Sidecar; progress report (moderately long, high boredom content)

So... following posting of a link by Andy Bonwick I was foolish enough
to make a last minute bid for this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8963323@N05/1704922755/

Rode it back and posted the mandatory report.

The last four weeks or so have been 'interesting'.

1. The main load bearing sidecar attachment was through a holed drilled
in the frame...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8963323@N05/1704922369/

2. The other load bearing linkage was badly welded (and snapped after
some abuse).

3. The chair should be set up to 'toe-in'; it was 'toe-out'. Messing
around with the mountings caused me to realise that there wasn't enough
adjustment.

4. I've (with a little[1] help) reworked all four sidecar mountings,
improving the strength and location of the mounts... oh and actually
removing the fucking rust before painting.

5. On inspection the vendor (or previous owner, but I have my
suspicions[2]) had bodged a too-long shock absorber into the sidecar,
badly distorting the mountings; twisting them when tightening up rather
than adding spacers etc. This took a little welding and hammering to
fix.

6. I've noticed that the play on the wheel was enormous. The wheel
bearings have siezed and worn the shaft (replaced bearings, punched the
shaft to distort the metal...)

7. I've also noted the rim is probably rusted beyond redemption. Am
seriously considering fitting a Yamaha SR125 rear wheel in its place
(it's the same size and a local breaker has one...) Shame I hadn't
thought of this sooner.

8. I've noticed that the swing arm bearings were siezed. When I heated
them to try to drive them out something oozed out of the bearings which
was pretty solid when it cooled on the ground... Ended up buying one of
these:

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?satitle=draper+43137&category0=&fsop=32&rpr=72

Fantastic piece of kit, you break the bearing cage and put the puller
'lugs' inbetween two balls and then rotate to lock them in place. Then
pull away and (with time and heat) out they came.


So once I've finished all of that and painted the chair's chassis I
think I'm done (with the chair.) Bike's had a service with new points,
coils, condensers and plugs. The fork seals need replacing (well
probably) so I'll do this in the coming days but beyond that I think
it'll be ready to roll... Once I've got the MOT done.




[1] Quite a lot actually. A neighbour was a welder in Polish shipyards
in the early 70s, he's one of the most talented craftsmen it's been my
fortune to work with; basically he can make anything.

[2] Who sells a bike without an MOT and why... To quote from eBay ad:

"have let the mot lapse (end of june) but in my opinion see no apparent
reason it should not get one. I see that phrase used often by others and
cringe, so take it for what it's worth - i'm a biker not an mot tester,
ok...!!!"

I think I know why it didn't have an MOT... Caveat Emptor and all that.
Still it was 520 quid and seems sound enough once I've beaten all the
bad bits into shape.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique,
typed

Damn you! Another tool I don't own. Yet.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (Fallen apart)
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando
Kawasaki GTR1400

 

Seriously, without it I think I'd have had to try to cut through the
bearings and then cold chisel them; or something. It was a complete and
utter bitch.

I got it from here, 'cos it was cheaper.

http://www.pvrdirect.co.uk/producti...tier2=New+Draper+tools&tier3=New&catref=43137

Bloody marvelous tool. Doubt I'll use it again in a hurry but I know I
have it.

Er.. like the cooling system pressure tester.

And I'm sure about 5 or 10 other 20+ quid special tools; however fact is
I've got them if I need them.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique,
typed

<fx: writes letter to Santa>

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (Fallen apart)
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando
Kawasaki GTR1400

 

Wicked Uncle Nigel says...

I was thinking the same thing. After struggling for an hour Dremeling
the SV's front wheel bearing outer race out, I was a bit pissed off to
see there is a spiffing little tool to make the job easier.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE
Suzuki SV650 K3
Honda CBR600 F-W
Suzuki GSX-R750L
Yamaha SR250 SpazzTrakka

 

wrote in message

Well, took the tyre off and the rim is utterly fucked. The SR125 wheel
is a little too long so I could either replace the axle (which looks
difficult) or have the wheel rebuilt.

But a wheel rebuild is more than 100 quid...

So I think I'll use the rim from the SR125 wheel and try to respoke it
myself... I may be some time.

Took it for a short test ride on my driveway, got rather enthusiastic
and came into a left hand corner too fast. Tried to scrub speed and
succeeded in putting it into a fence post which I've broken.

Whoops.

 

You have a left hand corner on your driveway?

<fx:thinks>

Is this the one just past the East Wing and the stables but before the
servants' quarters?

 

It's more of a farm access road to be honest and serves three houses and
a farm. Probably about 4-500m in length

It's past the farmyard.

 

<falls about>

 

wrote in message

Today's progress was mainly around the rear wheel. Painted the
mudguard; fecking bodgers had only painted the visible parts.

Found that a Kawasaki GPX250 wheel took an 'ok' size tyre (90/90 16) and
also (more importantly) found one for ten quid at my local breakers.
Fitted the tyre and tube off the SR125 rear wheel that I'd bought
Just need a 15mm ID spacer of about 23mm in length. Oh... there's a
15mm spacer inside the SR125 wheel... Angle grinder at the ready.

So, I've go the wheel on the sidecar and ready to go once I've got the
spacers in place. I've got a nice long spacer that I'll chop down to
the appropriate length to place the GPX250 wheel on the sidecar
tomorrow. Plus I'll do the fork seals.

I *think* I will then just need to test ride it and book the MOT...

Oh, and of course find a mounting point for the Kartofflen Kanon.

 

wrote in message

So the spacers are done, the wheel's ready to be fitted (waiting for
paint to dry). The seal isn't leaking that badly; I think it's called
"misting". I *think* it's ready for the MOT after an hour's bolting
things together...