Check those safety wires!

[Jim Craik]

Hi Jimmy!

You could not miss it, I went around a left turn and the rear jumped to the right....

I was sure I would find a flat/low right rear tire.....

But when I got out and looked, the right rear was full. It took me a few seconds to notice the wire and knock off.....

But as I noted, had it been a nice straight road I could have easly missed it until it was too late!

 

[Johan]

This shows my left rear wheel. I wire them this way so that if the wire has no slack I know they have loosened. Better that wiring them the other way and expecting the wire to somehow keep the spinner tight.
Many of the race cars I drive have safety pins but some do not. I prefer nuts to spinners.
The Thor hammer is designed to install the spinner with the soft side of the hammer and remove the spinner with the hard side. I use the hard side to install the spinners and then get a bigger hammer to remove them.

 

[Scott Calabro]

Leaving slack in safety wire is against the entire reason for using wire.

If you just want to see if the nut /spinner has loosened simply paint witness marks on the nut and wheel.

Again, properly installed, sized, aircraft stainless wire, WILL keep the nut/spinner from becoming un torqued.

In 31 years of corporate jet/helicopter MX, I have never seen a correct safety break from fatigue, and there is a whole hell of a lot more stress on helicopter main rotor head and tail rotor blade parts than on a wheel spinner, LOL!

 

[Johan]

Well if I used paint maybe I would not see it. I prefer to rely on tightening the spinner rather than the wire "holding the spinner tight". There are many applications for wire where torque is not a factor. Oil sump drain plugs, for instance, would not benefit by having a tight wire.

 

[Scott Calabro]

Well if I used paint maybe I would not see it. I prefer to rely on tightening the spinner rather than the wire "holding the spinner tight".

Correct torque on the retaining nut/spinner with a correct safety works ALL the time.

 

[Johan]

Ha , I said it first !

 

[Scott Calabro]

Ha , I said it first !

Yes, but who was the monkey that taught you to wire,

 

[Johan]

That is I think the misunderstanding. We don't safety wire center locks. Not the way you mean.

 

[Scott Calabro]

That is I think the misunderstanding. We don't safety wire center locks. Not the way you mean.

That's why they loosen up on you.

 

[Howard Jones]

My solution to this is to use a driver AND and big 3 pound Steel hammer. The driver is a solid shaft of aluminum 2 1/2 X 2 1/2 X 24 or so. Tighten the wheel onto the hub with the spinner by hand and make sure it is seated correctly. Put the car onto the ground. Then I place one end of the driver onto the spinner wing and beat the hell out of the other end until the spinner "seats with a nice metalic ting" You will know it when you hear it.

This method will prevent you from worrying about hitting the wheel or body with the hammer and as a result not hitting it hard enough. If you put it on loose or not seated correctly it will come off. If it is seated right and on tight it will not. Test your process by taking the wheel off now. You should need to hit it HARD to remove it. Use the driver again and you will not be affraid to hit it. If you don't need to really hit it hard to get it off then it's loose. No tap tap tap. HIT IT!

I use safety wire to indicate movement of the spinner NOT TO HOLD IT ON. If you apply the safety wire in the tighten direction then it must break for the spinner to loosen. If it is present then the spinner is tight. At the track I step up on the spinner at each wheel befor I get into the car before each session. Sort of a touch my nose and spit thing. I try to do it one at least every time I drive it on the street.

I would never not check it for two years. I don't mean to be a prick but thats not aceptable maintaince. Shit falls off if you don't keep on top of it. Egnore it at your own risk.

I have PS engineering wheels and adapter/spinners supplied by him. Never had a problem.

I use antisease lightly on both the male and female threads.

 

[Steve]

A little off topic but any thoughts on the various wrench attachments that enable you to torque the spinners to a specified foot/lb? It does seem a little more accurate than a lead hammer, and, therefore less likely to undertighten and risk loosening.

 

[Mike]

I bought one last year after powder coating my knockoffs. They work. The key to all this is to just take an extra 30 secs before you drive the car and either tap them with the lead hammer to make sure they are seated or put the wrench on them. I have no plans to ever wire mine. I do wonder though about tapping them with the lead hammer until you get that certain sound/feel. Its not a big whack to get it but I wonder about that force being transmitted to the wheel bearings and if that might cause imperfections in the race or rollers? I'll just put the wrench on mine each morning before heading out and feel good. If you want a car you can drive and forget maintenance maybe buy a new Camaro

The time spent driving/maintenance ratio for me is ~2/1. Worth every minute to me.