The DIN 7967 pal nut is a one-piece stamped self-locking nut whose spring-clip teeth grip the bolt thread — no lock washer, flat washer or nylon insert needed to hold preload under vibration. Zhenhua backs the range with in-house tooling and 30–400 t high-speed pressing under IATF 16949, supplying automotive Tier-2/Tier-3 chains and export programs worldwide.
Self-Locking Counter Nuts are a core Level-2 category under Zhenhua's Industrial Nuts range. When your fastening point needs a nut that locks on its own, with no extra locking parts, the pal nut is the answer.
How do you choose self-locking pal nuts for a high-vibration line? Look at three things: the locking geometry, the number of reuses you expect, and the service temperature. Buy self-locking pal nuts from Ningbo Yinzhou Zhenhua Stamping Co., Ltd. and you get more than a part — you get a repeatable locking solution: from incoming material verification to batch-level traceability, thread fit, hardness and plating stay consistent from first sample to full container.
DIN 7967 (Self-Locking Countersunk Nuts, commonly called Pal Nuts) is a one-piece stamped self-locking nut: a hex body with a thin, dome-shaped skirt, and spring-clip teeth blanked into the bore.
How it locks: as the nut runs down the bolt, the spring teeth are spread by the thread and keep gripping the shank, creating a constant radial preload and drag torque — the nut stays put under vibration, with no lock washer, flat washer or nylon insert required.
| Feature | Advantage | Benefit to You |
|---|---|---|
| One-piece self-locking, teeth grip the thread | No washer stack needed | Fewer parts, shorter assembly, cleaner BOM |
| Thin-sheet stamping, one stroke | Lightweight, low profile | Fits lightweight and space-limited assemblies |
| Dome-shaped spring skirt | Smooth run-down, stable grip | Fast installation by hand, bit or automatic feeder |
| Progressive-die volume production | Consistent geometry, stable supply | No batch surprises on automated lines |
Engineering note: pal nuts suit one-time or low-frequency installations. For repeated maintenance or high torque, pair them with our hex nuts, or combine with our lock washers for a second line of defense.
Five key dimensions define a DIN 7967 pal nut: d (nominal thread diameter), s (width across flats), e (width across corners), m (overall height) and t (sheet thickness).
| Symbol | Meaning | Why It Matters at Inquiry |
|---|---|---|
| d | Nominal thread diameter | Sets the mating bolt; defines how far the teeth are spread |
| s | Width across flats | Wrench/socket size and automatic feeding orientation |
| e | Width across corners | Clearance check and cosmetic coverage |
| m | Overall height | Axial space and protrusion after installation |
| t | Sheet thickness | Drives spring grip, tooling and material cost |
Exact dimensions follow DIN 7967 standard values and Zhenhua's latest cost catalog / customer drawings; non-standard sizes can be evaluated against samples or drawings.
Keep two concepts apart: the base material decides elasticity and locking force; the surface finish decides corrosion resistance and appearance.
Finish note: "zinc plated" alone is not a complete specification — confirm the color / passivation system, coating thickness and salt-spray hours together. Fine threads on small pal nuts are sensitive to coating thickness; hot-dip galvanizing must be evaluated case by case; electroplating on high-hardness steel requires a hydrogen-embrittlement review with possible baking.
Automotive: interior trim, electrical housing covers, line and bracket fastening at low-to-medium torque (Zhenhua supplies as a Tier-2/Tier-3 automotive supplier under IATF 16949).
Electrical & machinery: terminal boards, fan and motor accessories, panel fastening.
General equipment: sheet-metal covers, nameplate riveting, guide accessories.
Outdoor & hardware: garden tools, outdoor appliances and furniture hardware where vibration plus weight reduction both matter.
Incoming material: element analyzer verifies composition; thickness and batch documents checked.
First-article inspection: thread go/no-go, tooth geometry, overall height and appearance verified before continuous running.
In-process patrol: bin-change checks plus rounds every 2–3 hours; any abnormality stops the press, and current and previous batches are quarantined.
Post-process re-inspection: heat treatment and plating (including outsourced finishing on return) are re-verified batch by batch.
Finished-part screening: vision inspection on request plus 100% rapid manual sorting against cosmetic defects and mixed parts.
Batch traceability: customer batch / order numbers linked to material and production batches.
The eight questions below cover what overseas buyers and domestic assembly-line purchasers ask us most often — selection, material, plating and batch traceability. If your question is not here, just send it to us directly.
As it runs down, the spring teeth are spread by the thread and keep gripping the shank with constant radial force; vibration cannot overcome that grip, so the nut stays tight.
Not recommended. The teeth lose elasticity after repeated installations and grip decays. For frequently serviced joints, use a hex nut with a lock washer instead.
One piece locks by itself, the profile is thinner, the all-metal body handles temperature better than nylon inserts, volume cost is lower and installation is faster — a clear total-cost win in light and medium loads.
304 covers most indoor and atmospheric service; choose 316 (supplied as 316L) for coastal, chemical or high-chloride environments. Note any certificate requirement at inquiry.
Yes — coating thickness changes thread fit, so we control it against go/no-go gauges. Confirm the plating system, thickness and salt-spray requirement together when you inquire.
Standard metric sizes are produced to the standard; sizes covered by existing dies have shorter lead times. Send the thread size and quantity and we will confirm die coverage, capacity and delivery.
Yes. Send a 2D/3D drawing or sample with material grade, tolerances, annual volume and finish requirements; we complete a DFM review and die proposal before quoting, with die cost, ownership and life agreed per project.
IATF 16949 in daily operation: incoming element analysis, first-article checks, scheduled patrols, dual finished-part screening and full batch traceability; PPAP documentation supported for automotive customers.
Those three inputs are enough for us to confirm die coverage, material, finish and delivery. Custom pal nuts move from drawing to prototype using in-house dies — and where the joint also needs a locking washer, our lock washers ship from the same plant.
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