The BSA A7-A10 Forum

Technical (Descriptive Topic Titles - Stay on Topic) => A7 & A10 Engine => Topic started by: Mick Parry on 30.07. 2010 08:41

Title: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: Mick Parry on 30.07. 2010 08:41
Chaps

I have a 1960 A10 which is in brilliant nick but has a couple of minor irritating faults.

The handlebar grips dont grip, you can spin them around because the must be slightly oversize. This same happens with the kick start rubber, it is just to loose.

Is there a "trick of the trade" to cure this or a recommended adhesive to use.

Many thanks

Mick
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: LJ. on 30.07. 2010 09:32
Hi Mick... In the past when I've had loose fitting handlebar grips I've used a hot glue gun, squirting into the grip and then twisting on quick before glue cools and hardens. Don't use electrical insulation tape as it makes a horrible sticky mess. As for the kick start rubber, if you intend riding a lot then the rubber wont last very long as they are now made of poor quality material.
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: lawnmowerman on 30.07. 2010 09:56
Self amalgamating tape can help. It is a non-adhesive stretchy rubber tape which you stretch to half the original width when you apply it. Start from the inside edge of the grips (or kickstart) so the overlaps point inwards and it will make it easier to push the rubbers on. Once applied this tape fuses together into a solid mass - hence the name self-amalgamating. I first discovered this stuff many years ago as an apprentice in BT where it was (and still is) used to seal underground cable joints. I always have a roll in the car as it is great to temporarily seal leaking cooling hose rubbers. Do not be tempted to use washing up liquid to ease on the grips as they will continue to slip for ages after - if they are tight a smear of silicone sealant will help them on and when set will hold them tight.
Why is it that we cannot get decent footrest and kickstart rubbers now - seems to be a gap in the market for a quality supplier. I am sure that we would all pay more for something which lasts more than a few weeks.
Jim
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: sparx on 30.07. 2010 10:03
 I tried some silicon sealant... but it didn't work. Didn't seem to want to stick to the shiny handlebar.   *sad2*
 I'll try that hot glue LJ, maybe warm the end of the 'bar a bit to give some wriggle room.
  Maybe the grips are a little oversize to fit the twist grip, that one seems nice and tight on my A10?
  I agree 100% about the kick start rubber. I've not even got my A10 on the road yet after a restoration job and the end of the rubber is hanging off. Granted I've had issues with the engine that have resulted in six months worth of kick-starting in the last few weeks, but all the same....
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: MG on 30.07. 2010 10:23
There's an old racing mod for loose rubbers.  *smile*
This will also work for handlebars.

Cheers, Markus
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: A10Boy on 30.07. 2010 11:07
An old trick which works for me with my Beeston type grips.

Get new ones because tape and stuff stretches them. Clean bars with meths. Wait til the coast is clear then get her best hairspray from the boudoir and give the bar ends a good wetting. Slide grips into position and after 5 minutes the spirits have gassed off leaving the grips firmly glued in place. - Dont forget to return the now empty hairspray can to the boudoir after wiping off all traces of oil and fingerprints.

HTH
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: LJ. on 30.07. 2010 12:50
I'd rather stick to the dangers of motorcycling than to mess with her hairspray!
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: RichardL on 30.07. 2010 13:15
I have not done it, but it sems reasonable to put the handlebar grips on using the same method as for golf grips. Wrap handle with two-sided masking tape. Activate tape and inside of grip with MEK. Dump excess MEK from iside of grip. Slide grip on and quickly establish its resting place. (MEK dries really fast.) When ready to remove, cut the grips away, because it will be impossible (I think) to remove them any other way. When ready to apply the next set. peel or scrape away the tape remnants and cleanup with MEK (Please do all this outdoors or in exceptionally well ventilated area and according to lacal codes and ordinances, and according to your own best judgement. There, saved myself a lawsuit.)

