Where to buy .032 stainless steel safety wire / How much ?

[Jim Dugger]

I use one of the Chinese made pliers kits, and they have worked just fine for a while. The aircraft guys do it manually with locking needle-nose.

You will probably also want a nice set of medium-sized electrician's dykes since the safety wire tool really sucks at removing the wire. And, I like to use needle nose pliers to curl the finishing twists into a ring so you don't snag or get cut by the wire's sharp ends. Especially with the .032 with its size and stiffness, when you use typical wire cutters on it you are left with what is basically a razor blade on the edge of the wire.

[David Tiede]

What about the pliers? Any advice or thoughts. Is the Harbor Freight one "good enuf"?

My harbor freight safety wire pliers lasted half a season. I'm been using the "small" size from Lockhart Phillips for the last 18 months without incident. LP also has safety wire, and if you are licensed you can apply to their "privateer" program and get some pretty darn good pricing.

[Jeremiah Walker]

What about the pliers? Any advice or thoughts. Is the Harbor Freight one "good enuf"?

It's good enough. I use it. The .041 stuff is a B* though when it comes to the front.

[Heinz Roy]

My pair is about 30 years old so I bought one from Harbor Freight just as a backup pair...they work okay...came unscrewed, but screwed back together...find a good pair that will last. Just my opinion.

[Linz Leard]

Wire - aircraft supply. If that's not close, Amazon sells it, too. The blue one pound can. Less than $20 with shipping.

Safety wire pliers - IMO, Milbar makes the best safety wire pliers. They have been making them since, like, 800 years ago and they are not cheap. I got my pair from from my granddad as he was a pilot and an A&P. Still going after 45 years. I'm less thrilled with HF and other cheapie pliers, but I see folks use them all the time, and they seem to work. I also see some very poor safety wire jobs and I always blame the HF tool, even if it had nothing to do with it. I get my jollies that way.

[John Redford]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

[Ryan Max Johnson]

I'm still struggling with a *rule* that .032 must be used. Not only is there absolutely zero engineering data to support it, but that crap is really hard to work with on front axle pinch bolts and motor screen bolts that are close together. I am finding I'm getting a MUCH WORSE locking function with a lot more slack.

Completely agree, baseless rule. Use your big balla status and get that changed please;).

[Roger Albert]

The .032 is utterly ridiculous, arbitrary, and shows a desire to have a simple blanket number, ahead of good wiring with tight point to point lines. May be necessary in the lowest common denominator world of club racing where there is no ability to build in a lot of inspection capability, but narrower gauge wire ran on a better azimuth or tangent would be a far more effective rule..

[Mitch Williams]

I'm not having any trouble with the 032 wire. There are places I'm using it where I used to use thinner wire and it's working out fine. In fact, I'm breaking a lot less wire than I used to. I'm surprised to see all the folks having problems.

[Chris Coffey]

.025 is definitely needed in key locations...

I buy wire in bulk from an aircraft supplier because we use it in my shop. However, I had to do alot of running around last week to find some local to Dallas because we ran out.

These are the only places I found to stock .032 in Dallas:

Fastenal
Grainger
Motoliberty
Baits Cycle

There are more I am sure, but these are places I know for sure. Retail on a 1lbs can is just under $30..