Reusable cotter pins
Moderator: Rob Voska
-
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:01 pm
- Vintage Karting items owned: A-Bone
Reusable cotter pins
Did anyone use reusable cotter pins (Barry/Berry clips) on their vintage kart spindles/wheels back in the day? Were they even around then? I don't know how long they have been in existence.
http://www.cometkartsales.com/store/cha ... yclips.jpg
Tom
http://www.cometkartsales.com/store/cha ... yclips.jpg
Tom
- Dan Flanders
- Posts: 256
- Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2007 3:12 am
- Vintage Karting items owned: Pimped out Yerf-Dog with 22" spinners
- User Agreement: Yes
- Location: South of the Sweet Tea Line
Re: Reusable cotter pins
Hi Tom-
As Rob pointed out, they were not in use back in the day. Most folks used good 'ol cotter pins or safety wire to secure stuff.
How's the A-Bone coming? Are you managing to keep the drive way dug out. I bet the skiing up at Bear is fantastic.
Dan
As Rob pointed out, they were not in use back in the day. Most folks used good 'ol cotter pins or safety wire to secure stuff.
How's the A-Bone coming? Are you managing to keep the drive way dug out. I bet the skiing up at Bear is fantastic.
Dan
-
- Posts: 70
- Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 12:25 pm
Re: Reusable cotter pins
I was buying them about 1966/67. I saw them on some of John Hartman's karts at the enduro races in So Cal and thought they were a great idea, so I bought some. Hartman always seemed to find neat ways to do things. Most racers were using cotter pins as previous posts have stated. I was buying my clips at a suplus store in Riverside Ca. that sold all types of aircraft hardware and other misc items.
Michael
Michael
-
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:01 pm
- Vintage Karting items owned: A-Bone
Re: Reusable cotter pins
Well Hi Dan!
The A-Bone is finished and I took it out for the first time to Dean's playday at Dixon Saturday and had a great time, although did have a bit too much wrenching with some sprocket/sprocket hub problems. I am sending you a photo of my kart!
Snow, not now, but we had 5 1/2 feet in one month from Jan-Feb! I don't ski anymore because my back doesn't like it
Michael, now THAT's interesting! So you used them on your kart in the 60's???
Tom
The A-Bone is finished and I took it out for the first time to Dean's playday at Dixon Saturday and had a great time, although did have a bit too much wrenching with some sprocket/sprocket hub problems. I am sending you a photo of my kart!
Snow, not now, but we had 5 1/2 feet in one month from Jan-Feb! I don't ski anymore because my back doesn't like it

Michael, now THAT's interesting! So you used them on your kart in the 60's???
Tom
Re: Reusable cotter pins
I was a aircraft A&P mechanic back in 62 ,and had Dzus fastners, Adel clamps,cowling saftey pins, AN fitings, AeroQuip hose, AN clevis bolts &castle nuts , metal &fiber stop nuts, and (2) Karting Hall of Famers to attest . They always said I was flying..
thk/u,gus.
thk/u,gus.
-
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:01 pm
- Vintage Karting items owned: A-Bone
Re: Reusable cotter pins
Nils,
I saw just about everything listed, but you left out reusable cotter pins?
Tom
I saw just about everything listed, but you left out reusable cotter pins?
Tom
Re: Reusable cotter pins
Tom Stephens wrote:Nils,
I saw just about everything listed, but you left out reusable cotter pins?
Tom
Sorry Tom ;
Cowling safty pins are reusable cotter pins been around probably since the 1930s ,cotter pins tend to be FODs (foreign object damage) prone, Where I worked we never re-used A/c fastners ,but all good enough for my kart in the early 60s. I guess I would need lots of documentation for my fabrication technique's (hand made Kart full of A/C hardware) if we ever ran TBO ? thk/u,gus.
-
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:01 pm
- Vintage Karting items owned: A-Bone
Re: Reusable cotter pins
Nils,
Oooohhhh, I had no idea. Thanks for the clarification! I never knew WHAT to call them. I mostly heard Berry/Barry clips, but no one even knew why they were called that.
Cowling safely pins, I like that
Tom
Oooohhhh, I had no idea. Thanks for the clarification! I never knew WHAT to call them. I mostly heard Berry/Barry clips, but no one even knew why they were called that.
Cowling safely pins, I like that

Tom
-
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 11:53 am
- Vintage Karting items owned: Dart A-Bone, HumBug, Macs and a Blender, Panthers.
Re: Reusable cotter pins
Tom,
I have used them on my A Bone for the front wheel nuts, but last year, when I was unloading my kart, I found one on the carpet in the truck bed, and it was off my front left wheel. It must have snagged something.
Now, we all know to check our karts over carefully before running, but had I not noticed the missing Berry clip, for sure I would have lost that front wheel at some point.
For that reason, if you use them, double check them everytime you run.Because of the Berry clip that came off when it got snagged, I myself have decided to use cotter pins, which are cheap, and more secure.
I have used them on my A Bone for the front wheel nuts, but last year, when I was unloading my kart, I found one on the carpet in the truck bed, and it was off my front left wheel. It must have snagged something.
Now, we all know to check our karts over carefully before running, but had I not noticed the missing Berry clip, for sure I would have lost that front wheel at some point.
For that reason, if you use them, double check them everytime you run.Because of the Berry clip that came off when it got snagged, I myself have decided to use cotter pins, which are cheap, and more secure.