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Technical (Descriptive Topic Titles - Stay on Topic) => Lucas, Ignition, Charging, Electrical => Topic started by: TimK on 18.11. 2019 00:17

Title: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: TimK on 18.11. 2019 00:17
Hi Everyone

Does anyone know the thread size of the "coil core locking nut" on the rear of the horn?

Cheers
Tim
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: Sav on 18.11. 2019 09:07
http://taffthehorns.com/

Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: Swarfcut on 18.11. 2019 16:10
Without a horn to hand, my guess is that Old Joe Lucas would use a BA  (British Association) Thread as this is the common thread favoured at the time for electrical  components.

 Thread is a basic 47.5 degrees, for all sizes, Largest size (0 BA) has  Nominal diameter  0.2362", Minor diameter  0.1890" and  25.4 TPI, ( a real oddball system) The TPI changes for every reduction in diameter.  See if your bits are anywhere near to  dimensions on published data tables.

 Smaller sizes in this system are identified by a larger numerical designation, up to 12BA at 0.0512" nominal diameter, with a TPI of 90.9!

 Apologies in advance if I am completely wrong, but it is a good place to start.

   Taff the horn is always worth scanning for a little light relief, but be careful working with horns all day........



Swarfy.
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: trevinoz on 18.11. 2019 20:40
That would be 9/16" x 32 t.p.i.
Just one of the many Lucas bastard threads.
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: duTch on 18.11. 2019 23:00

 
Quote
..........  ...... and  25.4 TPI, ( a real oddball..

 That equates to 1.0mm pitch  *conf2*
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: trevinoz on 19.11. 2019 21:03
B.A. is a metric thread, Dutch.
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: duTch on 19.11. 2019 21:19

 
Quote
B.A. is a metric thread, Dutch.

 I've long suspected that but never saw it documented.... *conf2*
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: groily on 20.11. 2019 17:42
http://mdmetric.com/tech/thddat8.htm#ba

There you go DuTch - Doesn't say 'It's a Metric Thread Form' in as many words, but you'll see all the major diameters are roundish numbers/fractions in metric, going down in a series of carefully-planned steps from 0BA at 6 x 1mm.
Spanner sizes which don't really overlap a whole lot with fractional AF sizes, but 4BA is 1/4 AF - and that's the commonest one we need.
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: Colsbeeza on 20.11. 2019 20:31
Swarfy,
At my age, it is a while since I had a horn in my hand.
Col
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: trevinoz on 20.11. 2019 20:45
I thought you were one, Col.
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: TimK on 21.11. 2019 03:56
Thanks guys, it's definitely a bigger diameter than any of the BA options and looking at the thread I'd say that trevinoz's 9/16 x 32 tpi looks a very good candidate.

Cheers
Tim
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: Rex on 21.11. 2019 09:35
http://mdmetric.com/tech/thddat8.htm#ba
but 4BA is 1/4 AF - and that's the commonest one we need.

4BA is considerably smaller than 1/4 AF?
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: groily on 21.11. 2019 09:53
Yes - but Across the Flats spanner jaw size Rex, not shank diameter  . . .
Standard  hex on say, UNF or UNC 1/4" screw/bolt, is 7/16" across, which is v close to 3/16" WW - aka 1/4" BSF.

I fully understand why all my mates here where I am are perfectly happy with metric on their 'Continental European' machinery!
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: morris on 21.11. 2019 11:12
I fully understand why all my mates here where I am are perfectly happy with metric on their 'Continental European' machinery!
*lol*
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: duTch on 21.11. 2019 14:46

 
Quote
........I fully understand why all my mates here where I am are perfectly happy with metric on their 'Continental European' machinery!

 Yes true as- but the actual fasteners are not always available from a regular nut and bolt shop either....Auto/Moto threads are usually ISO fine -or ?- instead of hardware coarse  eg; Moto G frame joint 12mm x 1.0 (?) socket heads  *pull hair out*
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: Rex on 21.11. 2019 16:30
Yes - but Across the Flats spanner jaw size Rex, not shank diameter  . . .

