What have you done with your bike/s today?

[Catz]

Just been having a play with some old fork seals and got this idea, so shoot me down if you like, place the seal in the end of the seal holder with some thread showing and screw the holder down so the fork slider pushes the seal into place without it pushing the seal all the way into the holder. That way the seal sits tighter on the fork slider. Another thought is to get some sort of thin spacer on top of the seal before screwing the holder onto the slider to keep the seal from riding up to the top of the seal holder. Dumbass or what?

[Roger (Doomtrainbarx)]

I've fitted fork seals in the way you describe, and it guarantees the seal will be square in the holder - seems like a good idea to me.

[Worty]

Done it like that Catz - still leaks.

[Swarfcut]

  Not so dumb. I did similar wheeze but with a 3D printed spacer between the seal and  top of the fork bush. Used the good old body filler trick to get the  measurement for the thickness right, the holder fully seating with light loading on the bottom rim of the seal.
  The oil seal needs to have a tight radial fit in the holder to be leak free here and my feelings is that it needs to be fully seated in the holder with no prospect of up and down movement. Pictures of my spacer are somewhere in the frame and forks section of the Forum. Put the seal open/spring side to the fork slider... Easy to make a mistake and there's your leak.

 Swarfy

[Catz]

Thanks for your encouragement Swarfy.
I'm getting some ideas now and written a load down before i forget 'cos i'm not going to let this MOFO beat me.

[Catz]

Just had some new fork oil seals through the post today.
Looking at them the edge that sits on the fork slider is noticeably thicker than the ones i've been using and maybe will create a stronger seal.  suck it and see. They still have the metal inside the rubber.
These were from Draganfly and i've got some others coming from Classic Bike Shop which are different again.

[CheeserBeezer]

I bought a decent rear sprocket/ brake drum off my mate for my 2026 project. I got the rattle cans out and it looks OK now. However, in removing the splined ring and attempting to refit it with new nuts and bolts from a well known supplier in Birmingham I found that said new nuts and bolts are absolutely cr4p! Weak threads. I've identified some suitable alternatives which are 'Unbrako' high tensile button head screws in 10mm. These are only slightly bigger than standard so a 10 mm drill opens the holes out by 1/2 mm and away you go! I'm going to use Durlock serrated flange nuts, also in high tensile. the bolts and nuts will need a little fettling to make them fit but far superior to the new nuts and bolts which, quite simply, ain't up to the job. I'm not using the tab washers, will use threadlock instead. The parts I've mentioned are available online from Westfield fasteners.

[berger]

Cheeser i remember a certain supplier sending me about 60£s worth of bits mainly nuts washers and bolts that i was so disgusted with i sent them all back for a refund.B&Q probably stocked the same crap in bags for 20£s . the main things i wanted were the 6 flywheel bolts and they sent me soft set screws thinking i would put them in the crankshaft, no way , so i used the old ones

[RDfella]

The way my luck runs, my son reckons I must have broken lots of mirrors ...
As it'd stopped raining for a day, was going to give the big vee a run on Sunday. Except I couldn't start it.
It has to be decompressed to start (starter can't manage on full compression) but even so I only get 10 - 15 seconds before a fully-charged battery is down. It's a 200A jobbie (actually, seem to remember it's 230) but now 2yrs old - about the age for these expensive batteries so expect it's time for another.
Being coil ignition doesn't help either. It has the usual 12V system (6V coils with ballast resistors) but hitting the starter will drop a battery to around 9V, meaning my coils are probably getting around 4V during starting. Or even less with a tired battery.
Some vehicles in the 60's (eg Vauxhall) employed a tiny disc ballast resistor (a type I use) and bypassed it with a 12V feed to the coil from the starter circuit. That way, your 6V coils got 9V during starting.
When building the bike, I put the wiring in for such a set-up, but never completed it. Time for the seat off and get that bypass in place. Must move the starter button as well. It's currently central by the headstock, but with having to decompress simultaneously and only having two hands, can't give the bike a whiff of throttle it sometimes needs on starting. Usually it starts fine with just choke, but the cold weather and failing battery don't help.

[Swarfcut]

   RD...Ford were also exponents of the 6V Coil and ballast resistor (bypassed by the starter solenoid circuit). Reckon a slave starter mains power pack and a good onboard battery for running gets it to start.....a bit like the WW11 Spitfires with a "Trolley Acc and Chore Horse"    Or thicker head gaskets! and a spray of Start Yer Bast**d

Swarfy.

[berger]

yes swarfy my mk 1 crapi had one that failed , no evilbay or interweb then i had to go to the ford dealer. a very young berg.

[Worty]

B****y Hell Bergs, what happened .................................................. to the Capri?

[Greybeard]

yes swarfy my mk 1 crapi had one that failed , no evilbay or interweb then i had to go to the ford dealer. a very young berg.

You must have felt like the dogs bollox in that motor👌

[berger]

fantastic car 1600 4 branch crossflow MK1 gtxlr , it got nicked in north wales and was found dumped on a long farm track by the milkman. i went and got it back but the insides had been wrecked, plus damage to the body work. that knocked my duck off and i got rid of it.

[Greybeard]

fantastic car 1600 4 branch crossflow MK1 gtxlr , it got nicked in north wales and was found dumped on a long farm track by the milkman. i went and got it back but the insides had been wrecked, plus damage to the body work. that knocked my duck off and i got rid of it.