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The debate about safety wire vs safety cable on landing gear
Had a guy at a hangar in Phoenix tell me safety wire is the only way to go, said cable is just lazy work. Then a mechanic I trust showed me a bird strike where cable held but wire snapped. Which do you guys lean toward for critical flight control bolts?
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jade6183mo ago
...and honestly I think that's a bad reason to pick wire over cable. One bird strike story doesn't prove much, but it proves cable holds up under impact better. I've seen safety wire chafe through on gear bolts that see a lot of vibration, especially on taildraggers. Cable handles that movement way better without loosening up over time. If it's a critical bolt that takes constant load, I'd take cable every time over something that can get nicked or cut.
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riley583mo ago
Ngl, I feel like people get way too worked up about this stuff sometimes. It's a cotter pin replacement, not a life support system. I've used both on various projects and honestly never had either fail on me in a way that made me think about it for more than five minutes. If you're torquing bolts correctly and checking them regular, either option works fine for most cases. This whole debate feels like arguing over which brand of zip ties is better. Just pick whichever you have in the toolbox and move on.
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phoenixp303mo ago
Yep, that chafe problem is real. Seen it myself on a buddy's Cub, wire just wore through on a gear leg after a season of gravel strip abuse. Cable doesn't have that same sharp edge to cut itself on, it's more forgiving with the movement. Plus you can cinch cable down a lot tighter without worrying about it cracking off under tension like wire does when you really crank on it. For anything that sees constant shaking or load changes, cable is just the smarter pick.
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