Anyone know what this part is called outside the DeLorean world?

[jawn101]

http://store.delorean.com/p-6660-aeronut-m6.aspx

I need to get some of these locally today, but googling 'Aeronut' only turns up a bunch of articles on hot air ballooning (and the DMCH part)

Does this sort of fastener have a different trade name? Is it completely unique or is it something I might find at Ace?

[David T]

These nuts are common in aircraft. You won't find them in your local hardware store. They have a piece of plastic crimped into the end so they won't come loose. Search for AN hardware. Many places will only sell a large minimum quantity of each size. Places like DMCH will sell you one at a time but it is still cheaper than buying more than you need.
David Teitelbaum




http://store.delorean.com/p-6660-aeronut-m6.aspx

I need to get some of these locally today, but googling 'Aeronut' only turns up a bunch of articles on hot air ballooning (and the DMCH part)

Does this sort of fastener have a different trade name? Is it completely unique or is it something I might find at Ace?

[jawn101]

They don't seem to have plastic inserts (I took some out of my door and somehow lost a couple last night) but the unique feature they *do* have is that slit in the top that allows you to jam it on the end of a screwdriver to get it started. Virtually impossible to get the thing positioned without that.

I may just have to get some M6 nyloc nuts and get creative when it comes to getting them into position. Guess we'll see what the store's got for me.

[Dangermouse]

Well f$*# me !!!

The amount of time I (and several others) spent during the last tech session trying to get those on the door handle studs, and dropping them down inside the door. We marveled at the special design of these nuts but not one of us thought about using a screwdriver.

I would feel a real dumbass if it wasn't for all the other guys doing the same thing.

Thank you a thousand times for showing us the forest as I have to do it all again next month.

:)

[jawn101]

Well f$*# me !!!

The amount of time I (and several others) spent during the last tech session trying to get those on the door handle studs, and dropping them down inside the door. We marveled at the special design of these nuts but not one of us thought about using a screwdriver.

I would feel a real dumbass if it wasn't for all the other guys doing the same thing.

Thank you a thousand times for showing us the forest as I have to do it all again next month.

:)

LOL! I discovered that feature PURELY by accident, sitting on the floor of the driver's side ready to roll the car into the street for the Tuesday trash pickup. I was trying anything I could to jam the nut on the handle stud - using a 1mm smaller hex driver hoping to capture the smaller section at the top, using tape, magnets, everything. I was idly sitting there staring at it contemplating my next move and absentmindedly stabbed the thing with a long blade driver. It stuck, and only went down 1 or 2 threads. I stared at it numbly for a second and then realized that it was probably designed to be used that way. It installed perfectly in no more than 3 seconds after that.

So that's why I don't want to go settle for any old nut at the store.... :)

[Dangermouse]

LOL! I discovered that feature PURELY by accident, sitting on the floor of the driver's side ready to roll the car into the street for the Tuesday trash pickup.

???

To top off a frustrating occasion, once we finally got it on (thanks to small-handed Chris) I gave the nut one tweak too many and snapped the stud off :mallet: followed by :tantrum:

I had really not been looking forward to replacing it. This has just made my day.

[jawn101]

???

To top off a frustrating occasion, once we finally got it on (thanks to small-handed Chris) I gave the nut one tweak too many and snapped the stud off :mallet: followed by :tantrum:

I had really not been looking forward to replacing it. This has just made my day.

LOL, it was trash day. I had to take the cans to the curb and walking back into the garage to a half dissasembled and extremely frustrating D just made me think "I'm allowed one major junk pickup per year... maybe this is a sign" :lol:

Fortunately I didn't.

Glad to make your day, can you overnight me 4 of those nuts? :)

I think I will give Danny at Garden Grove a call and see if they can get some out here in an expeditious manner.

[Ron]

I may just have to get some M6 nyloc nuts and get creative when it comes to getting them into position.

They're called "flex lock" or "flexloc" nuts.