I don't know if I'm being particularly thick today, but 4BA is roughly 6.5mm across the flats, and 1/4 UNF is roughly 11mm. :!
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: groily on 21.11. 2019 16:49
And yup again DuTch, 'tis very true!
 
There is quite a lot of stuff that's a real pain on some of the classic 'Metric Machines' too, especially a tendency to use 7mm and 9mm, often at 1mm pitch. Your average supplier won't have any of that, is for sure. Not always that easy to find threading tackle for some of the different pitches they used down in the 2.5 to 4.5mm area either.
But  . . . at least metric spanners fit all metric bolts, even if the heads are often a size smaller than you'd expect for the shank.

It's not just 'continental' makes either - I cursed for hours when I broke the heads off a couple of undersized 12mm AF (but M8 shanked) seized exhaust header pipe retainer bolts on my XJR Yam a while back. Absolute nightmare to sort out with the engine in the frame, and I ended up making new studs and brass nuts at 13mm AF, which will be a lot easier to get off next time. (Bit like the ongoing sump plate discussion  on here . . . Why the heck do people use bolts & setscrews in places where they are almost guaranteed to cause trouble down the line?!) Little Things that can Cause Big Grief, when the manufacturer's consideration only extends to the initial assembly of a new part in a clean factory environment.
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: groily on 21.11. 2019 17:06
Not thick at all Rex, it's just that these things are designed to confuse!

1/4 inch bolts in UNC and UNF take 7/16th AF spanners - that's yer 11mm near enough - across the jaw. You're dead right. They don't take a 1/4 AF weapon.
But 4BA bolt heads will take 1/4 inch AF - across the jaw - spanners.

A Whit form spanner is sized according to the bolt diameter not the width of the hex head and so the sizes are always miles 'smaller' than spanners for US-type fasteners. Hence the ref to 3/16 Whit or 1/4 BSF being pretty close to 7/16 AF.
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: duTch on 21.11. 2019 22:17

 
Quote
......There is quite a lot of stuff that's a real pain on some of the classic 'Metric Machines' too, especially a tendency to use 7mm and 9mm, often at 1mm pitch.....

 I was fixing something for a friend and needed a 7.0mm 1.0 bolt and was surprised the bolt shop had "em in one length ~2"- the guy said they something to do with bicycle seat post
 Ok- I don't want to hijack the horn thread...
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: TimK on 08.12. 2019 21:58
Hi Everyone

following up on my original post, I gave up trying to find a suitably threaded locknut ( I though taffthehorn would be my best bet, but he didn't get back to me), but my brother managed to find a tap for me (he makes stuff for aircraft and they use some seriously weird threads in that industry), so I'm going to tap another lock nut to the correct thread.

Cheers

Tim
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: duTch on 08.12. 2019 23:38

 So what thread did you end up with ?

 Totally unrelated, I needed a M12 *square* nut for a doo-dad for a wing-wong I was making, but gave up and made one  *bright idea* from 10mm flat bar  *work*, (various websites showed them to no avail  *pull hair out*)


   
Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: groily on 09.12. 2019 08:45
Just to say, a bit late in the day, sorry! - that 9/16" x 32 tpi is an available size. I was on Tracy Tools' site the weekend looking for 19/32nds x 32 - which isn't listed and maybe doesn't exist - and saw 9/16ths (which I do have) is still there. (55°, if it matters, which at that size it probably doesn't, much.)
https://www.tracytools.com/taps-and-dies/whitform-taps-dies?page=2


Title: Re: Altette Horn thread size
Post by: TimK on 11.12. 2019 22:15
My brother is sending me a 9/16 x 32 UNS which he got at mates rates due to the amount of stuff his company buys. I saw the tap at Tracy tools but baulked at paying 9 pounds for a tap I'll probably only use once!