Torque Tube to Housing Bolts Wiring

[Don29]

I have a 1929 Phaeton and I'm in the process of a frame off restoration. I need a little help with how to thread the wire through torque tube to housing bolts and tie the ends of the wire together neatly. Any suggestions? Is there a method I should know about?

[Tom Endy]

I can only tell you how I do it. I have a can full of original torque tube bolts. I install all six and tighten them. If the wire holes don't line up perpendicular to the tube I swap them around until they do. Then I loop the wire through so it forms a perfect circle around the torque tube. I pass the two ends of the wire through the top bolt hole in opposite directions, twist them together and bend the end toward the rear. The finished job looks very neat.

Tom Endy

[mass A man]

Don, I've seen quite a few, old safety-wired units at that area and they all seem to be straight, single wired through the bolt heads and near bottom, wire was twisted about 2 or 3 times with about 1/2" of the cut-off left remaining. These were all '30 or '31 rear ends. I'm assuming the '29's were the same?

[CarlG]

This is the way I was taught:

[mass A man]

Carl, Your way is the proper way to safety wire. I was taught that same way, sometimes if lucky, I had a pair of safety wire pliers, if doing a big job, they come in handy, although, I've never seen this correct type of safety wiring on a Ford Model A. It seems the "Ford way" was to wire the bolts so that if and when the bolts loosen, they won't fall out to the ground, one by one!

[Don29]

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Thanks everyone I will give it a try! Don

[Tom Endy]

Originally Posted by CarlG

This is the way I was taught:

That is certainly the required practice in the aircraft industry. However I don't think Ford did it that way. Most that I have taken apart (if they had safety wire at all) were every which way. Usually wired together in pairs. The safety wire on the ring gear carrier is the same story. Usually you find what looks like coat hanger wire connected in pairs.

I wire the carrier the same as I wire the torque tube. It may not be according to Henry, but it looks a lot better than the zig zagging wiring I take apart.

Somebody who has an original unmolested car could possibly shed some light.

Tom Endy

[CarlG]

Tom,
I will say that my background is in aircraft, hence "the way I was taught". And like you stated above, "if they had safety wire at all", I was under my rig last night and noticed that the torque tube, although it had the drilled head bolts, had no lock wire at all.

I am going to be installing a "new" flywheel / clutch plate, along with an OD Tranny in the next couple of months and I had been studying this lockwire scenario in anticipation to doing that job.

[Tom Endy]

CarlG:

I spent much of my life around aircraft and I always marveled at the mechanics who could apply safety wire. It was like watching a skilled seamstress. Unfortunately I was all thumbs and when I try to apply the aircraft safety wiring technique, like at the flywheel bolts, it ends up looking terrible. I believe you would have a difficult time appying the aircraft technique at the torque tube unless you are really good at it.

The method I have been using looks very neat even if it is not mil spec.

Tom Endy

[Bruce]

Gar Williams' comments are conspiciously absent. He has taught us Midwesterners (Naper A's, Joliet, Fox Valley) the "correct" way to safety wire bolts -- early and often. Yeah, he is part of that aircraft maintaining crew, too.
These pictures show him explaining some of the engine mods required to make a Model A engine "airworthy." Note, in particular, the safety-wired (brass wire) manifold bolts.

[Stinch]

At the time I was finishing up rebuilding my rear axle, I wanted to wire the torque tube bolts the way Ford did it. I did find some of the bolt safety wire holes did not line up (as Tom described) so I bought another set of original from Bert's and found the right combination. Then I used this picture of what I recall is from an unmolested car as a guide.

[Aerocraft]

CarlG's method shown in the picture is the "correct" way and is the way aircraft mechanics are taught although it frequently will be between just two points. The material of choice is stainless wire of various thicknesses which can be purchased at any aircraft supply house. I use "Aircraft Spruce" (Google it) and generally have several sizes on hand. Bruce Winslow pictured my use of brass which is only to make the installation look "original". Brass wire was the material of choice in the '20's and '30's.

You might note Bruce's daughter Stacy in the picture who we hope we will see eventually in the left seat of a big Boeing. In the meantime she thinks the Pietenpol is very cool and Bruce is now on the hook to supply the Winslow family with their very own Pietenpol Aircamper.

I doubt that Ford took the time to make sure all the bolts "lined up". To wire them regardless of how the holes line up, one just must be carefull that the wire is threaded to insure the force of the wire is against the direction of rotation. One wire is enough.

Gar Williams

[d.j. moordigian]

I sure would like to see more photos of unmolested safety wire jobs on the torque
tubes. I've wired up bolts for over 40 plus years,.... and they never come out as
uniform as in the photo from Stinch! I don't think they had the time to make them
that perfect. But I could be wrong.

[1931 flamingo]

Having worked at PWA in their overhaul and repair facility in southington, ct (no longer there). Wireing can be challenging sometimes, especially when someone else is inspecting it prior to covering it up.
Paul in CT

[Paul_nz]

Hi, email your address and I will send you an article on safety wiring


Paul

[Brentwood Bob]

Paul, Send me too if you would. Pm with my email. bob

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Aerocraft

... one just must be carefull that the wire is threaded to insure the force of the wire is against the direction of rotation...

If you look at the picture that Stinch posted above, the bolt at 8 o'clock is wired backwards to what Gar reccomends.

[CarlG]

Here's one example:

[1931 flamingo]

#17, regardless, if it loosens it can't loosen much or fall out. JMO
Paul in CT

[d.j. moordigian]

Carl,
That's the way I was taught and still do.

Paul,
Well I doubt it will move much either.

I just don't think they were that perfect when the car was new....the wire was
there to keep the bolts from falling out/leaking oil!?