Safety Wire Size?

[its55]

At the bottom of the strut, the "steering knuckle" or "drop arm" or other names is attached by the 3 "special bolts" which have holes in them for safety wire. 

 

Can anyone tell me what size the safety wire is?  Found mine to be missing so I have no way to measure.

 

I assume stainless steel is the way to go.  Thanks!

 

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by its55

[mvliotta]

I used the wire from HF as others have done 

 

 

 

A lifetime supply. Thought the thickness was a good balance between sturdy and manageable.  
 

Also picked up their small safety wire pliers. Both totaled under $20. 

The result from a couple of weeks ago…

 

Vince

 

 

 

[its55]

3 minutes ago, mvliotta said:

I used the wire from HF as others have done 

 

 

 

A lifetime supply. Thought the thickness was a good balance between sturdy and manageable.  
 

Also picked up their small safety wire pliers. Both totaled under $20. 

The result from a couple of weeks ago…

 

Vince

 

 

 

 

Awesome, exactly what I was looking for as I'd like to do the same.  Thanks!

 

 

[Mike Self]

I had a length of annealed (i.e. flexible) stainless steel wire of the proper diameter so just used that.  No worries about rusting--not that I'm gonna drive the car in salt 😉...

 

mike

[John76]

13 hours ago, mvliotta said:

I used the wire from HF as others have done 

I buy mine in bulk from BevMo. 🍾

 

[Einspritz]

Without that safety wire, you might poke your eye out!

[jimk]

Those using HF wire, check it after a year or so.  The wire I got said SS but the alloy wasn't really SS.  It looked ok at first but turned rusty.

 

Just another Chinese product that US importers (marketers shuffling paper with no quality assurance)  don't know what they got.

[ray_]

18 minutes ago, jimk said:

Those using HF wire, check it after a year or so.  The wire I got said SS but the alloy wasn't really SS.  It looked ok at first but turned rusty.

 

Just another Chinese product that US importers (marketers shuffling paper with no quality assurance)  don't know what they got.

Such issues aren't limited to HF, or China. 

 

Note the lack of reinforcement, in contrast to the illustration. 😐

[mvliotta]

2 hours ago, jimk said:

Those using HF wire, check it after a year or so.  The wire I got said SS but the alloy wasn't really SS.  It looked ok at first but turned rusty.

Thanks for the head’s up..did you happen to use this one?

[jimk]

I had another wire package.

 

A place that has steam is a good test area.  Condensate is aggressive to form rusting.  hang a sample in your tea kettle,

[fjord-tii]

Look at “real stiff” from e.g., Pegasus.com or other racing supplies. HF falls short when it comes to actual performance 

[John76]

Another way to test is with a magnet.

Sticks to magnet...has iron = not stainless steel .

[jimk]

10 hours ago, John76 said:

Sticks to magnet...has iron = not stainless steel .

Series 400 ss is magnetic.  Most garden variety ss is series 300.

[mvliotta]

I just tested the HF wire I used above. It is not magnetic. 

[dlefebvre02]

@mvliottaDigressing only slightly, but any trick to getting those bolts off after the safety wire is removed? My father and I recently converted to B6s and H&R Sports all around, and could not get a wrench down there to save our lives. Or I guess I mean we could not get any socket to fit or any wrench to work. For context we have a '76. Ended up resorting to the other method (followed Hack Mechanic) of just supporting the bottom of the tower and bending it outwards, but would've loved to do it the other way.. tolerances were tight and I think we both mentally regressed through the front install process.

Edited April 2, 2023 by dlefebvre02
adding context