ST2 pages
- safety wiring
ST2 pages
- safety wiring
Information on this page last updated 08/17/01.
front axle 
front brake 
countershaft 
rear axle 
rear brake 
header plugs 
Safety wiring is not just for racers. It is a good thing to learn and apply to any bike as there are always "problem" items that tend to come loose or "critical" items you would not like to come loose. Safety wiring can help with the problem items and give you peace of mind on the critical items.
Tools and supplies required are:
I find that separate needle-nosed pliers and wire cutters make it easier even though the saftey wire pliers could do these jobs as well. I do have a nut drilling jig but rarely use it. I find that it is easier to just secure the nut/bolt in a vise, mark the hole with a punch, and then drill free-hand. Start drilling perpendicular to the surface and carefuly and slowly tilt the drill in the desired direction of the hole. With a bit of practice it is not too difficult and you will not break too many bits. A cordless variable speed drill helps as it is easier to move around and controll the speed of the cut.
I still end up breaking or dulling a bit for every few fasteners so it pays to buy the bits in bulk at an industrial supply shop, they are much cheaper that way than buying them in blister-packs at the hardware store. Regular high-speed steel bits work fine on the stock fasteners and are the cheapest to buy. Stainless fasteners require something harder like the more expensive cobalt bits so you may need a handful of those as well. My local industrial supply shop sells high-speed steel bits in packs of a dozen for just a few dollars and cobalt bits for a bit under a dollar a piece. A bit of cutting oil will help the bits last longer before dulling, especially on stainless.
Safety wire pliers can be had from many places, I bought a low-priced pair from Harbor Freight for less than twenty dollars. They are not as fine as something more expensive but they do the job with no hassles. Perhaps if I did this all day long I would spring for a quality pair but the inexpensive ones have served me well in occasional use.
Harbor Freight also used to sell 1lb spools of stainless wire at a reasonable price. However, I do not see the wire listed on the website any more. The spool I have is labeled "Aircraft stainless lock wire" and is .032 in diameter. There are thinner and thicker diameters available but I have not tried them. Someone recommended the .032 to me and it seems to work well with 1/16in holes, is easy to work with, and holds up well. Alternative sources would be motorcycle shops that cater to racers, industrial supply houses, or aircraft supply houses.
Technique is hard to describe in words, that's why I included the pictures above. The main point is to drill the holes and secure the wire such that a loosening fastener will pull the wire tight. Usually you wire at least two fasteners together such that when one loosens it will pull the other tight and vice-versa. The wire should be twisted enough to be secure and look tidy, but not too tight as that might weaken the wire and allow it to break under stress. On the end of a run I like to twist 5 or 6 turns and fold the end back on itself and tuck it in somewhere such that it will not catch/cut fingers or clothing.
Some other things I have safety wired but do not have pictures of:
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