What gauge safety wire?

Title says it all, what gauge safety wire should be used on race bikes, or do the thicknesses vary depending on how often something is R/R (e.g. - more often used, thinner wire, less often used, thicker wire)?

-Wish

 

I prefer to use the thinner stuff like .025 or around that size. It's much easier to work with. Fits through the little holes and bends easier. Makes no difference that I can see if the wire is thick or thin as to whether it's better when taken off frequently or not.

 

are you guys saying to reuse the stuff after you take something off?

when i stripped my bike down most6 of the way, i just cut all the safety wire off, and replaced it. but are you saying to just unwind the partt you need access to then put it back?

 

Brian, just rewire the bolt after you take it off. Safety wire is cheap.

 

No don't reuse it. Like above said it's cheap!!!

 

yeah thats what i thought, i have two rolls of it already, was just wondering if thats what they were talking about doing, seemed odd to me.

 

Brian, just a bit of advice. If you are bored, rewire your whole bike. It will give you plenty of practice for when it's third call to grid and you need to rewire the caliper bolts or something.

Plus, once you learn to work the pliers, it's kinda fun.

 

You have a lifetime supply.

 

That depends on how long you do this and if you have rain tires.


I've been through several rolls.

 

yeah already rewired it for the first track day, when it comes back it will get torn down again, then i will have to rewire!!!

i actually am not to bad with thhem, we used some on the old racecar, so i have some expirience. yeah they are kinda fun, you can play with how tight the winding is andhow much slack it has, it is cool. i did my whole bike over in about a half hour. though while on the subject, what all should be wired? all the oil stuff, radiator cap, calipers, front wheel pinch bolts, anything else.

 

I do not understand your comment about not seeing much use for the thin stuff.

If everything is done correctly, the safety wire is just along for the ride. It is not like you are suspending a bridge or anything like that with it.

The AMA requires .025 and that is what I usually use.

 

Actually if you want to get technical, the small (.020-.025) is supposed to be used only on electrical connections and internal engine bolts to make sure they don't come loose. The heavier stuff (.032-.040) is used for heavier apps like external engine bolts or even tail rotor blade bolts (helos). The small stuff in my opinion can be used, Mongo, because we use it also for safety wiring internal bolts in jet engines. I have never seen a broken piece of safety wire in an engine I have torn down, even after its lifecycle of 2400 hours. It goes through all that extreme heat (740°C), vibration, and stress and not one piece, ever, at all. I use the .020 on my bike, even for the calipers and haven't had probs yet. I think the thinner stuff is easier to get tighter but you are right the thick stuff is probably better.

 

Go with the heavier stuff. Not really worth cutting corners when it comes to wiring. Plus a bit bigger of a hole is eaier to drill.

 

You are not cutting any corners.

The safetywire is not in shear.

 

Can we use the removable pins on calipers and pinch bolts to make it easier when doing tyre changes?


Thanks

 

Anyone can use what they want to use, I just felt that there is an implication here that anyone that is not using battery cable for safety wire is doing something half assed.

 

Yes.

You can't use them on oil filters or oil drains though.