I'm back!

The place to chill and chat about anything
jinjachin
Moved in and now we can't get rid
Posts: 5538
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:24 am
Location: old hill

Re: I'm back!

Post by jinjachin »

welcome back
Chopper303
Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2019 5:44 pm

Re: I'm back!

Post by Chopper303 »

First of all, thanks for all the good wishes. It has been a tough year and when this sort of smelly stuff hits the fan, you do find out who your real mates are. We all know someone that has a friend or relative that has been hit by cancer. It is a totally evil disease and has quite an impact on everyone close to the person that is ill. I think the wort part is not being able to do anything to help, you just have to sit back and watch your loved one suffer. If someone insulted or hurt my missus, I wouldn't even need time to think. Fists and boots would be flying , problem sorted. I can't use my fists to fight this disease. If my bike/trike/car breaks down I have a very comprehensive tool kit and a big workshop, problem sorted and I know lots of folks that I can call to get help if I need it. NOT this evil disease, no spanner, socket, hammer is going to be of any use. NONE of my skills prepared me for this. Hopefully my better half will continue to get better, she is doing very well at the moment, but still a way to go yet.

The Boom Highway trike has thrown up a few annoying little surprises. Few wiring issues to solve, not worried about that as I have everything here to sort that out. I can't undo the centre wheel nuts to get at the back brake drums. I want to give them a good check over, clean them and make sure there are no nasties witing to bite me in the butt when I take it out for its first proper ride. 36mm castle nut with a big split pin. Got the split pin out quite easily. Using a 1/2" breaker bar, a length of scaffold pipe and all 15 stone of me standing on the pole. All it did was make me sweat! Apparentley they are are torqued up to 240 foot pounds. The nut looks quite new and I figure that it must have been done up with an air gun.

Turns out the front wheel is a bit buggered. Several bent spokes and it is definately NOT round! Bought a brad new Suzuki GN125 rear wheel with brake plate and brake shoes for £48.87. Brand new tyre was £35.00. Got rid of the hideous front mudguard and bought a brand new stainless steel one for £16.00, delivered. Needs polishing properly as it has a few fabricating marks and it is not the best quality, but I can easily make it look a lot better. I have rubbed down all the scabby chrome on the girder forks, they are now black and shiney. New steering bearings easily sourced locally. Lots of new stainless steel nuts and bolts.

Working on the rear mudguard brackets, drilling out a couple of siezed scews. Brought me up close and personal to the rear tyres. There was a few clouds of bluse smoke when I had a close up look at the tyres. Lots of tread but perishing cracks between the tread blocks. NO WAY should they pass a proper MOT so another big hole in my pocket. I just ain't going to risk it. Knowing my luck I would get stopped and nicked for dodgy tyres. £250 maximum fine PER TYRE and 3 points PER TYRE!! Besides which, I used to own a tyre and exhaust place, so I know better than to chance it.

Got some marker lights to go front and back ands ome to go underneath. MOT man is waiting to hear from me to book it in. Should be on the road real soon. Really looking forward to it as well.

Hope to do some pics when it is on the road.

Chopper
gorbee01279
Moved in and now we can't get rid
Posts: 1411
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 5:53 pm
Location: Essex
Contact:

Re: I'm back!

Post by gorbee01279 »

What U need is a 34mm slogging spanner, just tap that into eBay, there are plenty. I found it was the only thing that would shift the nut when I done mine with a liberal soaking of WD40 the shock of whacking it with a club hammer loosens it enough to take it completely off with a socket, I found it was well worth buying. Just one thing "Don't use heat" it will damage your hub seals.
The older i get the earlier it seems to get late.
gorbee01279
Moved in and now we can't get rid
Posts: 1411
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 5:53 pm
Location: Essex
Contact:

Re: I'm back!

Post by gorbee01279 »

Sorry 36mm slogger.
The older i get the earlier it seems to get late.
southernscouse
Member
Posts: 70
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2020 4:15 pm

Re: I'm back!

Post by southernscouse »

I have taken a couple of vw apart I do have a 36mm with 3/4” breaker bar but if it’s not successful thin cutting disc down the side of the nut and just buy a new one
Chopper303
Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2019 5:44 pm

Re: I'm back!

Post by Chopper303 »

gorbee01279 wrote: Mon Oct 11, 2021 9:06 am What U need is a 34mm slogging spanner, just tap that into eBay, there are plenty. I found it was the only thing that would shift the nut when I done mine with a liberal soaking of WD40 the shock of whacking it with a club hammer loosens it enough to take it completely off with a socket, I found it was well worth buying. Just one thing "Don't use heat" it will damage your hub seals.
Thanks for that mate. I have used one many years ago but never even thought of that. You were right about Ebay as well, just ordered one for less than a tenner including postage. Thing is, I am sure that over time I will be using it a lot, so buying one is probably a good idea. Thanks gorbee.

Chopper
Chopper303
Member
Posts: 79
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2019 5:44 pm

Re: I'm back!

Post by Chopper303 »

Well I got the girdeers painted, new steering bearings well packed with greased, girders all back together. New front wheel is a brand new Suzuki GN125 rear wheel which came with a complete brake plate, brake shoes and new spindle which fits perfectly. Only problem is that the sprocket carrier doesn't come with the wheel. Not a problem as I have a lump of alloy that I can turn up into a blanking plate and polish it. I have some thick alloy bar that I can turn up to make spacers and get the new wheel bang on central. The new stainless steel muguard that I bought, is actually cheap crap and will look crappy on the trike. I have a couple of second hand ones in the barn so will re-think that once the lathe work is done.

Not going to worry about all the extra lights until I have a valid MOT certificate. Will be making a stainless steel light bar as I have 4 mini Bates style lights to go on the front. Need to make a stainless steel mounting plate for the dashboard. Got a new ignition lock and stainless steel starter button. Also got good quality stainless steel rocker arm switches for lights ect. Got the ones with a screw on rubber cover to protect the switches from the weather. I have a pair of round top alloy risers that I made years ago and they have been sat in my parts bin ever since. Just need polishing. Got two pairs of alloy foot pegs that I made years ago and they have also been sat in my parts bin. Again they just need polishing and some new brackets so I can fit them front and rear. Got a decent pair of Apehangers that will clean up nicely. New handlebar and throttle grips, front brake lever and switch gear. Got new long stem mirrors out of the parts bin, god knows how old they are but they are still in the box and never been fitted to anything. Found some handle bar mirror mounting brackets on Ebay, dirt cheap. Only bit I am conceerned about is the electrickery, always been a dark art to me, but I usually manage to sort it out. Fingers crossed.

I checked with the MOT tester and he confirmed that I do need reflectors on the back. 5 minute job to fit them and cost me £1.05 each. Failure if they are not fitted. Pair of brand new rear tyres 295/50-R15, £204.00 for the pair, fitted and balanced. (Good mate in the trade). So making progress but still a way to go.

Once the trike is done, I am going to have a big clear out in my workshop, got all sorts of stuff that is just gathering dust and needs to find a new home. I will post it in the relevant section here before I put it on the bay of evil. Anybody that is a member here will get a better price than on Ebay. Hopefully that will be in a couple of weeks.

Chopper
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