Maybe a dumb question, but... We pulled my buddy's Model A apart and there seemed to be safety wire on every bolt. Is this typical, and does it need replaced? Any help is appreciated!
is it an old hot rod? or a stock original? or what? and what all parts had safety wire, just the chassis stuff or the engine or the body or all of it?
the engine is a stock model A. No frills. And if I'm not mistaken everything had wire. head bolts, the bearing caps had wire, the flywheel had wire. It seemed a little overkill, but it's the first I've ever pulled apart.
The Model A engine vibrated quite a bit and the Ford engineers used safety wire in the rear axle, and engine. I always re-wire to air Force specs, dont just loop it thru like the untrained mechanic before you.
I just got in a 2dr sedan A to get running for the owner. Last plates are 1955. Anyways, it has those door window anti-rattlers made by aftermarket places way back in time. My first ride in an A sedan decades ago, it sounded like all the glass was going to shatter at a certain RPM before shifting.
" Is this typical, and does it need replaced? " It does sound like overkill to an extent. I've not seen head bolts wired but when it putting it all back together, ask yourself if it will be a bad idea to safety wire a component. Like Chrisntx said, think of aircraft specifications. Use your head. Aircraft shall not hiccup or stumble, therefor, when in doubt, wire it. I probably safety wire more than the average trash yet I do not worry about the nuts or bolts that I have touched. I've got more interesting things to worry about. Dale Cleveland OH
I come from a long line of over builders. I safety wire everything I build. Here is a PDF that has lots of good safety wire info. Al
The Jalopy Journal
