Why do some nuts and bolts have washers?
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Answers:
None of your other answerer's mention spring washers. They are generally used between metal to metal joints to maintain tension when there is vibration is involved and are easier than double nutting (a second nut on the same thread)
To create a tighter seal.
Washers are used to protect surfaces around the holes from nuts and bolts cracking them and/or gouging into them. The combination of the three form a sort of circular vise.
Serrated or Locking washers do the same thing, but these types also keep nuts and bolts from loosening.
If the hole is too big, don't use washers to accomidate the difference. Get the right size nuts and bolts. They're generally very inexpensive at your local hardware store.
The purpose of the washer is to inhibit the nut from getting loose.
The washer acts as a locking mechanism stopping the nut from coming loose!
Many times the material is thin. The Bolt head and is not usually much bigger then the bolt shank. If the bolt is over tightened it could pull right through. The washer is to stop this from happening on the head side. On the nut side it could also be tightened to to the point that the nut chews its way right through the hole. On thicker material the nut could get bonded to the material and damage it or even warp it.
As said before they are there to prevent the nut or head of the bolt from chewing up the surface of the material, for preventing the nut or head from being pulled through the material , to lock in place nuts to prevent loosing and sometime when rubberized to prevent leaks either into or out of a container. There is occasion when a special washer is used to help prevent oxidation (rust/corrosion) of the metal. When you have time check out the Galvanic series charts of metals.
http://www.corrosionsource.com/handbook/...
The higher on the chart the more active (corrosion prone) the metals are.
Washers increase the surface area of the contact surface.
to stop the nuts working loose
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