Britbike forum Forums General discussion The Rod and Tappet Declining standards

Need some safety wire as I reassemble the Norton. I was all out, so I went out to buy some.

Three auto supply places, and nobody knew what it even was, much less had any for sale.

I don't expect auto store employees to be expert mechanics. But how do you get this far in life and never even read a magazine article or a manual about it?

No wonder we're shaking our canes at these youngsters.

Lannis

Try aircraft supply houses. It's required for some airplane uses.

I went on line and turns out that most of the auto parts places can get it, but they don't have it in the store, and they don't know what it is ....

I guess I'm still used to the days when a guy who was working the counter in an auto parts place had some interest in automobiles, had worked on his own cars, and would at least try to found out what kinds of things his store carried and what they were for. Everyone's just a computer button pusher now ....

Lannis

I've actually done something like that; into Advance Auto and ask for an oil pan gasket for a 1970 Ford Pinto. "You actually have a Pinto?" they ask.

"No, I actually have a 1966 Morgan 4/4, but if I'd asked for a gasket for that, you would have said you don't have any ....", and I was right. Morgans are not on the computer. 1600cc Cortina-block engines, however, were common in the day ....

Lannis

ANYone who competes on our local road tracks on a bike must safety-wire certain plugs and bolts, which ones exactly depend on the organization.

But you'd think there would be thousands of guys using safety wire for competition, much less those who use it because they like the security of it.

Lannis

Some years back I went into Pep Boys, walked up to the counter and asked for a pair of NGK B8ES plugs (nobody around here carries Champions).

The kid behind the counter asked "What vehicle is this for?".

"1972 Triumph T100R" says I.

He taps on his keyboard. "That's not in our system".

Not only had I given hm the precise part I wanted, but I could see the plugs on the shelf behind him. But it wasn't in his system. Sigh.

Now I just order a batch of the correct Champions from Rock Auto when they're on sale. Saves a lot of aggravation.

Lannis,

Have you tried Harbour Freight if you have one in your area? I picked up my roll of .041 wire there…prefer .032 but take what I can get.

Nate.

Fly fishing shops and jewelry craft stores will also
Carry soft stainless steel wire ... in close-enough small diameters
( 0.8mm , 20 gauge ~ ? )
to use as safety wire . ... maybe some 15lb fishing leader wire ?

I would think that safety wire is a bit specialized for a generic auto parts store. Unless the staff is familiar with racing I can understand their ignorance. Perhaps you should be shopping at a performance auto shop?
BTW: If you want Champion N3 you really should ask for the Champion part number, 801. N3 is a heat range and thread spec NOT a part number. "Never you mind what I want it for, just gimee the damn part!"

Safety wire is still widely used in the aviation industry, not so much in car motorcycle applications (except for racing).
You will certainly succeed when you try at a aircraft supply outfit.

If all else fails, FWIW....

https://www.mcmaster.com/safety-wire/

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn/?searchterm=safety%20wire&hdrsrh=true&rd=k

You can get .021", .028", .032" .041".....

Brought right to your door (some next day) if you swipe right on the "A" site.

The stories about Pep Boys and Advance Auto remind me of a long since bankrupt chain we had around here, "Trak Auto."

I live at the edge of a suburban area that changes into almost all rural all the way to the Mississippi River. Many, many pick-up trucks around here.
I needed brake shoes and a wheel cylinder for what was then my '77 3/4-ton Chevy C-20.

Trak didn't have them. Not even as a computer listing.

I asked: "Why not?"

"Oh, Sir, our corporation headquarters is in New Jersey. Not many such trucks there!"

But they had all the cheap floor mats and chrome tailpipe extensions you could dream of.

(They went out of business, at least in our area, about 1995.)

Lots of good advice, and I've quit moaning now. Should have just mail-ordered it in the first place, I guess. The chain parts places all have it next day, they just don't keep any in the stores.

Lannis

Hmm, what was the last mass produced car using safety wire on Fasteners? I been driving junk since 1964 and two come to mind ,Flathead Ford V8 last made in 1953 and maybe the inner timing cover bolts on the “stovebolt” Chevy 6’s last made in 63…there maybe others however like tractors etc…Hmm, did the local parts store in 1964 have parts on the shelf for 50 year old cars?

You would have been disappointed if they did have any wire anyway Lannis. Most of what Dorman and other parts suppliers list is heavy gauge "mechanics" wire. The galvanized kind that you use to hold your muffler back up with when the hangers rot off. Unless you ask for stainless safety wire thats probably what they would have given you.

Mike -

Yep, they've all got "wire" but I realized that I needed actual stainless safety wire when I tried twisting the hardware store wire that I had and it just popped.

I was a bit disappointed in the NAPA place, because they cater to truck fleets and people building cars for the local racetracks and such, not just guys looking for the "oil change package" and bottles of tire black.

Turns out you can get it almost anywhere, but you have to order it. I have a lifetime supply now .... probably 3 generations worth unless our family produces an A&P technician or a racing mechanic!

I honestly do my best to support the local brick-and-mortar businesses, but they don't make it easy sometimes.

Lannis

Harbor Freight

Lannis, Google “stainless steel safety wire racing”. HTH

I don't go in there. Way too cheap and nasty, and I say that as a fairly tight money saver.

Lannis

Yep. I bought the first item that showed up on that search.

Hey Lannis,

Can you drop a 10' length of that in the mail for me? I'll DM you my address and Venmo you the postage. Beats having to go to the local auto parts store

(Kidding)

Steve

I'll do it, you know, and won't ask anything for it. That's more safety wire than I'll use in my life.

Some years ago, I was trying to buy the special socket-head bolts for the front axle clamps on my Guzzi Centauro, ones that would not "gall" in the aluminum forks and seize. They were $8 EACH from Guzzi. I found a box of 50 at McMaster Carr for $19.

I've been sending pairs of those bolts to any Centauro owners who ask for twenty years and still have a bunch of them ..... !

Lannis

Land speed racing rules require axles, related Fasteners and oil filters to be safety wired…I also wire brake Fasteners. .032 soft galvanized wire is easy to work with..Tech inspectors only said something when I used non galvanized wire that got a bit of rust, they said I was cheap..

...I asked about the fish SS wire here and is from USA; too expensive at 65 Dollars (300 meters long) The package do not say the gauge.
What other could be used?
The construction soft wire to to attach the steel bars is black and be rusted in no time.

-Also; what is the best way to do the safety wring when there are no flanges or like that in the nuts; etc?