Safety Wire for Zipper Boots???

[SteveKuhn]

I think I read all the boot threads as well as the -20. For the life of me I can't figure out where the safety wire mentioned is supposed to go or what kind/gauge wire I should use. Boots didn't come in a kit - just boots.

Can anybody enlighten me?

Thanks.

Steve

 

[F18hornetM]

I didnt use any on mine. However, the rubber didnt last long enough to worry about the zipper coming un-zipped !!

 

[clinto]

I have done at least 30 of these, on more than a dozen different trucks, never have I seen safety wire on them. Not a one and all but one of the trucks I've done had come straight from the military.

Like Hornet said, the worthless rubber will dry rot off the axle before it can wiggle the zipper loose.

 

[SteveKuhn]

Like you both, my boots failed. Less than a year old, not dry-rotted, and both split and blew grease out.

I did find a PS piece posted by Bjorn that made the point that failing to remove the plugs during lubrication can blow the boot off. Suppose it could build excess pressure and cause a split short of that. I didn't do the last lube so I'm going to watch for that.

Still would like to know how that wire setup works.

Steve

 

[F18hornetM]

Mine didnt blow apart, they just split in a 100 places. Rotten like, all cracked up. If they blew out it would most likely be in one spot or one tear I'd think.

 

[clinto]

Mine didnt blow apart, they just split in a 100 places. Rotten like, all cracked up. If they blew out it would most likely be in one spot or one tear I'd think.

They'll blow apart if you give them enough time.

Pics: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/9728-2-month-old-split-axle-boots.html

 

[Floridianson]

Never seen it done but I would guess you would wire the two halfs together at the end after zipping it up for extra measure.

 

[Cycletek]

I wonder if the rubber of the boots and the grease being used are incompatible, causing a breaking down in the chemical structure. Had this problem with a guys bike, i have worked on Harley's for the last 35 years, the grease he used was eating the seals. He used this "Super Grease" he uses at Edwards Air Force Base, thinking it was a better choice, come to find out, the seal used on the plane he was building used a teflon seal, because rubber melted. Back to the safety wire Question, i safety wire everything, one because I have a A&P Cert form small aircraft and I have been working on Milwaukee Paint shakers forever........Stainless safety wire = peace of mind!

 

[fsearls92]

The darn boots don't last long enough to have to worry about a safety wire. Seems like we have to replace them every 2-3 months they are going to be replaced.

 

[SteveKuhn]

While I agree with everybody on unreasonably short life . . .

Cycletek: How would you install the wire in this case? The grease argument makes sense except the only thing being used is what meets spec - Valvoline, I think.

Steve

 

[Cycletek]

Loop it through the hole in the Zipper tongue and fold the zipper toward the teeth and take both ends of the wire and pierce the rubber next to the zipper, join them together on the back side. And twist them together fairly tight without breakage. Should be enough to prevent an inadvertent unzipping of the boot...........We will have no wardrobe malfunctions in this group!.....

 

[cranetruck]

Like you both, my boots failed. Less than a year old, not dry-rotted, and both split and blew grease out.

I did find a PS piece posted by Bjorn that made the point that failing to remove the plugs during lubrication can blow the boot off. Suppose it could build excess pressure and cause a split short of that. I didn't do the last lube so I'm going to watch for that.

Still would like to know how that wire setup works.

Steve

It's possible that the safety wire bit is an error in the TM, that's not totally unknown you know..
Here is the PS mag article on the installation, where excess zipper simply is cut off.

 

[SteveKuhn]

Cycletek: That's a very sensible explanation of how to do it.

Cranetruck: I hadn't seen this particular PS article. Helps a lot.

Thanks to both.

Steve