Richard L.
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: a10 gf on 30.07. 2010 13:26
Agree that self amalgamating tape can be very helpful for may purposes (excellent for waterproofing electrical joints, temporary fix for car radiator tubes etc). Have used it for handlebar\footrest, let it set for a while, then applying isopropyl alcohol (which evaporates 100%) to help sliding the handlebar\footrest on.

ps,  ;) applied some light moderation, including to the moderator. Please remember, we've got ladies reading  ;)  Any Flak (http://www.303rdbg.com/pp-flak.jpg), pm me
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: MG on 30.07. 2010 13:32
Quote
Please do all this outdoors or in exceptionally well ventilated area and according to lacal codes and ordinances, and according to your own best judgement. There, saved myself a lawsuit.)

Richard, now there's absolutely no doubt left you're American.  *lol*

And what the hell is MEK?
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: a101960 on 30.07. 2010 13:52
Quote
And what the hell is MEK?

MEK is an extremely powerful and dangerous solvent. My advice would be don't even go there. Its use is banned by the British armed forces because of the health implications. Liver and kidney damage among other things. That must tell you something.

John
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: iansoady on 30.07. 2010 14:16
I've always found a quick swill with petrol works for tight fitting grips - like MEK it evaporates quickly but more important is more readily to hand.

I've also used spray adhesive (Evostik type as used for car upholstery) for loose ones and that's worked OK as well.
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: a10 gf on 30.07. 2010 14:22
offtopic:
Quote
MEK is an extremely powerful and dangerous solvent.
In other words, a very 'good' product. I've worked in fumes from similar stuff long time ago, when such products where cheap, effective and 'safe' (= in the good ol' days, smoking was very healthy, and for Christmas, kids got harmonicas made of lead lol). Horrible experience. So Richard's words are well funded (well fumed...)
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: RichardL on 30.07. 2010 14:36
Methy Ethyl Ketone. Available here in your local hardware store. In no way am I suggesting it is safe, but I'm hoping it's damaging influences are not a surety (so far, so good, more than 40 years later). Having been in the loudspeaker manufacturing business in the late '60s and much of the '70s, MEK was everywhere in the factory. If you wanted MEK-based adhesives off your hands you scrubbed with MEK.

Yes, other solvents might be a better choice.

Richard L.
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: MG on 30.07. 2010 14:51
Thanks guys, found it on wikipedia in the mean time.

I'm not too concerned about liver damage, that's seen worse stuff for sure. But the kidneys....  *lol*

Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: A10Boy on 30.07. 2010 15:16
Its probably more dangerous being caught with her hairspray..........
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: a101960 on 30.07. 2010 15:21
Quote
Having been in the loudspeaker manufacturing business in the late '60s and much of the '70s, MEK was everywhere in he factory. If you wanted MEK-based adhesives off your hands you scrubbed with MEK.

Richard,
There all are kinds of anomalies in UK law. You cannot hire a chainsaw or a disc cutter for example unless you can show the appropriate certification for operating these tools. Yet you can legally purchase these items from your local hardware store.

As a10gf so rightly surmises: "The good old days" People of our generation were exposed to all kinds of very nasty stuff. Asbestos, silica dust, mercury vapour, lead, the list goes on and on. Some of this exposure was because the harmful effects were either unknown or undisclosed at that time. And yes we did work with it because that is how it was. I have witnessed asbestos dust being blown out of brake drums with high pressure airlines for example, and paint being sprayed by a sprayer with a cigarette in his mouth. Nobody new any better. Hazard awareness only became an issue in the very late 70's and has gathered in momentum ever since. The cynic in me is inclined to the view that the only reason that employers are now so concerned about health and safety issues is that they do not want to run the risk of legal action being brought against them. How times have changed! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCMzjJjuxQI

John
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: a10 gf on 30.07. 2010 20:44
sorry for more offtopic, hilarious How times have changed! link.
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: Mick Parry on 31.07. 2010 08:38
Chaps

Thanks for the replies, I shall pinch some of the wifes hair spray when she'e not looking.

