How do I center this nut?

[paulmars]

F25\F20 westwood oil furnace filter housing.

This should come from the factory with that nut very tight on the lower bolt. To replace the filter element you remove upper bolt, remove the can, chng fltr element, reassemble & replace upper bolt. Those are the instructions and there are many youtubes showing this.

It seems to me that if upper bolt was over tightened, then that might cause the nut to come off the lower bolt the next time upper bolt is removed to chng element. I think this is bad design. Still, I found no one else posting issues

I bought F25 new ebay. Upper bolt was so tight i could not remove it. I sent it back for replacement. I was sent refund.

Bought another lowes online. It came in pieces. Literally upper & lower bolts removed from nut. I returned it for replacement. Store refused. I contacted hq and got refund.

I wrote to rw beckett who owns westwood. They sent me one. Then another a week later. One of those the nut came off the bottom bolt when i removed upper bolt. The other one worked fine, but it leaked where can seats against upper red piece. So I had to tighten the upper bolt twice to stop leak(yes there is rubber gasket between). I hope nut stays on lower bolt when I chge element next year

I now have 2 extra units and I'd like to assemble as spares. Ive tried but i cant keep the nut exactly centered when tightening it onto lower bolt, which means that upper bolt won't thread in. Ideas?

 

[paulmars]

The pics I forgot

 

[snod83]

I'm not completely sure what you are going for because it isn't clear to me, but could you loctite the one that you want to stay connected and then assemble it to have it find it's own center?

 

[paulmars]

Nut needs to be tight on lower bolt. Tighter then the upper bolt

 

[paulmars]

Bolt in pic one is not centered. Using rachet to hold nut in can while tightening lower bolt. Results in nut being slightly off center. Put lid on and upper bolt wont thread in. Need hold that nut in exact ctr while holding it from spinning, while tightening lower bolt

 

[LopezBart]

That lockwasher isn't helping matters - why is it there?

 

[paulmars]

My guess is to help matters. Maybe it does once nut is tightened properly on lower bolt.

 

[LopezBart]

The lock washer will tend to **** the coupling nut unless really torqued down, which give the sheet metal design of the 'can' doesn't look like a good idea. You can try putting a small diameter washer under the bottom flanged bolt to keep the flange clear of the bends in the bottom of the can, and then tightening the coupling nut against the bottom bolt using a socket + extension. That should keep things square...

 

[paulmars]

Nut needs to be held in ctr as tightened

 

[Snip's]

Replace the center bolt with one that's fully threaded...
Add a new nut thats run up the new fully threaded bolt tight to the underside of the red lid...
Re-install the existing coupling nut...
Reassemble the filter / canister & bottom nut...

 

[paulmars]

I don't understand how that work. If the new bolt is same height and i hold or tighten it with rachet, while wrenching bottom bolt, then both bolts are equally tight. Ok, if the new nut height was exactly the space needed, then the original nut couldn't spin up the upper bolt?

 

[The Cobbler]

I'm not quite understanding either, but, to me, I would use the coupling nut & short bolt & lock nut on the top, tight . even use thread locker.
use the long bolt on the can , threaded in to the coupling nut . it shouldn't need to be that tight to form a seal

 

[paulmars]

Bottom needs to be tighter then top

 

[Jswain]

Put loctite on the one you don't want to move

 

[geneg]

Replace the top bolt with a stud long enough to protrude thru the cap. Use a flange nut to hold the cap on. Also, like LopezBart said, get rid of that lock washer between the coupler & the bottom bolt.

 

[PCustoms]

I'm very confused here....

Why are you loosening there bolt on the bottom of the filter housing?

Why do you care if it is "centered", is there a leak?

 

[Jswain]

I'm very confused here....

Why are you loosening there bolt on the bottom of the filter housing?

Why do you care if it is "centered", is there a leak?

I'm thinking a seperate bolt threads into each end of the coupler. He wants the couple to stay on the end he doesn't have to remove to change the filter but it does. That's what I'm getting anyways

 

[paulmars]

Replace the top bolt with a stud long enough to protrude thru the cap. Use a flange nut to hold the cap on. Also, like LopezBart said, get rid of that lock washer between the coupler & the bottom bolt.

How does long stud & flange nut get the nut tight on bottom bolt?

 

[paulmars]

I'm very confused here....

Why are you loosening there bolt on the bottom of the filter housing?

Why do you care if it is "centered", is there a leak?

Ive never loosened the bottom bolt, it came that way. When i told rw Beckett it was loose, they sent replacement. If nut is tightened on bottom bolt, but not centered the upper bolt wont thread into it.

