Transfer Case Shifter Question

Just got Willie back after the tranny/TC refresh. When I picked it up, I had already taken the shifter covers and boots off to minimize any scratching. But I noticed they had put a piece of bailing thru the set screw on the shifter pivot pin. He said there was originally a cable that should be there but they can't get them now so everyone uses bailing wire. Was there originally supposed to be something there to keep it from backing out? It's the set screw #30 in diagram below here. https://www.cj3b.info/Photos/Parts/TransferCase.jpg

 

if the hole is threaded , then a square head bolt goes there . now if hole has been stripped . maybe the reason for bailing wire there

 

Yep same as mine and the bailing wire is not tight, he said just to keep it from vibration backing it out.

 

What you all are calling "bailing wire" is actually tie wire used as safety wire. Tie wire as used on our Jeeps is borrowed from tying rebar for concrete work. It is the right gauge and is very soft, allowing for frequent twists. The early D18 transfer cases had all the bolts drilled for safety wire, not just the pivot pin. The idea is that once all the bolts are tightened, you run a piece of soft tie wire through a bolt head, give it a couple twists, through the next bolt head, a couple twists, and so on, linking them all. This is more effective than simply a lockwasher, making sure the bolts will not loosen from vibration. For critical parts, care must be taken to route the wire so it will not allow any backing out of the bolt.
This tequnique was likely borrowed from the aircraft industry. I'm not sure why the later Jeeps stopped using this method as it is simple and effective. As a teenager, I remember taking all the bolts from my Tux trans and T/C and drilling all the bolt heads to accept tie wire.
-Donny

 

Down here, bailing wire is used on the square bales (old school machines) and is the same wire the cement guys use too. I've noticed some places are now using that plastic twine stuff.

 

Today re rod and tiewire are coated with plastic to prevent salt in the rustbelt from eating the re rod when salt seeps into the concrete. It is a light green plastic coating.