Dynamo End Cap Fitment.

[alanp]

There are some things that you struggle with for yonks which eventually seem so obvious much much later.
The fitment of the dynamo end cap over the special grommet which keeps the yellow/green cables in place is a case in point.
Today I came back from a test run (90mph+) of the reworked and oil less magneto to find that the dynamo end cap had come adrift and was hanging between the engine plate and the tax disc holder. Lucky, but I dreaded fitting the cover over that grommet. This time instead of going gung ho and cursing the awkwardness of it I decided to use my head (rare in my case!).
Firstly, I realised that there is a swaged rim on the inner edge of the cap which you have to slot into the grommet, but the grommet slot is narrower than the rim edge, hence the grommet tends to get pushed inwards and if you're dead unlucky (like I am) it'll fall down where you can't see it inside the front engiine plate area. So, I gently filed the edge down to suit the grommet slot and also rounded off the leading edge of the slot in the cap.
Secondly, to avoid failing and losing the grommet into no-man's land again, I found a small pair of pliers hiding in my tool box and held the outer tongue of the grommet while placing the cap into position. Sucess first time.
Now I know everyone will say, what took you so long to figure that out since we always do it that way, but I just had to tell the world that eventually I figure things out.
Alan

[RichardL]

Nothing to do with Alan's post from 2011, but the topic fits.

Without disregarding actual serious things happening in the world, I'm so annoyed with myself right now. For lack of $0.02 worth of Loctite I've lost my original-equipment (but chromed) dynamo cover.  Replacing is sure to be $75 if I do chrome again. In any case, that cover has been with me since '73 and with the bike since '55. More aggravated by the stupidity than the lost part.

Richard L.

[chaterlea25]

Hi Richard,

I hate losing things that fall off my bikes  it doesnt happen often as I am fairly diligent going over the bike and a gold star loctite customer

A long time ago I lost the bulb holder from a Miller tubular tail light fitted to my 1930 Rudge,
I have never been able to find another
Once or twice I have seen similar lamps on ebay and they made £400-500
I probably have a better chance of winning the lotto !!!!!

John

[RichardL]

John,

Sorry that the loss of your tail lamp holder makes me feel a bit better, or embarrassed for complaining.

Speaking of the Lottery, the attached joke showed up on my Facebook page this morning. The asterisks are mine, to maintain forum decorum (hey, that's funny in itself).

[chaterlea25]

Hi Richard,
Well I live in hope !!!
After owning my Ariel HT5 since 1979 the Factory original crankcases turned up about 2 years ago
Plus I had a very nice holiday in Lanzarotte in September courtesy of my wifes Lotto syndicate at her work
Then in July I survived a fall from the shed roof that in reality should have done me in,
I'm still not able to work for any length of time, due to injuries to vertabrae, I'm waiting for an appontment with a pain guru which should hopefully let me get back to the workshop

Maybe the tail light will turn up in the next life LOL !!!!

Cheers
John

[RichardL]

John,

Not to make light of your injuries, which I sincerely hope get better soon, but I've seen your shed and it's hard to imagine how you fell off.

Richard L.

[kiwipom]

Hi guys,charterlea I sympathise with you as I too had a near death injury from a roof fall. It was June 1st 1989 a day that I can't remember but will never forget. 3days later I woke up as I had suffered multiple fractures of the skull and other breaks that resulted in an urgent 'cranomoptomy' to relieve blood and pressure to the brian. I had to relearn cognitive and speech ability and was off work for two years and still suffer from 'post traumatic stress' . Bear with me because that is where the A10 comes in as the restoration of my bike was part of my rehabilitation which finished just a short while ago. I am as recovered as much as I will ever be now apart from the ongoing stress problem that my doctor says that I will probably always have, hope I did not bore you all to much, cheers

[RichardL]

Bob,
 
That's an impressive story of resilience and recovery. Both you and John (and other folks here whose stories have also been told) have gone through a lot and seem to be coming out on the right side of it (breathing, I suppose, is part of that). I think you will both be contributing here for some time to come, and that is a good thing for all of us.

Richard L.

[RichardL]

...but have you seen my dynamo cover anywhere?

[chaterlea25]

HI All,
Richard & Kiwi
Hmmm, Is that a "hobbbit" dwelling or is it Norse?  The pointed doorway would usually not feature in an Irish
"Bóhaun" (a word that doesnt seem to feature in the dictionary??)
I'm pretty sure I have a spare dynamo cover if you need one, no chrome though

Anyway my "shed" is built  from steel frame  sheeted in insulated cladding,  a very comfortable work place.
I had been up on top cutting back some trees as the shed is built up against the next door neighbours fence
If the ground was soft turf as in your pic I would probably have been ok?,  But no its concrete, There was also a perforated steel ramp for wheeling the bikes in and out,   

Luckily (apparently) my head hit on the hardest part of the skull so no fractures there, but an almighty gash and a life long scar to remind me of my stupidity!!!
I had a full spinal MRI scan yesterday evening and the report is good, so I'm waithing to see a pain specialist

Kiwi,
I can symphatise with the "post traumatic stress" issues, Luckily I was not as badly hurt as you, 
Severe concussuon, some memory loss from time to time, but its getting better
I find this and a couple of other forums keep my brain active and keep me going as I recover

Best Regards
John

[v8ivor]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-pre-unit-Generator-end-cap-cover-finned-aluminum-Lucas-Miller-dynamo-E3L-/361487153284?hash=item542a503884:g:lrwAAOSwe7BWuoOC

Is this any good to you Richard ?