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How to safety wire

28K views 86 replies 30 participants last post by  Gixfan 
#1 ·
I thought I would do a quick write up including some tips and tricks. My experience my current profession has me safety wire almost everything I change.

First start off by obtaining some safetywire(preferably .032), safetywire pliers(needle nose and dikes work well too but SW pliers has a locking mecanism thats awesome), and if needed a drill bit and a drill(to make holes).

A tip before you start

1.Its always best if the component your safety wiring from is the component your SW to. Reason being is 2 different components could counter vibrate and brake your safety wire. Sometimes you can't help it though. (like my oil drain plug to fairing brackets.

2.Pulling and twisting the safety wire as if the hole was the period and the backslash is the wire yeilds the best result
./

Second drill holes if needed or aquire predrilled hardware. I used the little tabs on the engine to drill through(see below) and the OEM hardware I drilled through

Third cut a piece of safety wire and insert it into the component that is the hardest to reach or the one with less room around it. The easier it is the better it will look.
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Now pull the safety wire tight, and in the direction of tightening. I usually do a couple twist by hand just to hold it in that position. Some people snap the wire like a rope using pliers to straighten it out as well.

Now pulling the safetywire measure to the next hole. If you are safetywiring hard ware to hardware(such as two bolts) make sure you are measuring to the tightening hole. I usually attach my pliers about an 1/8 of an inch after the hole, this makes up for the twists consuming the wires length.
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Next is to twist. First twists will be clockwise, after you put it though the second component the twists will need to be counter clockwise, and if you do a third component also counter clockwise twists.
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Now double check to make sure the twist end at the hole. The closer the twist are to the hole the better and tighter your safety wiring will be. Once the correct twists are made feed one end into the hole and pull tight.
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Grabing both strains tightley twist the wire counter clockwise.
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Cut the twisted end .5-1 inch past the hole and bend in half or "pigtail it".
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and your done.

Hope this helped some of you
 
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#2 ·
Auto part


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I put some special tape on to prevent the SW from rubbing on the engine case. Not sure if this is going to work but its worth a try.

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#4 ·
Yea those were other options but the F4 tape was readily available at work. If it works for an F-15 it will work for a bike right?
 
#6 · (Edited)
wtf, hand twisting? lol

get some safety wiring pliers and do it properly. you would get laughed at in tech inspection around here.

and some clear tubing goes long way between caliper bolts, rear axle bolt, front axle bolt, oil filler cap.

i ride track only, and in Advanced or intermediate group. my bike is safety wired per WERA rules. and not a singe area of safety wiring looks like this.
 
#10 ·
Question from those following along at home: Safety wire I get but what is the point of silicone on the bolts?
 
#20 · (Edited)
Is this what its supposed to look like? I did not hand twist any of this. As long as it is pulling the bolt /nut tighter and is tight meaning you cant skip rope with it and the pigtail is not a fish hook waiting to snag you who cares if it is hand twisted twisted with vicegrips safetywire pliers. Cut the OP some slack I would be curious to see some of your guys armchair safety wiring.








 
#22 ·
Oh yea and if you want to see the FAA regulation on safetywireing go to http://www.faa.gov/regulations_poli....cfm/go/document.information/documentid/99861 chapter 7 and go to page Page 7-20 diagram shows safetywiring by hand with alot of information and examples. Fun little fact aircraft maintenance regulations are the strictest federally enforced vehicle regulations. If I was wrong about the procedures I'm talking about here I would go to jail the claims of what I do on the aircraft.
 
#28 ·
Holy Fawk. Chevy good post. I haven't done this & learned from it. Thanks. :thumbup:

Some of the rest of ya need to take the thread for what it is, information on how to do it. It's like the man is teaching you to spell & you're criticizing his handwriting.
 
#30 ·
Ive always used safety wire pliers. Never seen anyone do it by hand. Then again safety wiring is not my profession but at the track everyone I know or seen uses pliers.
IMO regardless of how its done properly or works better as in more resistant, I believe it looks neater with pliers. Plus although the theory/fact of it being stronger when done by hand I personally think just from common sense that its irrelevant, I mean how much pull force can a bolt have when its coming lose? I am pretty sure not enough to break the safety wire. Also going on the common sense route I rather have it snug and tight (like everything else, LOL) cause I wouldnt want a caliper bolt going a couple of mm or even 1/2 an inch lose, nor my oil drain bolt. Dunno maybe the FAA does safety wiring as a minor additional security. Cause if the case is that the safety wire is used to really hold a bolt in place on a flying plane, im not going to be on an airplane anymore.

Also no offense to the FAA guys here on this board, but I have a buddy that rides with me and is an airplane mechanic and the guy cant change a wheel on a bicycle, nothing at all on the bike. I do all his work. I have always asked myself how the fuk do you work on planes? No BS.
 
#31 ·
Dunno maybe the FAA does safety wiring as a minor additional security. Cause if the case is that the safety wire is used to really hold a bolt in place on a flying plane, im not going to be on an airplane anymore.
There's a lot of stress, vibration, and twisting all over the airplane. We're not always, rarely actually, allowed to use locktite; for corrosion reasons. So should something work itself loose, the wire keeps it tight and in place. Planes these days are full of redundancies for safety reasons.
 
