Electrical capped contact stud and method of fastening an electrical contact

A method for creating an electrical earth contact to electrically couple a contact shoe to an electrical contact stud using a polymeric material cap nut, the method comprising:

• creating an external thread on a shank of the stud;
• fixing a contact flange to the stud such that the contact flange faces the shank;
• selecting the cap nut from a non-conductive polymeric material and from a plurality of sizes of cap nuts;
• threading the cap nut onto the shank until the cap nut engages the contact flange;
• and
• applying a torque selected from a torque range operable to prevent pullout of the shank to the cap nut to electrically engage the contact shoe between the cap nut and the flange.

A method for applying a polymeric cap nut to fasten an electrical earth contact having an external thread and a contact face, the method comprising:

• selecting the cap nut from a non-conductive polymeric material;
• creating each of a thread orifice, an internal thread and a sealing flange for the polymeric cap nut;
• threading the internal thread of the polymeric cap nut onto the external thread of the electrical earth contact;
• and
• applying a predetermined torque to the cap nut to engage the sealing flange against the contact face of the electrical earth contact.

A method for connecting an electrical contact to a contact stud pre-mounted to a vehicle workpiece using a cap nut, the contact stud including a shank having external threads facing a contact flange, the method comprising:

• aligning a contact face of the contact flange facing the shank;
• stud welding the contact stud to the workpiece;
• selecting a cap nut created of a non-conductive material;
• creating internal threads in the cap nut;
• inclining the internal threads of the cap nut different from the external threads of the shank to operably permit the cap nut to self-lock with the contact stud;
• positioning the electrical contact adjacent the contact face;
• threading the cap nut onto the external threads of the shank until the cap nut engages the electrical contact with the contact face;
• and
• applying a torque to the cap nut to create an electrical contact between only the contact flange and the electrical earth contact using the torque applied to the cap nut.

A method for limiting a torque load applied to a paintable workpiece when an electrical contact is connected to the workpiece, the electrical contact having an electrical contact area including a contact flange of a stud and a contact face of a non-conductive cap nut, the method comprising:

• welding the stud to the workpiece;
• selecting a cap nut created of a non-conductive material;
• preliminarily tightening the cap nut onto the contact stud using an initial torque of approximately 3 Nm to operably seal the contact flange against the contact face;
• painting the workpiece including an external surface of the cap nut;
• partially unscrewing the cap nut from the contact stud;
• intermediately placing the electrical contact between the contact flange and the contact face;
• and
• applying a final torque to the cap nut to create an electrical contact between only the contact flange and the electrical earth contact using the final torque applied to the cap nut.