Bike rear rack

[kayaker]

In the kit are bolts+nordlock type nuts to attach the adjustable straps to the rack top plate
then there are 4 bolts and a quantity of washers. Are the washers required as have read they merely offer up another surface to vibrate and loosen the bolts. Or are they included to protect the paint where the rack butts up to the bike frame.

Rack is a tortec tour.

Thanks in advance for any enlightenment.

chris

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

washers may well be there to stop you screwing the bolt all the way through and tight and it sticking out into the rear casstte and jamming it... so check length of bolt once on with rack to make sure everything is clear on the otherside. In our case, washers were essential to prevent this issue...
otherwise it really seems to depend on quality and whether you can be bothered - I usually am if they are provided. In the last case, they were not actually provided but totally essential and I had to raid our supplies to because of the length of the bolt.