Bolts: Motor Mounts to Bell Housing- Safety Wire AND Lock Washers?

[1930-Pickup]

The bolts that hold the motor mounts to the bell housing have drilled heads for installing safety wire. The same bolt set-up also calls for using split lock washers.

It seems unusual to me to see two different locking features on a bolt. Are these things so seriously prone to vibrating loose? How did you guys do it on your car...one lock feature or both?

My mind says installing safety wire into those motor mount pockets is no problem, but my body has other thoughts

[redmodelt]

All the car that come thru our shop are drivers and I have not installed the wire in any of them. That includes float-a-motors. I have not had any reports of issues.

[kenparker]

I am with redmodelt on this one. I use bolts with lock washers on my motor mounts and never in 40 years had one come loose.

[Bill Cilker]

Both the Restoration guidelines and the parts list calls for the lock washers and the safety wire. If you are trying to be authentic then use both. If you have a driver, do what you think is best.

[1930-Pickup]

Hey thanks you guys. The two different locking methods make a lot more sense now.

[Ron in Quincy]

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Sounds like you have made up your mind to use both.

If you are going to be driving your "A" at lease that is one item you will not have to worry about the motor bolts coming loose. I believe you have made a good decision !!!!!

Ron

[art ebeling]

Could someone post a picture of how the bolts are wired?

[1930-Pickup]

Originally Posted by art ebeling

Could someone post a picture of how the bolts are wired?

The safety wiring will look different due to the clock position of the bolts. It would be better to Google How to Safety Wire bolts, this is/was a common practice with aircraft. Good luck.

[NCRebel]

We "tie-wired" bolts like the picture below when I worked on Huey's in the 1970's,

wire nuts.JPG

The idea is this; the head will spin to the left as the nut is removed. The wire will prevent the bolt head from spinning if the nut loosens. A castle nut can be secured with a carter pin or "tie-wired" in the opposite direction so the nut is restricted by the wire from loosening.

Tie it right to prevent Lefty-loosey.

[1930-Pickup]

Originally Posted by NCRebel

We "tie-wired" bolts like the picture below when I worked on Huey's in the 1970's,

Attachment 345475

Now THAT is a proper aircraft safety wire job! Well done.

[glenn in camino]

I usually use both, but once I forgot the wire and everything was ok. maybe lock washers with teeth would be better

[Marshall V. Daut]

It is a real PIA to wire these things because of the tight quarters and the fact that the holes in the bolt heads never seem to cooperate and line up nicely to ease the job.
Can you imagine doing this one task in the factory eight hours a day, 5 1/2 days a week? No wonder the turn over-rate in Ford factories was so high! Even for the least likely National Brain Trust candidates, this had to be a horrible job to do.
Marshall

[aermotor]

What wire is recommended? A/C .032 ss "looks" too small. Maybe some suppliers should sell 10' lengths of .051 A/C ss. A 1 pound roll is a lot for a car or two. (if .051 is used). Same goes for flywheel bolt wire.

John

[katy]

.041"
https://www.harborfreight.com/0041-i...coil-8895.html

[Slowplane]

Safety wire is like duct tape; its got a zillion uses. Don't know how I'd get by without it!

[NCRebel]

Amen on the multiple uses of extra tie wire in the shop or tool box. Be sure to use stainless on the car and the black stuff a big box store offers for rebar. There is no need to throw extra dollars in to a concrete slab.

[BillCNC]

Originally Posted by aermotor

What wire is recommended? A/C .032 ss "looks" too small. Maybe some suppliers should sell 10' lengths of .051 A/C ss. A 1 pound roll is a lot for a car or two. (if .051 is used). Same goes for flywheel bolt wire.

John

John,

PM me your address, I'll toss some in the mail for you tomorrow.

Regards
Bill

[Railcarmover]

Unlike a mechanical locking device this requires no loss of torque to be activated.Torque the bolt,the absence of air is the catalyst for the curing of the compound.In my opinion If Mr Ford had it available to him he would have used it from the labor saving advantage alone.

[daren007]

Mine are not saftied. No problems. Go to your local airport and ask for what ever size you want. Ask for a two foot piece. They will most likely give it to you for nothing. They throw that much away every day. I would use .032. Forget about filling the hole, .041 will drive you nuts. Huey and Cobra maintenance. Fun times.

[1930-Pickup]

Originally Posted by daren007

Mine are not saftied. No problems. Go to your local airport and ask for what ever size you want. Ask for a two foot piece. They will most likely give it to you for nothing. They throw that much away every day. I would use .032. Forget about filling the hole, .041 will drive you nuts. Huey and Cobra maintenance. Fun times.

I agree. .032 is my go-to size for most jobs. Bigger is too hard to work with, especially in small spaces.

If you plan to buy some, don't worry about getting expensive 'certified' wire...these old cars are not airplanes! Just get some annealed .032 stainless wire and you're good to go.

As a FAA licenced aircraft mechanic I was trained in using safety wire, but these days I don't get much practice anymore.