Safety wire on torque tube bolts to banjo

[Arlyn Bieber]

Anyone have a picture of how Ford safety wired the bolts that held the torque tube to the banjo? Wire ends at top, bottom or ? Wire ends twisted then bent under or ?? Thanks

[Tom Endy]

Arlyn:

I also have wondered how Ford originally wired them. I have taken hundreds apart and found them wired in all kinds of zig zag patterns. I have never found one wired as an aircraft mechanic would wire it. Years ago I developed my own trade mark. I have a large collection of torque tube bolts. When I install a torque tube I trial and error the bolts so than when all six are tight the wire holes are parallel to the circumference. Then I pass the wire through all the holes to form a perfect circle. I pass the ends of the wire in opposite direction through the top bolt, twist the wires together and bend it back over the flange. it may not be according to Henry, but it looks very neat.

Tom Endy

[Gunmetal blue2]

This is off a AA but still done the same way.

[Great Lakes Greg]

The one I did kind of looks like crap, because I didn't have the stash of bolts like Tom to choose from for lining up the holes in a perfect circle. I wasn't comfortable over tightening to get the holes right, so some of them are at funky angles, making a neat looking job difficult.

[ford3]

I don't understand the use of wire as a locking mechanism when lock washers are available, they will not loosen up or back off, are you trying for a high points car?

[V8COOPMAN]

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Girls and guys...sometimes looking "neat" ain't the best idea. The idea of safety wiring bolts is to maintain tension on the bolt head(s) in the direction of TIGHTENING, usually clockwise, so that none of the bolts ever has the opportunity to begin loosening to ANY degree. Look closely at the diagram below and you can easily see how that theory applies. EVERY bolt head works to keep it's partners from loosening. DD

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Well, I'm NOT going to look at mine, (done by somebody else??) cuz it's too HARD to get up again!! Even if there were NO WIRE, I wuldn't WORRY!

Ford3,
If I was worried about points, I'd jist go buy myself a CHEEP trophy. The Dog gives me ALL the points I need. IF I ever won a trophy, I'd feel sorry for the poor guy that worked EVER so hard, & didn't get one!---Bill W.

[PAracer]

DD,
Thanks for the diagram. On the race cars I've always used the double wire around the head method. This is my first time working on an A. Which method was used on the rear engine mounts, flywheel bolts, and transmission bolts?
Thanks, Mike

[Mike V. Florida]

While V8coopman shows the best way, Ford just ran a single wire around. The choice is yours.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I can't imagine Po' Ol' Bill, trying to safety wire those 4 motor mount bolts! I found a pair of 18" long needle noses in Gregg's tool box, I don't think even those would do the job!
"Cool Jim" my A/C repairman wuz eyeing them in my "office" & I gave them to him-----"Be careful, Jim, don't poke yo' self with them"!! NO, I wasn't trying to get a "discount"---I'd already paid him, $279.55.
Bill W.

[SeaSlugs]

yea the pic posted above is the first AA ive seen with the safety wire still intact. The 3 rearends i had to take apart werent loose by any means without the wire.

[ford3]

I think the reason ford used wire is because he was cheap, a piece of wire was cheaper than 6 lock washers

[Growley bear]

Yes that is the FAA approved method. It isn't difficult, takes a little patience, looks very neat and shows a great deal of attention to detail. Chet

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Girls and guys...sometimes looking "neat" ain't the best idea. The idea of safety wiring bolts is to maintain tension on the bolt head(s) in the direction of TIGHTENING, usually clockwise, so that none of the bolts ever has the opportunity to begin loosening to ANY degree. Look closely at the diagram below and you can easily see how that theory applies. EVERY bolt head works to keep it's partners from loosening. DD

[Growley bear]

Originally Posted by ford3

I think the reason ford used wire is because he was cheap, a piece of wire was cheaper than 6 lock washers

Fasteners with lock washers work loose all too often. Fasteners with properly installed safety wire not so much. My vote is wire over lock washers. That is what I do as experience is a fantastic instructor.

Chet

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Someone, here, posted: "EXPERIENCE IS WHAT YOU GAIN FROM PAST MISTAKES/BAD DECISIONS"!!-----Bill W.

[ford3]

grade 8 lock washers on fine thread bolts or nuts wont loosen or back off, henry knew this that's why most all of his fasteners were fine thread, if you don't believe me rod nuts are all fine thread and they don't back off, they are subjected to tremendous rpms and combustion forces, but that is of no consequense, what matters is what your comfortable with

[Dick So. Cal.]

A couple thoughts. . . Tom Endy used his collection of bolts to make a nice finished product. If you don't have a collection of bolts, try moving the bolts around to different holes. Chances are you can come close to a nice circle.
Second thought. . . I do this with the flywheel bolts also. I use the method shown by V8Coopman and tie only two bolts together at a time and repeat. Somehow gathering all the bolts together with one strand of wire didn't appeal to me.
Just my opinion. . . .

Dick

[CarlG]

My torque tube and flywheel are both wired like shown in post #6.