CV Safety wiring of bolts info, or, how to stay sane and get through this job Options

[HalfMoon]

Hi everyone.
Having just finished rebuilding my CV’s to complete the winter rebuild of my rear suspension I thought I would share some valuable information on a specific job many of you are doing or contemplating: safety wiring the CV bolts.

There’s a lot of tech advice on how to use safety wire at Youtube (here’s a good one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi5e4ivifaM) so I won’t get into that part of the job but rather a few things specific to our needs.

First things first:
Use the best CV’s and hardware you can afford as I can assure you this (safety wiring the CV bolts) is something you’re not going to want to repeat anytime soon.

Second:
The book calls for a torque of 32 pounds on the bolts but most folks on “world” seem to go to 35 pounds. If you’re using paper gaskets like OEM, many have said it’s worth re-torqueing the bolts after a few days/weeks as some have seen the torque specs change due to the gasket taking a “crush”. That may indicate doing a safety wire job quite awhile after you’ve bolted things up. I did my CV’s off the car as it looks difficult if not impossible to safety wire the outer CV bolts once the axle’s installed, but others may have better experience with this (chime in if you do).
I mention the re-torque as I can assure you, cutting the wires and doing this a second time in your lifetime because you forgot to re-torque will make you want to slit your wrists and stab out your eyes.

Third:
I mean this in all sincerity, it might be a good idea to do this job either in a sound proof chamber or make sure the kids, wife, neighbors are all well clear of hearing distance. It’s likely you will be using words hitherto unknown to them and in creative new ways you had no idea you could use.

Fourth:
Don’t believe ANY vendor in reference to how much wire you will need to create eight safety wiring loops (which is commonly what you will do for an entire CV safety wire job). You will need at least a ten inches for each of the two bolts that are going to be “wired” and I daresay a wise man would plan for twelve. 8X12=96 inches. Most (of our 914) vendors that sell the special pliers along with wire will send about 65 inches, well short of what you’ll “really” need.

Fifth:
And yes I did save the crucial one for last.
Don’t bother buying bolts that have been drilled out by a vendor for your convenience. Do it yourself. I know it’s a huge bitch but I’ve yet to find a vendor that drills out the bolts with FOUR holes and believe me when I say this is going to be critically important in getting through this job without a homicide having occurred. Invariably, if you use bolts drilled with only two holes most if not all of them will not line up in a way that facilitates an easy job. One of the holes ALWAYS lines up facing the boot flange and threading a very stiff wire that close to a blocking piece of metal is an experience you will want to avoid. Pull your teeth with rusty pliers rather than thread safety wire through a two hole bolt with a piece of metal close by thereby blocking it from passage, your day will be much more pleasant.

That is all, over and out.
Off to drown myself in the hot tub.