QUOTE(rhodyguy @ Aug 7 2020, 04:10 PM)
They work well for the intakes on carbed cars rather than cut washers
Split ring lock washer are worse than useless because they have been know to break and fall out from under the bolt head, leading to a complete loss of clamp load. They perform no useful function. Split ring lock washers have no legitimate use in automotive applications.
Excerpt from NASA fastener manual
Lockwashers
"The typical helical spring washer shown in figure 14 is made
of slightly trapezoidal wire formed into a helix of one coil so
that the free height is approximately twice the thickness of the
washer cross section. They are usually made of hardened
carbon steel, but they are also available in aluminum, silicon,
brome, phosphor-bronze, stainless steel, and K-Monel.
The lockwasher serves as a spring while the bolt is being
tightened. However, the washer is normally flat by the time
the bolt is fully torqued. At this time it is equivalent to a solid
flat washer, and its locking ability is nonexistent.
In summary,
a lockwasher of this type is useless for locking. " (emphasis added)
Source:
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19900009424