 

[paulmars]

I'm thinking a seperate bolt threads into each end of the coupler. He wants the couple to stay on the end he doesn't have to remove to change the filter but it does. That's what I'm getting anyways

Exactly and it is not supposed to loosen from bottom bolt.

 

[Jswain]

Exactly and it is not supposed to loosen from bottom bolt.

So put some loctite on the bottom one only, after it sets up the other end will come loose

 

[paulmars]

And how should I tighten it?

 

[PCustoms]

We're going in circles......

Do you own wrenches?

 

[paulmars]

Tightening the upper bolt Will pull the lid tight and everything seems alright. Untill it fills with oil and leaks out the bottom, because the coupling nut is not tight against the bottom of the can.

 

[Skiff Builder]

I'd cut a 1/4" plywood disc to fit the inside of the canister. In the disc I'd bore a hole that would just fit over the lower nut.

You now have an assembly alignment jig.

After torquing the lower nut remove disc and finish assembly.

 

[paulmars]

That might work.

 

[paulmars]

U won. Thank you. Would lock tight or epoxy be better to hold coupling nut tight on lower bolt?

 

[geneg]

How does long stud & flange nut get the nut tight on bottom bolt?

Use a socket & extension thru the top to tighten the connector while holding the bottom nut with a wrench. Should be able to center it easily. Thenscrew in stud.

 

[paulmars]

Use a socket & extension thru the top to tighten the connector while holding the bottom nut with a wrench. Should be able to center it easily. Thenscrew in stud.

That results in both having same tightness and both loosening when it is taken apart. Also requiring that the upper bolt be tightened more then designed. Results in coupling nut possibly staying in upper bolt when disassembled. Resulting in lower gasket needing to be replaced frequently. The unit is designed to be fastened tighter to lower bolt and skiff b provided the solution.


Tks to all who wade in.

 

[PCustoms]

That results in both having same tightness and both loosening when it is taken apart. Also requiring that the upper bolt be tightened more then designed. Results in coupling nut possibly staying in upper bolt when disassembled. Resulting in lower gasket needing to be replaced frequently. The unit is designed to be fastened tighter to lower bolt and skiff b provided the solution.


Tks to all who wade in.

Read what he wrote again, it does not involve the upper bolt. that's the perfect way to do it.

 

[Innovate1]

Is there some sort of gasket under the bolt head at both the top and bottom? Without that I don't see how any of this won't leak and I don't see any.

You could replace the lockwasher with a star lockwasher type. They have multiple teeth around the edge so wont try to push things off center. They make them with internal or external teeth.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...ooth-Lock-Washer-20-per-Pack-802791/204276523
Some sort of centering piece would help - I see someone already suggested that. Put a long screw through the plywood so you can pull it out after tightening. Some removeable locktite on the lower thread will keep it from loosening when taking out the upper.

 

[PCustoms]

Put the bottom bolt up through the housing.

Put loctite in the coupling nut. Put nut on lower bolt.

Put socket on coupling nut.

Put 3/8" extension down through top piece.

Put housing and top together while dropping extension into socket over coupling nut. Hold everything in alignment.

Tighten the **** out of the coupling nut.

Remove housing from top. Coupling nut is now aligned and tight to top bolt hole. Let sit for 24hrs before stressing/using top bolt.

 

[paulmars]

Is there some sort of gasket under the bolt head at both the top and bottom? Without that I don't see how any of this won't leak and I don't see any.

Yes both bolt heads have

 

[paulmars]

Put the bottom bolt up through the housing.

Put loctite in the coupling nut. Put nut on lower bolt.

Put socket on coupling nut.

Put 3/8" extension down through top piece.

Put housing and top together while dropping extension into socket over coupling nut. Hold everything in alignment.

Tighten the **** out of the coupling nut.

Remove housing from top. Coupling nut is now aligned and tight to top bolt hole. Let sit for 24hrs before stressing/using top bolt.

Been considering that. Top hole fits 1\8" drive extension. I have 1\2" drive deep socket that fits coupling nut. Either buy reverse adapter if available or drill out top center hole for 1\2" drive extension. After tightening, scrap that one red top piece or keep it in case coupling nut gets loose. But I like skiff b's idea better.

 

[paulmars]

Would epoxy be beter then loctite?

 

[PCustoms]

Been considering that. Top hole fits 1\8" drive extension.

Typo?

 

[paulmars]

Use a socket & extension thru the top to tighten the connector while holding the bottom nut with a wrench. Should be able to center it easily. Thenscrew in stud.

Same idea I just misunderstood. Two winners.

 

[PCustoms]

Would epoxy be beter then loctite?

No.

Loctite is meant for locking threads

 

[paulmars]

Please enter a valid message

 

[paulmars]

No.

Loctite is meant for locking threads

True, but that locking is not permanent and we've all removed nuts with loctite.