flyrv9
New member
Call them zip ties, cable ties, ty wraps or whatever - they used just about everywhere these days. I see many threads here where people mention they have used them all over their 4Runners. In my 20+ years in aviation I've used thousands of zip ties (from 3" to 3' long) for a variety of things. I thought I'd share a little info and a caution or two about these handy little devices.
After installing a zip tie you get to cut off the end. Please use flush cut pliers to do this. This leaves a smooth edge. If you use a regular pair of dykes, you will leave a little, sharp tab sticking out. You will find this later in the form of a big scratch - trust me! Also hold on to that piece you are cutting off; or it will fly somewhere that's hard to reach. There are some flush cut pliers that have a little piece next to the jaws that hold on to the waste side of what's cut, but they are hard to find.
Don't make the zip tie too tight. You can damage the wiring and you never know when you might want to sneak another wire under there. You can also use some fabric tape doubled over and wrapped around the harness under the tie wrap as a cushion.
Tie wraps will deteriorate over time when exposed to UV light and extreme temps. They will get brittle, crack and fail. So you guys using them to hold on license plates, in the engine compartment and such may want to replace them every so often. Or use some .032 safety wire instead.
If you are tying off a harness or wiring to existing structure of some kind, you can space it off for a neater, better look. Put the first tie wrap around what you are tying together (a harness to another parallel harness for example) and leave it quite loose. Then take another tie wrap and put it around the first tie wrap at 90 degrees pinching it between the 2 harnesses. Then tighten both up.
You can buy small square pads that have slots for tie wraps. You stick the pad where you want it (under a harness for example) and then use a tie wrap to secure the harness. If you put down a piece of aluminum tape first and then stick the pad to the tape; you will be able to remove everything later and leave no trace.
If you are looking for another option to tie wraps you can always go back to waxed lacing twine, It was used long before tie wraps came along and is still used in some applications.
You can get flush cut pliers at HD cheap.
After installing a zip tie you get to cut off the end. Please use flush cut pliers to do this. This leaves a smooth edge. If you use a regular pair of dykes, you will leave a little, sharp tab sticking out. You will find this later in the form of a big scratch - trust me! Also hold on to that piece you are cutting off; or it will fly somewhere that's hard to reach. There are some flush cut pliers that have a little piece next to the jaws that hold on to the waste side of what's cut, but they are hard to find.
Don't make the zip tie too tight. You can damage the wiring and you never know when you might want to sneak another wire under there. You can also use some fabric tape doubled over and wrapped around the harness under the tie wrap as a cushion.
Tie wraps will deteriorate over time when exposed to UV light and extreme temps. They will get brittle, crack and fail. So you guys using them to hold on license plates, in the engine compartment and such may want to replace them every so often. Or use some .032 safety wire instead.
If you are tying off a harness or wiring to existing structure of some kind, you can space it off for a neater, better look. Put the first tie wrap around what you are tying together (a harness to another parallel harness for example) and leave it quite loose. Then take another tie wrap and put it around the first tie wrap at 90 degrees pinching it between the 2 harnesses. Then tighten both up.
You can buy small square pads that have slots for tie wraps. You stick the pad where you want it (under a harness for example) and then use a tie wrap to secure the harness. If you put down a piece of aluminum tape first and then stick the pad to the tape; you will be able to remove everything later and leave no trace.
If you are looking for another option to tie wraps you can always go back to waxed lacing twine, It was used long before tie wraps came along and is still used in some applications.
You can get flush cut pliers at HD cheap.
