Knock Off Wheel Safety Wire

[CSX 4133]

I use clear plastic tubing from Aircraft Spruce to enclose the safety wire(double strand) where it passes behind the wheel spoke. It protects the wheel surface and the wire itself.

[Danr55]

Patrick, the car just came out of a complete frame off in October. I checked the wires on all of the wheels when the car came back. It made one trip of about 200 miles on a check ride last year. It's spent most of the last 3 or 4 months sitting in the garage because it's been too cold for this old man to drive it. I am still trying to figure out how a stainless steel QQS-416, .032 diameter safety wire can wear through on an aluminum wheel.

[1795]

Is it possible that the safety wire was over twisted and had pinched on itself thereby weakening it?

I am just wondering how tight the spinner was to begin with. Race cobras do not use safety wire, as it would take too much time to cut off and re-install during a pit stop. I have not had a spinner loosen at all during hard race driving.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Danr55

Patrick, the car just came out of a complete frame off in October. I checked the wires on all of the wheels when the car came back.

Remove the other three safety wires and gently "tap" the spinners and see if they were only finger tight.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Remove the other three safety wires and gently "tap" the spinners and see if they were only finger tight.

No need to remove the wires unless they are wired backwards. If they are wired to tighten if the spinner loosens, then just tap the spinner ear. If the wire loosens then the wires were holding it, tighten the spinner and re-wire. Some prefer to have the wire tight, my old farm training was to leave a little slack and if you see or feel it tighten then you know the bolt (spinner) was loosening up.

[kevins2]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

No need to remove the wires unless they are wired backwards. If they are wired to tighten if the spinner loosens, then just tap the spinner ear. If the wire loosens then the wires were holding it, tighten the spinner and re-wire. Some prefer to have the wire tight, my old farm training was to leave a little slack and if you see or feel it tighten then you know the bolt (spinner) was loosening up.

That's the way I do it as well. And, although I haven't experienced it, it is my understanding that the wire won't prevent the spinner from coming off and will eventually break, so it's really just a tell-tale, not something that will hold it, and should be checked frequently for tightness.

[patrickt]

Yep, that's a good point. If you can tighten them any (with or without safety wire) with a light tap, then they were loose to begin with. Could the spinner have somehow hit a curb, broken the wire, and loosened all without you knowing it? This seems rather bizarre.