Excellent advice as always.

Regards

Mick
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: BSA_54A10 on 31.07. 2010 15:09
The only problem is that a lot of these restrictions are knee jerk reactions to prove that some technically ignorant shinny bum is worth the money that he extorts from the government by preventing the correct material being used for a job with proper precautions. Based on the results of successful litigations and not scientific fact.

Eg;- lead metal is harmless to the human body, you can not digest it. Hydrochloric acid used to be transported and stored in lead lined tanks as it is virtually insoluable in lead. We drink beer from Pewter tankards and the Poms make tea in pewter tea pots ( silver plated if they have a few bob to spare ) and until quite receint times pewter had some where around 20% lead, also arsenic, cadmium, bismouth.
Lead oxide is different, it is digestable, but white lead & yellow lead are still used with gay abandon all over the place ( except in paint ).
So we removed the lead from solder & replaced it with Bismouth & Cadmium & Antimony all of which are soluable in the bodies digestive system and the fumes from each are all much more toxic than lead.
We replaced tern plate for pressed parts like petrol tanks in cars ( that is why they don't rust out from the inside very much) with plastic so they can rupture in a collision and incinerate the occupants.

Butcher have to use plastic chopping blocks instead of wood because some twit in a horse hair wig convinced another technically ignorant twit in a horse hair wig that wood was dirty and promoted the growth of pathogens ( don't tell the forests that ) ,which made his client sick, so now we have a mass of butchers who have to saw cuts of meat because the plastic blocks blunten their knives & choppers and bounce so they lop of fingers. From the same court case sawdust as a floor covering was also banned so now butchers floors have mineral dust ( like calcine ) or diatomatious earths or some synthetic fat absorbant that cost a fortune and dose not stop the floor becoming slippery, and in time will be found to be highly castenogenic 

Millions of tons of cadmium oxide is used in paint ( yellow colours ) and most yellow plastic is yellow because of either yellow lead oxide or yellow cadmium oxide.

 
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: Goldseeker on 31.07. 2010 15:48
Trevor, I'm sure you fell better now, cos I know I do.  *yeah*
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: alanp on 31.07. 2010 17:37
Trevor, that was educational! I am hoping that Cameron will kick some be-wigged ass but I expect the odds are against it. He could have started with Obama and reminded him about the far bigger mess they have been and still are making to the environment than the recent oil leak. Clearly a case of who has the biggest/most guns makes the rules.
I'll stop right there because tea's ready!
Alan
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: BSA_54A10 on 01.08. 2010 13:14
Gets off soap box suitable red faced & agitated slips into closset to reveal that he is also a hair spray junkie.

PS there is a HD product called "Grip n Glue"or some thing similar which is virtually the same as hair spray but in a he man can if you feel embaressed about weilding the "fairy net" over your bike, at a "he man" Harly type price.
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: Triton Thrasher on 01.08. 2010 13:28
Both the butchers I use have wooden blocks in the shop.  Are you sure they're "banned?"

And if so, can I turn them in for a reward?
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: BSA_54A10 on 02.08. 2010 03:39
In NSW, Australia they are.

Might take a while for it to get to Scotland.
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: bsa-bill on 02.08. 2010 09:52
The Scots have their own rules and reg, particularly for native bred meat?
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: lawnmowerman on 02.08. 2010 11:29
Now that haggis looks nice - could do with a few neeps and tatties and some of that scotch poured over. wink2

Hope you get your bike sorted soon Bill and enjoy some miles on it before our usual five weeks of summer is over!

Jim
Title: Re: Advice need on a quick fix
Post by: bsa-bill on 02.08. 2010 11:59
Thanks Jim, it's coming together nicely.
My wife is dinning out tomorrow night so a chance for me to have Haggis and neeps ( she doesn't like Haggis )