Safety Wire Size?

[tech71]

As a retired Aviation Maintenance professional, I have lots of SS wire in the garage, I always felt the 0.041 wire was a little skinny but used it.

When Survivor went back together I decided to use rebar tie wire left over from a concrete project. It's 0.061 and definitely magnetic, oh the horror!

Am I worried? Clean threads, blue locktite and proper torque... Naw not really 😉

It does appear to be coated with something.

Wonder what BMW put on at the factory.....

 

 

If you have concerns about the crappy wire from HF you can spend a few bucks more and buy the real deal in 0.051

 

SAFETY WIRE .051 SS 1# | Aircraft Spruce

WWW.AIRCRAFTSPRUCE.COM

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SAFETY WIRE .051 SS 1# Stainless steel safety wire furnished in convenient 1 lb. dispensing container. Available in Type 302/304 stainless steel (soft temper) per MS20995. Also, in soft annealed...

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by tech71

[its55]

As a retired professional of a different sort i already bought the initially suggested HF wire so thats what ill be using! 😂 Before i started my suspension rebuild the “special bolts” had no wire and one bolt was broken off!!  I suspect the previous owner’s mechanic had no clue that the wire should be there when he replaced the ball joints, but there’s no excuse for the broken bolt, which I’ll have to deal with on the driver side. 

[its55]

1 hour ago, dlefebvre02 said:

@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.

 

I did mine by removing the entire strut which I wanted to rebuild anyway including removing the small curved steering arm from the tire rod end. they were still a bear to get off I think the previous mechanic over torqued them. required lots of heat. they are only supposed to be 18 ft-lbs I believe. 

Edited April 2, 2023 by its55

[mvliotta]

1 hour ago, dlefebvre02 said:

@mvliottaDigressing only slightly, but any trick to getting those bolts off after the safety wire is removed?

I removed entire suspension as part of my project, so had easy access to those bolts on the bench. 
 

It seems to me that you can improve access to them by undoing sway bar connection and dropping the strut, but others might have easier solution. 

[tech71]

43 minutes ago, its55 said:

they are only supposed to be 18 ft-lbs I believe. 

I torque mine to 25 Ft Lbs, thats based on standard torque specs for an M8 10.9 class fastener.

Both the Haynes and blue factory book are somewhat murky on the subject, different terms, nomenclature, german translations but I believe 25 ft lbs is correct

Edited April 2, 2023 by tech71

[its55]

10 minutes ago, tech71 said:

I torque mine to 25 Ft Lbs, thats based on standard torque specs for an M8 10.9 class fastener.

Both the Haynes and blue factory book are somewhat murky on the subject, different terms, nomenclature, german translations but I believe 25 ft lbs is correct

 

Good to know. “Hack Mechanic” stated 18. 

[Son of Marty]

2 hours ago, tech71 said:

Wonder what BMW put on at the factory.....

The factory used a single loop of thick (maybe .075) wire through all 3 bolts and twisted tight.