Tough little nuts on the weighted STA...quick question?

[Sean C]

I just took the 6 lbs brick out of my wife's STA. She only needs 8-10lbs total and in order to have some ditchable weight in warm salt water it had to go.

But, I had quite the fight with those two little tenacious nuts that were on the sta (you know the ones with the plastic in them). I think they are some kind of lock nut.

Only after putting the little ^%$#&'s back on did I see the two wing nuts in the pack. Now here is my "FNG" question: could I not just switch over to the wing nuts and if so do they hold?

I realize they would always need to be checked to ensure they are not releasing but there use would make switching between a weighted and non weighted STA so much easier.

Apologies if this is a ridiculously simple question, we just recently switched over to Halcyon.

Thanks

Sean

 

[Tortuga68]

The nuts with the plastic inserts are called Nyloc nuts

You can just use the wing nuts, with a spring washer underneath, and check them as you say

 

[WreckDiver1321]

Use the wing nuts with a lock washer.

 

[Sean C]

Thank you, I will go get a spring/lock washer and make the switch.

Sean

 

[edthesped]

Those nylock nuts are a bit@#. I got a new Infinity system and the first time I tried to loosen the nuts I spun out one of the elevator bolts, at least that's what it looked like, in the STA weight. I had to hack into the weight and put a pair of vice grips on the head of elevator bolt to get the nut off. This happened the day I received it, a quick call to Diveseekers and a new weight was on the way. I'm going with a wing nut and lock washer from now on. H supplied wing nuts but no lock washers with the STA but a quick trip to the bolt bin at work fixed that one.

Edit: Tortuga, if you see a wild woman in Shanghai wearing a Steeler jersey it might be my sister...

 

[Mayor]

Wing nuts for sure you just have to make them part of your pre dive check list. I also leave the two bottom nuts out of the storage pak for easy access.

 

[edthesped]

Do you use lock washers on your rig? It seems like they would come loose without them.

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[Tortuga68]

You don't HAVE to use them, but there's no reason not to, and if you don't you should check them every dive

 

[edthesped]

You don't HAVE to use them, but there's no reason not to, and if you don't you should check them every dive

View attachment 113485

I'm a little paranoid and tend to believe they should be used, but for some reason Halcyon didn't supply any and that has me wondering why.

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[Tortuga68]

STA Bolt Set | Wreck Diver Supply

That's what they should come with. The flat washers stop the spring washers digging holes in your backplate