[DeTomaso] Schwing-worthy hardware for ZF etc.

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

The basic idea has been used for decades by Euro racecar builders, built 
into washers rather than nuts. Carroll Smith mentions 'Stat-o-seals' or 'Dowty 
sealing washers' in his various 'XX to Win' racing books of the '80s. 
Pegasus Racing in Wisconsin sells both, in various sizes, quite cheaply: 5/16" 
aluminum Stat-o-seals are 99¢ each. The Dowty steel washers with bonded rubber 
seals can be used for both bolts and for hydraulic BSP or (probably) AN 
fittings, although ANs seal fine with a simple Viton or Teflon o-ring on the 
fitting itself. 

The rubber should be lubed before torquing any of these seal-systems since 
unlubricated, the rubber will 'catch' the surface and ball up during the 
last 1/4-turn, tearing the seal. And if the stud is too long for acorn nuts, 
using a stack of shim-washers seems to negate the sealing aspect at the nut's 
base. If I wanted the bling-aspect of acorn nuts, I would shorten the studs.

Disclaimer: I didn't use either Stat-o-seals or Dowtys on our ZF; I used 
thread sealant on the studs when I put the back and side covers on, with 
copper crush-washers and new gaskets from RBT with the std metric nuts. And my 
aluminum side and back covers may have a little more 'crush' than std ZF cast 
iron covers. Whatever, they don't leak. FWIW- J DeRyke