount of contact area will be reduced and therefore friction. You can take a bit off and try it then take a bit more if needed.

+1 for run it up and down a bolt it will soon loose its grip. That is why repeated use of nylocs should be avoided.

I have used blunt taps and also a length of studding, an electric drill with reverse, a ring spanner, and bingo, the nut is not quite as stiff.

Would a plain nut and spring washer not be a simpler and more elegant solution?