SAFE TYING AND APPLICATION

Safety wire locking is the

method to lock the nut in place
after tightening with the bolt
using a lock wire. A piece of
stainless steel wire passes
through a hole in the nut and
gives a lock wire load to the
nut and other ends tighten to
the body. So the nut will not get
loose itself.
Safety wire locking is the most
positive and satisfactory method of
safetying cap screws, studs, nuts,
bolt heads, and turnbuckle
barrels, which cannot be safely tied
by any other practical means. It is a
method of wiring together two or
more units in such a manner that
any tendency of one to loosen is
counteracted by the tightening of
the wire.
What is Safety Wire?
Safety wire is a wire used to
prevent bolts, screws, nuts, and
other types of fasteners from
loosening. It is usually made of
stainless steel but is also available
in Monel and Inconel alloys for
high-temperature applications and
Copper for break-away
applications.
Lock Wire Material
Specification
NASM20995(..)

CRES – C
MONEL – NC
INCONEL – N
Copper – CY
Safetying Emergency Equipment
• For safetying emergency equipment, always use copper or brass wire.
• Never use stainless steel, monel, carbon steel, or aluminum alloy
safety lock wire to secure emergency mechanisms such as switch
handles, guards covering handles used on exits, fire extinguishers,
emergency gear releases, or other emergency equipment.
• Some existing structural equipment or emergency devices for the
safety of flight require copper or brass safety wire (0.015 to .020 inch
diameter only), where the successful emergency operation of the
equipment is dependent on shearing or breaking of the safety wire.
• Particular care should be used to ensure that safetying does not
prevent emergency operations.
Safety wire locking method
There are two methods of
safety wiring :

•Double wire method

•Single wire method
The double wire method
that is most commonly
used.
Single wire method used on
screws, bolts, and/or nuts in
a closely-spaced or closed-
geometrical pattern such as a
triangle, square, rectangle, or
circle. The single wire
method may also be used on
parts in electrical systems
and in places that are
difficult to reach
When using the double wire
twisting method of safety
wiring, .032 inch minimum
diameter wire should be used
on parts that have a hole
diameter larger than .045
inch. Safety wire of .020 inch
diameter (double strand) may
be used on parts having a
nominal hole diameter
between .045 and .062 inch
with a spacing between parts
of less than 2 inches.
Importance of safety wire locking on aircraft

• Safety wire locking can save your life and helps in aviation safety.
• The lockwire is installed to put tension on the wire when the parts
become loose.
• Loose hardware or components have led to accidents, many of them
fatal. Safety wire is necessary in areas where a bolt could loosen during
vibration. Used properly, it will lock so that the wire remains taut and
prevents further movement. Think of it as wearing a belt with your
suspenders.
• Safety wire is not intended to take the place of the proper installation of
fasteners. Always make sure that the fasteners or components are
tightened to the proper torque first, then install the safety wire.
• Safety wire must never be overstressed. It will break under
vibrations if twisted too tightly. Safety wire must be pulled
taut when being twisted, and maintain a light tension when
secured.

• Safety wire ends must be bent under and inward toward the
part to avoid sharp or projecting ends, which might present
a safety hazard.
General Safety Wire Locking Rules
When using the safety wire method of safetying, the following general rules should be
followed:

• Use lock wire only one time and make sure that it is not damaged.
• When you install lock wire, make sure that there will not be chafing or fatigue. This is
to prevent damage to the lock wire or adjacent parts. The causes of chafing or damage
are vibrations or increased tension on the wire to prevent the loosening of the locked
items.
• The length of the wire between the attachment points must be as short as possible.
• When you safetying with lock wire in the fuel tank areas, make sure that there is no
protrusion of the wire ends:
• For the single wire method, you must twist the wire end with protrusion back to
the wire.
• For the double wire method, you must bend the wire ends with protrusion back
to the wire or the part that you lock (e.g. screw/nut).
• The line of approach of the lock wire must be approximately tangential
to the parts that you will lock.
• When you install the lock wire, the strand that goes through the hole
will tighten the locked item.
• It is important to identify items with left-hand and right-hand threads
carefully before start wire locking.
• The recommended method is the “double wire twisting method“.
• The maximum distance between fasteners should be 100 mm (3.94 in.).
• If the distance is more than 100 mm (3.94 in.) – use one more
attachment point.
• The maximum length of the wire should be 600 mm (23.62 in.).
• You can safetying a maximum of 3 items together with a lock wire.
The oil filter in the image above was not properly safety wired. The wire is routed in the right
direction, but there are too few twists per inch. The arrow points to the section with no twist.
Precautions Before Wire Locking
• Make sure that all lock wire holes are drilled.
• Make sure that the assembly was torqued to the requirements of the
related task.
• Use SPECIAL TWISTING PLIERS, to twist the lock wire clockwise at a
maximum angle of 60° and Do not put too much tension on the wire.
• Keep the lock wire tight during the twisting, until the twisted part
comes very near to the hole in the next unit.
• The direction of the wrap and the twisted strands must be such that
the loop around the part comes below the strands that go out of the
hole. Thus the loop will stay down and will not become loose.
• Twist the strands in the direction that will cause the lower lock wire
to always be pulled down.
• A pigtail of 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch (three to six twists) should be made at the end
of the wiring. Some aircraft manufacturer recommends that the length of
the twisted part (pigtail) must be between 10 mm to 15 mm.
• If necessary, cut and discard the unwanted length of lock wire and you
must collect the cut-off material to prevent damage to the aircraft.
• Bend the pigtail around the fastener head.
• When you safetying with lock wire in the fuel tank areas, make sure that
you bend the wire ends with protrusion along the wires. You must also
make sure that the wire ends stay near to the wire or the part that you
lock.
• Make sure that there are no signs of damage (nicks, kinks) on the lock
wire.
Use these types of wires for lock wire

