how tight to twist fencing brace wires?

[RedNeckRacin]

I use hi tensile wire for braces and get them as tight as possible without breaking the wire. Using brace wire I'd think you would get it as tight as you can with out stretching the wire much.

Agreed. I have never been able to break hi-tensile wire with a stretcher. It always slips in the grippers before I can get it to tight.

 

[RickB]

I use actual brace wire on the one rising towards the fence run and regular barbed wire on the other one. I use an 8' treated wood top rail and 500 lb concrete fence posts. They don't budge. I don't figure the wires need to be too tight, the tension from the 5 barbed wires will tighten them up enough.

Properly braced corner wires work against the strand tension. That's why braces are wired.

 

[TomSeller]

Properly braced corner wires work against the strand tension. That's why braces are wired.

Yes, and the opposing barbed wire going the other direction will create a tight balance. Back in the day I tightened the X brace like a banjo, then when tightening the 5 strands of barbed wire one time the brace wire rising toward the 5 strands snapped. Now I snug the X brace up and let the 5 strands put the extra tension on it.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Yes, and the opposing barbed wire going the other direction will create a tight balance. Back in the day I tightened the X brace like a banjo, then when tightening the 5 strands of barbed wire one time the brace wire rising toward the 5 strands snapped. Now I snug the X brace up and let the 5 strands put the extra tension on it.

You snapped hi-tensile wire? Good grief! We just put up about 2 miles 3 years ago, and we would tighten the bracing wires to as tight as the wire stretcher would get them and crimped them off. Then we ran 5 strands of hi-tensile and tightened them until they were stiff. Never did snap a wire.

 

[farmer2009]

I've never snapped a brace wire either. I use number 9 brace wire. Some is annelid so it's workable other is stiff like high tensile just depends on the supplier.
On a corner there's no need to x it. The wire running up with the fence direction is what will do all the work. That's why you only snapped that one wire not both. Now a pull assembly or gate braces need the x because there will be pull both ways. I tighten mine till they get tight but not overly tight. And I don't over stretch my barbed wire either. Today's high tensile barbed wire won't take the stretch that regular barbed wire will, but it don't sag like the regular stuff either. Don't have any problems with fencing.

 

[QRTRHRS]

I use a single wire for a single brace but go to an "X" pattern for a double brace. The long "X" does seem to limit lift. I go with the single because I am fencing for horses since horses have a tendency to do dumb things on occasion. My preference is to use the "Hayes" type adjustable coupler. I put the couplers on the high side where they are somewhat not accessable to an animal. I tried those "Gripples" but they do not hold the tension fencing tensile requires.

I used coated tensile to fence my current property. Scrap pieces of coated wire worked great for my braces.

Don't scrimp on the length of your brace posts. Maybe a bag or so of Sacrete will help too.

 

[DT86]

Lol yeah I got stuck with a bunch of gripples. Agree that they will not hold over time.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Those little crimp connectors work great that have the sand inside. We always double or tripled them up though depending on how much tension was going to be on the wire. True crimping pliers that clamp the entire ferrule work the Best

 

[DT86]

Those little crimp connectors work great that have the sand inside. We always double or tripled them up though depending on how much tension was going to be on the wire. True crimping pliers that clamp the entire ferrule work the Best

Those are great, however I only use them to connect two ends, at the ends of a pull or to install a strainer. I remember the first ones I saw were labeled "xxx telephone company" in a cardboard box, now they come in plastic bottles.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Those are great, however I only use them to connect two ends, at the ends of a pull or to install a strainer. I remember the first ones I saw were labeled "xxx telephone company" in a cardboard box, now they come in plastic bottles.

We use them for everything. Braces, wire terminations, tensioners. Only ever had them come apart When cars go through the fence.