Staying on Track with Wedge-Locking Washers
Loosening of nuts and bolts is a problem that unites professionals and hobbyists in a quest for the ultimate, secure bolted joint. For spare-time drag racer Sam Retke, wedge-locking washers are the answer.
Wherever you find bolted joints, chances are you will also find loosening and slackening nuts and bolts. And no matter if you are designing for massive infrastructure construction projects or getting absorbed in your own spare-time pet project, you have a common goal: to secure the bolted joints as effectively as possible.
Sam Retke is an excellent example. In his free time, you will most likely find him in his garage back home in Las Vegas, working on his VW drag racer. A sales representative by profession, he has been racing since 2016 but got the car racing bug already as a boy.
“I used to watch track racing on TV,” he says. “My uncle Brian was a VW guy when I grew up, so that’s why I got into VW racing. But I’m self-taught, learned from reading articles and watching YouTube videos.”
Extreme vibrations a challenge
Retke competes in quarter mile drag racing (approx. 400 meters), where often spectacularly rebuilt and painted VW models race each other. His current car, a 1984 VW Rabbit, hasn’t made it down the track yet, but the initial goal is 10.5 seconds.
This kind of speed is very hard on race cars, especially as they are incredibly stiff and shake a lot. As a result, the extreme vibrations can easily make nuts and bolts come loose. For example, if critical components such as transmission mounts fail, or a bolt backs out, it can change the geometry of the engine or transmission, which leads to breaking.
“I have definitely ‘ovaled’ out some holes due to bolts coming loose,” Retke says. “I did have an issue with a few bolts coming loose for accessories bolted to the engine, such as belt pulley tensioner and water temp housing.”
Found a reliable go-to solution
Retke had tried threadlocker to solve the problem, but even that didn’t fix it permanently. Then he learned about a more durable solution from a drag racing friend who had used Nord-Lock wedge-locking washers on his 1992 VW GTI with great success.
“I found a hardware store near me that stocks these washers, and I now have nearly one hundred in different sizes in my shop,” Retke says.
I use them on basically every location that will accept them. I use them on critical components, such as the transmission mounts. They are incredibly well-suited for any suspension components due to the vibrations.”
The only areas where he doesn’t use the wedge-locking washers are “components that require a special torque procedure, such as 149 ft/lbs [202 joules], back off 180°, tighten to 50 ft/lbs [68 joules] and then turn 60°. The one I’m currently using outside of the official heat rating is my turbo connection to the exhaust manifold. I’m not aware of any problems, but I often check as the heat rating is up to 800°F [427°C] higher than the official rating.”
A tight-knit community
Having VW car racing as a hobby brings much camaraderie and joy. “The VW racing community is pretty close,” Retke says. “We go to car shows together and help each other out, for example, with parts.”
He says that the preparing might be the most fun part: “Having your buddy over, drinking a few beers, ensuring everything’s working, and then the lead-up to the events.”
The hobby also helped him get through the COVID-19 lockdown with sanity intact. “I had nowhere to be and a lot more free time. So, I’d go out in the garage and work on the car for eight hours a day sometimes. It was perfect to have something to get super-deep into.”
A never-ending search for perfection
With things yet again relatively normal, Retke looks forward to more racing. And there is always something else to do on the car, or cars, that he is working on. “When I have a hobby,” he says, “I go all in, and I’m never satisfied. So I always go to a shop to get more things done, as far as the cage and more safety stuff, futureproofing the car to go faster in the future.”
And your wife doesn’t mind? “No,” Retke laughs, “she always says she can’t be mad when I’m working in the garage. At least I’m home.”