• Use monel, inconel, or corrosion-resistant lock wire in high-

temperature areas.
• Use copper wire, 0.015 in. (0.381 mm) in diameter, on
emergency equipment only.
• Use Clad 5056 aluminum alloy wire for lock wire that touches
magnesium to prevent galvanic corrosion.
NOTE: Use copper wire where a seal is necessary on
emergency equipment to show no person has used the
equipment. Emergency equipment includes portable fire
extinguishers, first aid kits, emergency valves, and oxygen
regulators.
Safety wire twister
A safety wire twister is a tool that allows the user to grip the two loose
ends of a piece of safety wire in order to twist the safety wire.

Twist the wire with a wire twister as follows –

• Grip the wire in the jaws of the wire twister and slide the outer sleeve
down with your thumb to lock the handles or lock the spring-loaded pin.
• Pull the knob, and the spiral rod spins and twists the wire.
• Squeeze handles together to release wire.
• When using wire twisters, and the wire extends 3 inches beyond the jaws
of the twisters, loosely wrap the wire around the pliers to prevent
whipping and possible personal injury. Excessive twisting of the wire will
weaken the wire.
Diameter of lock wire vs number of twists

• Less than 0.019 inch dia – 11 to 14 twist per inch

• 0.019 to 0.026 inch dia – 9 to 12 twist per inch
• 0.023 to 0.042 inch dia – 7 to 10 twist per inch
• 0.043 to 0.065 inch dia – 5 to 8 twist per inch
• More than 0.065 inch dia – 4 to 7 twist per inch
TURNBUCKLE SAFETYING

When adjustments and rigging on the cables are

completed, the turnbuckles should be safetied as
necessary. Only two methods of safetying
turnbuckles have been adopted as standard
procedures by the armed services: the clip-locking
method (preferred) and the wire-wrapping method
Safetying turnbuckles: (A) Clip-locking method (preferred); (B) wire-wrapping
method.
Lock clips must be examined after assembly for proper
engagement of the hook lip in the turnbuckle barrel hole by
the application of slight pressure in the disengaging
direction. Lock clips must not be reused, as removal of the
clips from the installed position will severely damage them.
Clip-Locking Turnbuckles
• The clip-locking method of safetying
uses a NAS lock clip.
• To safety the turnbuckle, the slot in the
barrel must be aligned with the slot in
the cable terminal by holding the lock
clip between the thumb and forefinger
at the end loop.
• The straight end of the clip should be
inserted into the aperture formed by
the aligned slots by bringing the hook
end of the lock clip over the hole in the
center of the turnbuckle barrel and
seating the hook loop into the hole.
• Application of pressure to the hook
shoulder at the hole will engage the
hook lip in the turnbuckle barrel and
complete the safety locking of one
end.
• The above steps are then repeated
on the opposite end of the
turnbuckle barrel.
• Both locking clips may be inserted in
the same turnbuckle barrel hole, or
they may be inserted in opposite
holes.
Wire-Wrapping Turnbuckles
• First, two safety wires are passed
through the hole in the center of
the turnbuckle barrel.
• The ends of the wires are bent 90
degrees toward the ends of the
turnbuckle,
• Next, the ends of the wires are
passed through the holes in the
turnbuckle eye or between the
jaws of the turnbuckle fork, as
applicable
• The wires are then bent toward the
center of the turnbuckle, and each
one wrapped four times around the
shank. This secures the wires in
place.
• When a swaged turnbuckle terminal
is being safetied, one wire must be
passed through the hole provided for
this purpose in the terminal. It is
then looped over the free end of the
other wire, and both ends wrapped
around the shank.