#33 ·
this thread is full of FAIL!!!! the OP is teaching you the WRONG way to safety wire and the majority of you riders are sying its ok to do something the WRONG way. HOLY SHIT. you guys really crac me up with all the shiti see going on here. incorrect safety wiring, riding in shorts, flippy flops and no lid.

this site should be renamed gs(FAIL)xr.com on so many levels.

^^
and that shit is sig worthy!!
 
#35 ·
Since I've supplied a publication with no indication of me being wrong written by engineers of a high degree of intelligence, with time proven technique I guess that makes me wrong. Go troll somewhere else.
 
#38 ·
You know, I'm all for correcting someone if they're wrong but, there's no reason to be a douche. It's a discussion forum on the Internet. If he gets laughed out of tech then so be it. On the other hand, if you're going to call someone out on their technical skills, you really should double check your grammar and spelling first. It's hard for your insults, sorry critique, to be taken be seriously otherwise. Just saying.

As for the OP, nice write up, thanks for the info.
 
#47 · (Edited)
Love that sig gif, gixxerfool! :thumbup:

I agree about the smackdown, you guys should see some stuff on the other forum(s) that is being passed off as "engineering". Check the thread for pics. ;)

OP, I saw the jet engine being run up in the other thread. I took A&P Fundamentals back in the day. Also some "C" schools on GTCs. Cool stuff! Thanks for posting :cool:
Back on the topic:
Auto part Engine Disc brake Motorcycle accessories Clutch

Auto part

 
#40 ·
:lol: You got anything to back up that statement Bus? You need to back shit up if you make claims here. :arsenal :lol:
 
#42 ·
I thought I would do a quick write up including some tips and tricks. My experience my current profession has me safety wire almost everything I change.

First start off by obtaining some safetywire(preferably .032), safetywire pliers(needle nose and dikes work well too but SW pliers has a locking mecanism thats awesome), and if needed a drill bit and a drill(to make holes).

A tip before you start

1.Its always best if the component your safety wiring from is the component your SW to. Reason being is 2 different components could counter vibrate and brake your safety wire. Sometimes you can't help it though. (like my oil drain plug to fairing brackets.

2.Pulling and twisting the safety wire as if the hole was the period and the backslash is the wire yeilds the best result
./

Second drill holes if needed or aquire predrilled hardware. I used the little tabs on the engine to drill through(see below) and the OEM hardware I drilled through

Third cut a piece of safety wire and insert it into the component that is the hardest to reach or the one with less room around it. The easier it is the better it will look.
View attachment 37737

Now pull the safety wire tight, and in the direction of tightening. I usually do a couple twist by hand just to hold it in that position. Some people snap the wire like a rope using pliers to straighten it out as well.

Now pulling the safetywire measure to the next hole. If you are safetywiring hard ware to hardware(such as two bolts) make sure you are measuring to the tightening hole. I usually attach my pliers about an 1/8 of an inch after the hole, this makes up for the twists consuming the wires length.
View attachment 37738

Next is to twist. First twists will be clockwise, after you put it though the second component the twists will need to be counter clockwise, and if you do a third component also counter clockwise twists.
View attachment 37739

Now double check to make sure the twist end at the hole. The closer the twist are to the hole the better and tighter your safety wiring will be. Once the correct twists are made feed one end into the hole and pull tight.
View attachment 37740

Grabing both strains tightley twist the wire counter clockwise.
View attachment 37740
Cut the twisted end .5-1 inch past the hole and bend in half or "pigtail it".
View attachment 37741
and your done.

Hope this helped some of you
thanks for the write up:thumbup:thinking of doing this myself..

it seems like this forum is all about coddling its members. im NOT a coddler. if i see smething WRONG, i WILL say my peace and correct them. weather my help may be harsh or not, im not going to stand back and let someone do a job incorrectly or unsafe. if thats the way most of you on this forum feel, then i will just keep to the other side where these actions do not go unnoticed.
im sure you could have worded your responses in a less degrading way. respecting fellow members is not coddling. we just dont bash every topic like the other site.. go back across the road and let the grown ups talk know:thumbup:
 
#46 · (Edited)
Why the fools at US Army Tech School at Fort Euastis Virginia taught us to saftey wire by hand. That means there are several million helicopters, and fixed wing aircraft out there in dire danger. There's nothing wrong with saftey pliers, or hand winding if it's done correctly. Sorry son, you don't know whay you're talking about. Maybe chevyguy would be willing to give you lessons. :lol:
 
#57 · (Edited)
I agree. You'd really get butt hurt then. :)

I personally think wiring on a sportbike is way overkill anyways it's not like the damn tracks are made out of cobblestone.
 
#60 ·
Yeah, the F-15C/Ds have some nasty safety wires on them ( I worked F-100-100's and -220), and everything is safety'd. The 16s were bad too but the C-17 was fairly easy in comparison. I had a chance to work on some J-79s supporting the F-4 drone unit and holy shit that engine must have had 200lbs of safety wire on it. F that right in the A. :lol:
 
#62 ·
They painted them orange and have been chasing them around and shooting them down at Tyndall AFB for years. Still do.
 
#63 ·
I'm surprised this thread was only recently brought to my attention...but it makes me love the true community here :thumbup:

I'm been an Avionics Tech on F-16's for 10+ years, and like the other mil boys, have done quite a bit of safety wiring, in tight places, unseen while working. Thanks to the OP for sharing his experiences and examples.

We really need a screening process around here sometimes :headshake
 
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