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  • Trials and tribulations

    I'm making the most of the current situation and taking some time having a tidy-up at my parents place, mostly my dad's stuff (as some of you know we lost dad last month).

    First of all? Wash dad's Hawkstone, which was still muddy from it's last outing. I think this is the only Greeves scrambler I've ever ridden, and will be until I get either (or both!) of my Challengers finished. Unfortunately this beautiful machine may have to go up for sale, but until then I'm taking good care of it.

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    Meanwhile in the workshop my TFS is on the bench. The idea here is to refine the bike and develop it into a reliable competition weapon. I'll be writing more about this in Leading Link soon, but for now a little preview of some of the jobs I've been doing.

    First of all, the Ceriani fork seals needed replacing. And since I had the forks apart - and the bushes were worn - I thought I'd best replace them. Very long story short: lots of things went wrong! My last weekend with dad we were working on it but didn't get it right. "You need to look out for a bit of phosphur bronze", he said. And also a variable reamer to get the size right. Well, nothing to it but to carry on by myself, and so it was done.

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    As above, more in Leading Link soon. However if you want any help with Ceriani bushes feel free to send me a message.

    The other main job with the TFS was fix the front brake. When I rode at the Mike Kemp Trial in December the cable stop for the break snapped off the tin hub back plate, and I lost it. Dad - who'd sorted out a quick fix with a cable tie to get me going again - suggested that rather than fix the hub, I made a new torque arm with a cable stop integrated. I'm not sure exactly what he envisage, and never will know, but I hope he'd have been impressed with what I came up with!

    I think the half-inch thick aluminium bar I used for this was salvaged from desks that were going for scrap at the office dad worked in years ago. Put to good use at last!

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    Somewhat over-engineered perhaps, but a good exercise in machining nonetheless!

    Big thanks to Dick F for helping me clear up the workshop. More soon.
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  • #2
    Nice machining there Ian. Slow and steady....

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    • #3
      A really nice outcome Ian and doesn't look over or under engineered on the bike, if you know what I mean. I'm rather jealous of those skills. How did the bronze bush replacement go once you had the right kit? I may need to get this done on my griffon.

      Paul

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      • #4
        Nice job Ian, and good pictures, too.Thanks for sharing that.

        Ian C.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Soggy Welly View Post
          A really nice outcome Ian and doesn't look over or under engineered on the bike, if you know what I mean. I'm rather jealous of those skills. How did the bronze bush replacement go once you had the right kit? I may need to get this done on my griffon.

          Paul
          Hi, thanks for the feedback.

          I had a few issues with the bushes because the chrome on the fork legs is slightly worn, and unevenly too. So in order to have the bushes snug there ended up being a bit too much friction at the very top of the travel. I wanted to shorten the forks a bit anyway so I've swapped some spacers around to remove the first 15mm of travel. Hoping to ride round the garden this weekend and see how they are. I'll keep you updated, anyway.

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          • #6
            Lovely, great job Ian, the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree !

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            • #7
              Originally posted by John macleod View Post
              Lovely, great job Ian, the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree !
              Seems I did pay some attention to what he had to say!!

              Today I had the hub apart to check the threads for speedo fitment and noticed the sprocket carrier bearings were long past it. Once I had the bush out you wouldn't believe how much force it took to get the bearings off it - a fair portion of those 10 tons. Anyway all back together now.

              I have a spare carrier that I want to set up with a 56T sprocket for long distance trials, but it is missing the bearings, bush, circlip and seal. I can make the bush myself, but are the circlip and seal available anywhere?

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              • #8
                The other thing I did was make a rear torque arm, as the tatty old one looked a bit out of place.

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                • #9
                  You are doing a fantastic job Ian, working with all the machines that Dad had in there you are learning quickly, how are you at the Welding scene? I wish that I was half as accomplished at what you are turning out? A great Son , carrying on from a Great Father

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                  • #10
                    Ian, do you not think those holes will weaken the arm which I assume you have made in alloy not solid steel (like the original fitment). If the torque arm lets go it will make a right mess of things.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Ian View Post

                      Seems I did pay some attention to what he had to say!!

                      Today I had the hub apart to check the threads for speedo fitment and noticed the sprocket carrier bearings were long past it. Once I had the bush out you wouldn't believe how much force it took to get the bearings off it - a fair portion of those 10 tons. Anyway all back together now.

                      I have a spare carrier that I want to set up with a 56T sprocket for long distance trials, but it is missing the bearings, bush, circlip and seal. I can make the bush myself, but are the circlip and seal available anywhere?

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                      Did you try using heat? Last time I replaced the bearings I put the sprocket carrier on a hotplate to a bit north of 100 degs and the bearing fell out.

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                      • #12
                        Heat would be the way to do it. In fact I have one to do, so will give it a go this afternoon.

                        Ian C.

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                        • #13
                          Out it came! After 7 or 8 minutes at 180C in the oven I keep for such a purpose in the workshop,the spacer took 3 or 4 whacks with a mallet on a drift to shift it. Once out I inverted it and the bearing fell out with a light tap. It is possible to damage the bearing housing by pressing them out cold with too much force. Likewise with crankshaft main bearings etc.

                          Ian C.
                          Attached Files

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Dick F View Post
                            You are doing a fantastic job Ian, working with all the machines that Dad had in there you are learning quickly, how are you at the Welding scene? I wish that I was half as accomplished at what you are turning out? A great Son , carrying on from a Great Father
                            I need to get good at this so I can fix your bike in the carpark next time you break it!!! In the near future I am going to set the TIG up and start learning. I also need to learn to braze too because I have a few frame modifications to make.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by John Wakefield View Post
                              Ian, do you not think those holes will weaken the arm which I assume you have made in alloy not solid steel (like the original fitment). If the torque arm lets go it will make a right mess of things.
                              It's a fair question, and something that I did consider. However due to a slightly thicker bar there's as much material at the thinnest points as on the one I took off (pictured). Dave Spurgeon built the bike, no doubt Terry Sewell had some input too. It's tuned to be a bit of an animal, and if Dave didn't snap the torque arm then the design is probably ok. I agree it wouldn't be fun unwinding the mess that would ensue if it lets go.

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