Grips and Safety Wire

[BEAVER.989]

I feel like an idiot for asking, but is there a "how-to" for safety wiring grips?

I tried yesterday and I'm not sure if I bought too thin of wire, or I'm trying to get it too tight, or just using the wrong technique, but I keep breaking the wire.

I'm using 18ga. wire and finally got it done, but it doesn't seem tight enough to even help, really.

[F-16Guy]

You need to use actual safety wire. For grips, I would use 0.020" wire. Safety wire pliers work best, but you can also use locking pliers. Drape the wire over the grip and pinch it together about 6" from the grip. Lock your pliers on the two wires and start twisting. Once you get up close to the grip, make the last one or two twists in a barrel roll fashion to draw it up tight. Cut the wire leaving a pig-tail about 4-6 twists long and fold the pig-tail in half with the cut end pointing into the grip so you don't snag your hand on it (safety wire hurts!!). You could also try cleaning your grips and bars really well and using a medium CA adhesive (like super glue, but fills gaps and dries a little slower so you can get the grip on). You can pick up medium CA at your local hobby shop and probably a hardware or craft store. IMO, it works much better than grip glue, and there is CA debonder at the hobby shop for removal time (nail polish remover with acetone works, too). That should eliminate the need for safety wire.

[BEAVER.989]

I went to the auto parts store and asked for "safety wire" and I got 18ga. mechanics wire. It looks about right, but is there something different I should be looking for, specifically?

I am using grip glue, but want to add the wire just to be sure since I just added a set of Nuetech curved bar ends and I'm afraid I won't be able to make the grips stay put with just glue.

[F-16Guy]

You need soft stainless lock wire (safety wire). I was just out looking at the wire, and you may want to get 0.032" wire. 0.020" wire breaks pretty easily if you over twist it, but the benefit is that it's thin and pretty unnoticeable. 0.032" might be easier to work with, it's just a little bulkier.

[bigd's ex]

I use this method & it works great. NEVER had a grip twist or slip.

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=350671&perpage=13&pagenumber=1

Here's the" How to wire " your grips thread http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=226546

[BEAVER.989]

Thanks for the help.

[kilgoja]

screw that crap...get some odi grips that require no glue or wires

http://www.odigrips.com/atvgrips.aspx