Place a piece of trash bag over the socket, push the nut in and remove the excess. Now the nut won't fall out. If you turn the nut backwards until you just feel it click, it will start w/o cross threading every time...

[Dangermouse]

Glad to make your day, can you overnight me 4 of those nuts? :)

.

If I had any, they would be on their way to you.

3 of the 4 I have are holding the door handles on, while the 4th is rattling around inside the door. And they are the metal handles also!

[jawn101]

If I had any, they would be on their way to you.

3 of the 4 I have are holding the door handles on, while the 4th is rattling around inside the door. And they are the metal handles also!

Aw, thanks. :blush: No worries, I will see what I can rustle up.

Protip: The channels in the door handle area empty out directly behind the lock solenoid/actuator. Remove that and your nut will be right there. After dropping mine for the 20th time I removed the actuator and could pick the nut back up as soon as I dropped it.

[jawn101]

Place a piece of trash bag over the socket, push the nut in and remove the excess. Now the nut won't fall out. If you turn the nut backwards until you just feel it click, it will start w/o cross threading every time...

The trash bag isn't a bad idea. I was doing the same thing with electrical tape but the same stickiness that was working for me to hold the nut ended up working against me too. Kept getting stuck to the stud and screwing up the alignment. I'll give that a try if I can't get the right part quick enough, thanks!

[Dangermouse]

For all of the numerous previous failed attempts at attaching the nut and successful attempts at dropping said nut, I had the door panels off as I was working on the rods also. So, easy to retrieve.

I had just reattached the lower ones when the stud snapped off and was too pissed off to get it out.

[jawn101]

For all of the numerous previous failed attempts at attaching the nut and successful attempts at dropping said nut, I had the door panels off as I was working on the rods also. So, easy to retrieve.

I had just reattached the lower ones when the stud snapped off and was too pissed off to get it out.

Ohhh. Yeah that does suck. The lower panel isn't a huge deal, except for the grab handle - whose bolts are arguably just as hard to work with as the stupid handle nuts in question here. Sigh.

[Ron]

Protip: The channels in the door handle area empty out directly behind the lock solenoid/actuator. Remove that and your nut will be right there. After dropping mine for the 20th time I removed the actuator and could pick the nut back up as soon as I dropped it.
Sooooo...why are you missing 4? :tongue2:

[Jeff K]

Putting the grab handle on cause me screaming fits for sure.

I'm going to cut a slot to the hole on the bracket and simply slide in on. Or at least I'm gonna try that!

if I bork a bracket they are only 14 bucks

[Dangermouse]

Ohhh. Yeah that does suck. The lower panel isn't a huge deal, except for the grab handle - whose bolts are arguably just as hard to work with as the stupid handle nuts in question here. Sigh.

I am going to change them to Philips headed bolts for obvious reasons. Get a long magnetized Philips s/d should make that a lot easier.

[jawn101]

Sooooo...why are you missing 4? :tongue2:

You just had to bring that up, didn't you. :)

I'm only actually missing 2 - one got lost and one is still attached to a stud somewhere that sheared off long before I got the car. I very mistakenly did not order new ones with my new handles. I think the one that got lost fell down the channel and must have ricocheted out of the open door somewhere in the garage. I can't find the bugger ANYWHERE.


I am going to change them to Philips headed bolts for obvious reasons. Get a long magnetized Philips s/d should make that a lot easier.

Also a very good idea. No time like the present, except I will have to go home and grab the handle and bolts to make sure I have the right size.

[Ron]

I am going to change them to Philips headed bolts for obvious reasons. Get a long magnetized Philips s/d should make that a lot easier.You're not going to use stainless nuts!?!

[jawn101]

I am going to change them to Philips headed bolts for obvious reasons. Get a long magnetized Philips s/d should make that a lot easier.


You're not going to use stainless nuts!?!

