Safety wire on timing gear bolts ?

[cngordon]

This Car Craft article about building a 440 uses safety wire on the timing gear retaining bolts. In the photo it appears they have drilled holes through the bolt heads for the wire.

Is that usual/normal/desired/goofy ?


http://www.carcraft.com/projectbuild/ccrp_0711_1964_mopar/photo_09.html

 

[67 coronet]

seems like overkill.whats wrong with locktite?

 

[PDFROGMAN]

safety wire is used in aviation applications
overkill in my opinion

 

[RustyRatRod]

It says in the text that they used both thread locker and safety wire. That is somewhat overkill. Maybe their engine builder was an aircraft mechanic.

 

[mosquito13]

overkill

we do it on our two stroke race bikes ... also my first dodge.

 

[Sixer]

Have seen a bolt locking plate for Chevs, but not for Mopars. Like so-

This would be the best way to go if concerned, but looks as if one would have to make it.

 

[coloradodave]

In my own experience, with properly torqued and lock-tited bolts, I've never seen cam bolts loosen up. I agree, overkill.

 

[1948 santa]

Overkill for shure never seen one come loose.

 

[62MAX]

Evidently Chrysler didn't think they were necessary.:grin:

 

[lewtot184]

locktite and proper torque is all thats needed.

 

[Doright]

I am an acft mechanic and car mechanic its over kill.

I would think that just drilling the heads of the bolts would weaken the bolts though, Actually I know it would.

Unless you have the special fasteners for safety wire/cotter keys don't drill the hard ware it wasn't designed to be drilled your just creating a week spot in your fastener for it too fail.

Lock-tight is even too much in some applications, Always follow MFG recomended specs. If it doesn't say oil the threads don't! If it says too use a certain torque don't exceed that torque.

Did you know that hardware's clamping power Goes down when over torqued?
Did you know that Nuts should never be reused? even in there second use clamping power of a nut goes down 10%-15%

(Yes some Nuts can be flipped over for their second use with no losses but but the fact that hardware looses clamping power when its reused is a true statement).

Third time use is even more dramatic when hardware is used again for third time you've lost at least 20% clamping power of a Nut. Bolts are the same but less dramatic.

The percentages I have stated are false and were only picked out of thin air as an explanation the actual loss amounts vary by materials of the fasteners the demonstration I witnessed was done with all calibrated Machinery to show the actual clamping power of different fasteners to show their losses in the real world.
It was a real eye opener for me the clamping power losses were dramatic when hardware is reused and or Over torqued.

 

[Garys1969RR]

I once had a 440 with a Racer Brown mushroom lifter cam. Well I didn't know you had to loc-tite the bolt back then. I oiled it and tightened it to 40 ft. lbs seems like. I was young and in experienced then. Well it was idling along fine, then just quit running. Took it apart and the bolt had loosened up and the cam sprocket came loose! Bent 6 or 8 valves. From then till now I use loc-tite on them. Never had a problem since.