I've been asked a few times over the years how to safety wire hose clamps.
There's a few ways to do it but I have always felt that the method I use is easy and reliable.
Feel free to add your own tips for safety wire and/or bike prep ideas.
So, to the hose clamps.
- Position the clamp on the hose so that the tail is sticking out in a spot that you'll be able to loop some safety wire through the last hole of the tail.
Next use your fancy twirly pliers to spin enough safety wire to loop around the clamp and end just short of the clamp screw on the back side. See pics. You'll want the end of the twirl to be pretty close to the end of the clamp screw but make sure there is a gap to ensure the safety wire is under tension when it's all done. Otherwise it won't really be doing much to secure the hose clamp.
Now straddle the clamp screw with the two safety wire pig tails. Clamp on to the wire and twirl them again. Make sure you're pulling in an appropriate direction (in the case of my pictures, pulling a bit up from horizontal) to make sure the safety wire doesn't pop up over the clamp screw and come off. If you do it right the safety wire twirl will tighten itself between the head of the clamp screw and the hose clamp. Finally cut off the excess safety wire then bend the tail in.
There's a few ways to do it but I have always felt that the method I use is easy and reliable.
Feel free to add your own tips for safety wire and/or bike prep ideas.
So, to the hose clamps.
- Position the clamp on the hose so that the tail is sticking out in a spot that you'll be able to loop some safety wire through the last hole of the tail.
Next use your fancy twirly pliers to spin enough safety wire to loop around the clamp and end just short of the clamp screw on the back side. See pics. You'll want the end of the twirl to be pretty close to the end of the clamp screw but make sure there is a gap to ensure the safety wire is under tension when it's all done. Otherwise it won't really be doing much to secure the hose clamp.
Now straddle the clamp screw with the two safety wire pig tails. Clamp on to the wire and twirl them again. Make sure you're pulling in an appropriate direction (in the case of my pictures, pulling a bit up from horizontal) to make sure the safety wire doesn't pop up over the clamp screw and come off. If you do it right the safety wire twirl will tighten itself between the head of the clamp screw and the hose clamp. Finally cut off the excess safety wire then bend the tail in.
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