Stainless schmainless. There's a place for those, and inside the door where you will inevitably need to use a magnet to retrieve the parts ain't one of em. Do they still make screws in solid iron??? :)

[LEVY]

Depending on where you want to use that nut, you can use a nylon insert locknut: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/search.shtml?searchQuery=nylon+insert+lock+nut&op=search&Ntt=nylon+insert+lock+nut&N=0&sst=subset&cm_guid=1-_-100000000000002091965-_-10019961398&ch=AdWords&kw=+nylon+insert++lock++nut&mt=b&dn=s&agid=2580467078&acqv=2&adid=10019961398&cm_mmc=PPC%3A+Google+Main+4-_-Fasteners+-+Nuts-_-Lock+Nut-_-%2Bnylon+insert+%2Block+%2Bnut&ef_id=AG5PjaDBLVMAAAqP:20120509180453:s

Those are good locknuts if your application is not going to be hot. You can find them at your local hardware store, I know Lowes have them for sure.

LEVY


http://store.delorean.com/p-6660-aeronut-m6.aspx

I need to get some of these locally today, but googling 'Aeronut' only turns up a bunch of articles on hot air ballooning (and the DMCH part)

Does this sort of fastener have a different trade name? Is it completely unique or is it something I might find at Ace?

[Dangermouse]

I use Nylocs all the time, and as I was looking at these funky Aeronuts I was wondering why they just didn't use nylocs.

Now, thanks to Jon, I know :)

[Rich W]

As others have mentioned, Nylocs work just as well and you almost had the right idea with the electrical tape.

The trick I have used in the past is folding up or "bunching up" some masking tape into a small ball, keeping
the sticky side facing out (and try not to touch the sticky parts too much), then place the small tape ball
into the shallow 10mm socket you plan to use, leaving just enough space to also fit the nut into the socket.
The masking tape (if still sticky) will hold the nut in the socket until you get the nut threaded on the stud.

Since you will be using one or more extensions to install the handle, the shallow socket is easier to place
the masking tape into and when you are done, just pop out the tape ball with a small Phillips screwdriver.

Have fun.

Later,
Rich W.

[Citizen]

http://store.delorean.com/p-6660-aeronut-m6.aspx

I need to get some of these locally today, but googling 'Aeronut' only turns up a bunch of articles on hot air ballooning (and the DMCH part)

Does this sort of fastener have a different trade name? Is it completely unique or is it something I might find at Ace?

Looks like a standard lock-nut to me. Has a nylon insert to keep it from un-threading. VERY common part in the tractor/farm industry. You can get them for under $1 at almost any tractor supply store. Try Lowes, Home Depot, ACE Hardware or Tractor Supply. Also, probably ANY new tractor dealer will have them, New Holland/Case, John Deere, etc.

Good luck.

Thomas

[jawn101]

OK, so I ended up getting a standard nut. Not a nyloc, because I could only find them in stainless and I refuse to use parts inside the door that a magnet can't reach for me. I was able to get it installed quite easily using Rich's suggestion - I used a piece of that very thin packing foam that people sometimes wrap things in instead of bubble wrap. Ripping off a tiny square and putting the nut in a hex driver with the sheet of foam under it provided enough hold for me to get the nut started on the post, then remove the driver and foam, and tighten it the rest of the way. In my next parts order I'll get the proper nuts (for 46 cents, why not) but this will work perfectly for now.


Thanks all for the suggestions and Dermot, good luck.

[Dangermouse]

Thomas, when you have it in your hand, it is quite different, though it performs the same purpose.

Jon, the one I really had trouble with was the rear stud as access is impeded by that internal fold of the SS that interfered with the extension bar. The fact that everyone only had deep sockets and 1/2" extension bars with adapters didn't help.

[vwdmc16]

Hey Jon dont have all the fun without me!

[jawn101]

Hey Jon dont have all the fun without me!

