Thumper Club Forum
Club House => Chatter => Topic started by: Andy M on November 21, 2010, 05:12:46 PM
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Just back from a week on the East Coast. Mostly gentle touring with Karen on the pillion, Gooner in the chair and a ton of luggage, but a couple of off roady bits just to prove the brick will do forrest roads and see what drops off (nothing as it turns out). Tidying up and starting MOT prep today I was going to have a rant at the previous owner whose grasp of anything electrical, bolt torques and corrosion resistance were sorely lacking when I started to compile a list of just how rough I've been getting the outfit usable. To date:
Exhaust leak (OK it was two 50p sized holes through the pipe just before the silencer bandaged up badly) temporarily cured for the trip away using welded on baked bean can (ASDA Smart Price, less galvanised than say Heinz!), gunk, bandages and wrap. (New silencer now arrived, stainless pipe sections on order).
Difference in new fork diameters and triple clamp set "cured" by judicious use of an Imperial (1 & 27th 68ths and half a groat or some such useless size) socket, extension and the hammer to open up the clamps.
Engine oil drained by taking the filter out as the drain is siezed in (need a pit to get the gun on).
Gearbox filler removed using stud extractor and oil changed using fish tank hose and the sort of syringe that'll frighten anyone whose ever the sort of medical complaint that stops you sitting down. (drain is blocked by sidecar subframe and will no doubt be rusted in, needs a QD frame section adding)
Final drive filler removed using a hammered in allen driver and the magic gun (impact driver).
Brake callipers removed using a selection of allen bits , extensions and silver sockets in direct violation of the instructions on the magic gun that tell you only to use black ones. (the pads were 100% rust with the material held on by gravity :o)
Major use of Hammerite to cover bits that might give the idea that this bike isn't in A-1 conditon.
In my defence the above is part of a programme involving a major rework, stainless bolts, return to better than new condition etc. that will have the outfit in first class condition for year round use (can't have it off the road just now in case it snows and I need it for work), but at this stage it really is at the carving knife and saw stage rather than microsurgery.
So, as I'm blaming you lot for my knowledge of such rough**** techniques (I'm a graduate Engineer Don'tcha Know), anyone else care to share any useful ideas or shameless bodges? ;D
Andy
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a sidecar? isnt that a non standard part, honestly, i dont see why people would put themselves through riding a bike with a chair, etc etc etc etc ;) ;D ;D ;D
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fudged a guys gearchange linkage on his gs550 chop about 17years ago at a rally with a splint a lollypop stick and some ducktape. told him to sort it out with either a bit of stud or a new part when he got home. found out the bodge gave out as he was in the south of france on a touring holiday. 18 months later. oddly at the same rally we put a harley back together using toothpaste instead of gasket sealer (even on the head) which worked but i wouldn't like to try it again. also found out the same weekend that 'old rosie' cider is in fact a hallucagenic :)
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There's no point me beginning to list my years of bodges, I wouldn't know where to start. The cardboard notebook cover used as a carb shroud to (successfully) reduce carb-icing was a favourite though ;)
GC
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A mate of mine once sucessfully made a new head gasket for his Ural outfit out of a lager can when it blew at a rally....actually thats not a bodge it's an upgrade....... :-\
I had a baffle blow on my Ural silencer once causing the bike to stall whenever I stopped. As the baffle was still rattling aroung in the end of the silencer I managed to 'fix' it with a piece of wood and 2ft of fence wire found around the back of the filling station. Cost of repair- nothing Expression on the face of the 916 rider watching me do it - priceless! ;D
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There's no point me beginning to list my years of bodges, I wouldn't know where to start. The cardboard notebook cover used as a carb shroud to (successfully) reduce carb-icing was a favourite though ;)
GC
You needed to carry a spare though. The second note book could have been used to leave yourself a little note along the lines of "Turn Petrol On" ;D ;D ;D
The looks of horror can be priceless. I once showed a Harley rider the sidestand tyre change trick. The utter terror as I jumped on his shiney wheel needed recording for posterity :D
This is getting worse though. I actrually now recall watching a video on U-tube of a bloke making his own (Meriden) Triumph gaskets out of cereal box and silicone. Struck me as a good idea :-[
I think I need to save up, put the MZ at the back of garage and buy a dealer serviced BMW or Ducati or something until these ideas wear off. Or maybe not ;D
Andty
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Andty
Is that a misspelt BBC euphamism and were you a Blue Peter presenter?
Toodle pip, Bill.
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Bike: Suzuki, KT120 trail bike
Stardate: OOOOha about 1968
Problem: Thinking I was running lean in the mountains I just had to raise the clip on the carby needle a notch,didn't I. Teenagers did these sort of things didn't they?
The clip went zinggggg and I spent much time forensically searching a sq meter of dirt track to no avail.
Solution: I found an old soft drink can, and the ring pull. The little tang the rivet goes through is about the same size as the needle and with the std Suzuki pliers and screwdriver I managed to make a clip that held together til I got home.
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I like this one, Its a GPS holder on a beemer of a guy in the Ulysses club. This character does serious long distance rides too.
"Brocka's GPS Mount"
(http://ulysses-wa.info/uploads/brocka's%20gps%20mount.jpg)
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Probably done far to many bodges to list, but I did recently impress some of my mates by using a zippo lighter as a wire stripper