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Cotter pin vs. safety wire

dbegeman

Member
I need some help, I had the main wheel bearings replaced by antisplat and the result is a hub that is about an 1/8? bigger than the original. The cotter pin no longer lines up and I was advised to just sand down the axle nut so the cotter pin would fit. My question is, safety wire (doubled up) and wrapped around the nut fits without sanding, is this acceptable or am I better off sanding the nut down and using a cotter pin?
Thanks,
Dan
 
Consider how easy it is to cut through safety wire versus that huge cotter pin, which is designed for shear strength.

The hole that is there now had to be drilled by the builder.
 
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I have opened the cotter pin hole into a slot on numerous planes. It still effectively locks the nut and allows adjustment where sometimes the original installation didn't. & it still allows use of the 1/8" cotter pin.
 
I need some help, I had the main wheel bearings replaced by antisplat and the result is a hub that is about an 1/8” bigger than the original. The cotter pin no longer lines up and I was advised to just sand down the axle nut so the cotter pin would fit. My question is, safety wire (doubled up) and wrapped around the nut fits without sanding, is this acceptable or am I better off sanding the nut down and using a cotter pin?
Thanks,
Dan

If you don't want to sand the nut, use a shim.

One flat turn is equal to a 0.010 inch shim. Get a scrap of 0.020 aluminum and sand if down until you get the position you want. Sandpaper simply placed on a hard steel surface should do the job.
 
So drilling another hole in the axle or widening the original hole would not cause any structural issues or cause any stress cracks in the axle down the road?
 
Use a dremel tool to elongate the hole in the axle NUT. Or drill a new offset hole in the axle. Do not widen the existing hole in the axle.
 
I have two pairs of holes in my axle, as I change between wheel/tire sizes. Doubt it will be an issue as those axles are pretty stout.
 
If you don't want to sand the nut, use a shim.

One flat turn is equal to a 0.010 inch shim. Get a scrap of 0.020 aluminum and sand if down until you get the position you want. Sandpaper simply placed on a hard steel surface should do the job.

Wait, how would that help? He needs to make the nut shorter (one option) in order to engage the hole in the axle. A shim effectively makes the nut *longer* (I used some peelable shim from McMaster on one axle that developed a little sloppiness a while back).
 
Wait, how would that help? He needs to make the nut shorter (one option) in order to engage the hole in the axle. A shim effectively makes the nut *longer* (I used some peelable shim from McMaster on one axle that developed a little sloppiness a while back).

Correct, I was reading it as a close adjustment.... oops...

Sand the nut to make it fit, and then use a shim if you need to re-use the old hub.

It will be easier and less work than drilling new holes in the hardened steel axles, especially with the legs still on the plane.
 
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