LOL! No fun was had, I swear. I have more cuts on my hands than I do skin, and you know me and brake cleaner - most of it ended up IN those cuts. I'm hurting and burning and my back is killing me and my windows are all smudgy and the car still has no driver's seat. F@*K the doors, man. I'll save all the ACTUAL fun for you, promise :)

Though you can do my window regulators one of these days if you want. I hear you're good at it ;-)

[EarlHickey]

Stainless schmainless. There's a place for those, and inside the door where you will inevitably need to use a magnet to retrieve the parts ain't one of em. Do they still make screws in solid iron??? :)

400 series and 17-7 stainless are both somewhat magnetic when heat treated.... yep... I'm pretty sure of that and for certain fasteners can be obtained of either even if you aren't one of the make your own fasteners kinda guys.

Curious, can that nut be threaded fully home by hand? At first glance it does appear to be a prevailing torque fastener (deformed threads to make it resistant to backing off while preventing it from being freely screwed in place) yet not quite... if it isn't truly a prevailing torque fastener (which a nylock isn't as it's threads are not deformed), that slot is there expressly for the purpose you discovered.

if it is a prevailing torque fastener, you can buy a suitable, yet un-slotted, substitution at most anywhere that has a decent hardware assortment, called stover nuts I do believe, and they are easily had in grade 8.

I can post a pix of these available from Home Depot, Lowes, ACE and others. I've never bought them in metric though, but, I know they exist.

[jawn101]

It can be threaded all the way down by hand, but not when the handle is installed in the door - there's no way on earth one could reach it. I don't think the nyloc is necessary for this application and the standard nut I selected seems to work perfectly.

Edit: it was a little difficult to turn the nut down all the way. I chalked it up to my old nuts being a bit rusty inside and I couldn't clean the threads very well. You might be right about the deformation at the end of the threads.

[EarlHickey]

It can be threaded all the way down by hand, but not when the handle is installed in the door - there's no way on earth one could reach it. I don't think the nyloc is necessary for this application and the standard nut I selected seems to work perfectly.

Edit: it was a little difficult to turn the nut down all the way. I chalked it up to my old nuts being a bit rusty inside and I couldn't clean the threads very well. You might be right about the deformation at the end of the threads.


Simple subject needs a bit more edification!

IF it were a prevailing torque nut, once it was screwed onto an equal grade bolt, it may likely no longer be with deformed threads when backed off.

Some of the more wicked ones I deal with can be impacted onto a grade 8 or 9 bolt until they shred the threads off it, back it off and thread on another new bolt like it never happened, so mileage on PTF's being one shot may vary depending on their material and treatments.

So, a new nut, if a prevailing torque nut, would not be able to be threaded on, by hand, any more than 65% for most any design of which I am aware.

Even as small as the 6mm and 1/4' sizes, one would need wrenches and or sockets to thread it completely through the nuts threads, unless one has amazing kung foo grip.

[Dangermouse]

And 12" long fingers in this case :)

[EarlHickey]

And 12" long fingers in this case :)

A person with 12" fingers would have many slaves and also a star of stage and screen.

[dvonk]

Tooms, anyone? :biggrin:

[TTait]

the unique feature they *do* have is that slit in the top that allows you to jam it on the end of a screwdriver to get it started.



Okay - here are three tips to solve the door assembly problem. For difficult screws, get a piece of masking tape, make a small hole in the center and stick the threaded portion of the screw through from the sticky side, then stick the screw on top of the driver, and pull the tape over the head and tape it to the screwdriver. Once the screw is in place, the tape will tear away (yes, you are left with a paper washer - no biggie.

For difficult bolts - put several nuts into your socket of choice so that only the head of the bolt you want to insert fits in, then repeat the trick above with the tape, taping the bolt into the socket.

You can also you your artificially shallow socket to install a nut onto a stud, this time insert a few nuts into the socket, but put a small rare earth magnet on the socket to help keep them in place, only the nut you have started should pull out...