Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Topics - McCabe-Thiele (Ted)

Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 36
46
Misc / Open / New bodge / error.
« on: October 26, 2024, 05:32:50 PM »
Today I removed the chainguard that had what looks like 40 years of grime on the inside, a solid layer of tar type crud was coated where the chain has flung all the muck.

First thing I noticed was a pretty basic mistake on the chain link - pretty sure the closed end of the link should allways follow the direction of chain travel when going forwards.



.Chain link by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

47
Misc / Open / Bodge of today post.
« on: October 25, 2024, 01:29:23 PM »
Today I started a pretty straight forwards job on the Superdream - taking off the two footrests in readiness for eventual engine removal.

Right side footrest bolts sprayed with suitable penetrating oil, fitted socket, slight tap with fancy hammer, bolt removed in under a minute.

Left side is slightly different as the fixing bolt has the gear lever shaft integrated into the bolt end. Sprayed with penetrating oil, found my circlip pliers and removed the circlip & washer. Undid bolt on the gearbox shaft end of the linkage.

Unable to pull the gear lever itself from the shaft even though the circlip was out, sprayed some more oil onto shaft end.
I noticed that as you rotated the lever it became tight except in the horizontal position. lots of head scratching, checked the manual - no hidden retaining screw.

Tried a sort of wedge with a large screwdrive behind  the lever - it would not pull out any further becoming jammed solid.
Must be a bent shaft I thought then I noticed what looked like a woodruff key between the shaft & gear lever. It took some force with a lump hammer to knock the gear lever back where it was. Tried to pick out the metal I could see without success.

Open ended spanner was then used to undo the whole arrangement one flat at a time having to move the gear lever each time as it started to jam. Whole thing removed with the gearshift attached. In my vice I was able to put a drift into the centre and knock out the shaft from the lever.

Not a bent shaft just some wear that some PO fixed by hammering in what looks like a bent bit of spring metal to take up the slack. Said bit of metal had wedged into the centre recess to make removal a 20 minute job instead of two minutes.

Said bit of bodgery is in the photo.

gearshift bodge by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr
.


48
Misc / Open / Another local Motorcycle firm has closed - Pidcocks (BMW dealer).
« on: October 24, 2024, 04:45:56 PM »
Pidcocks a family run firm  had a good reputation locally but now sadly closed.

Never used them myself as BMW's were never in my price range, I was more of a Bob Minion & Granbys type customer.

49
Misc / Open / Dremel cutting saw /discs what brand etc?
« on: October 18, 2024, 11:32:25 AM »
The blades that I bought with my Von House tool are now worn away, a disc & a saw.

It's been great for cutting the end off a thread tap and the heads of some rusty bolts.

Just looking for tips as to what brands to buy on e-bay as there are so many that might be poor quality.

Links based on experience would be handy.

50
Other Bikes / Stafford Show
« on: October 13, 2024, 07:19:34 PM »
I have only read about the Velocette Scooter - saw this one at Stafford Show it was in fantastic condition.

PXL_20241013_101503995 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr
.

51
Project Board / Honda CB400NA Superdream - new money puddle.
« on: October 12, 2024, 06:21:03 PM »
Here are a couple of photos of the new arrival - delivered this morning.
It's going to take me a few days to catalogue the boxes of parts that came with the bike.
It starts on the button having had a new battery fitted a couple of weeks ago.

A two cylinder does sound strange at first.

.Boxes of spares by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr
 

52
Misc / Open / I'm definitely not buying a Maico Letta Scooter but......
« on: October 04, 2024, 11:30:05 PM »
I subscribed to the Maico Owners Club at the beginning of 2024 its been interesting reading the quarterly magazine..
I will look in at the stand at Stafford Show on Sunday the 13th October 2024 - I am  definitely not tempted to own one again.

Interesting factoid that I was unaware of when I owned one - the petrol tank is pressurised to pump the petrol up to the carburetta as its above the petrol tank pressurised via the exhuast system.

Also to my shame I did not realise the electric start was a pendulum type - I just thought it sounded odd when you pressed the 6v electric start button - a sort of rumble  noise.

With a clock matching the speedometer in size fitted with a coloured gear indicator, floor pedal heel & toe  gear shift & rear brake plus good sized wheels they were almost motorcycle like to ride. with a top speed on my 250 close to 70 mph. Faster than my mates Triumph Tigress  once it was doing over 45 mph with a much nicer ride on the larger diameter wheels.

PXL_20240220_113522224 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

53
CB350/400 / Where does the cam top cover vent pipe connec to?
« on: October 03, 2024, 05:30:10 PM »
As I was working on my 400 with the petrol tank off doing some minor fettling I decided to fit a clip on the top vent .

I found a nice spring clip but somehow managed to pull the pipe out of wherever it fits, can't remember where it goes to at the other end?

Is it to the side outlet on the plastic bottom item that is fixed to the air cleaner case?
That will be fun if it is.

54
Misc / Open / Shed & Burried - Crow Scarer Test Run episode.
« on: October 03, 2024, 03:06:24 PM »
Just been watching Shed & Burried - the Crow Scarer episode - when they tested it  the field - it's had me literally laughing out loud. Had to rewind it again for another laugh.  ;D ;D ;D

It was all the funnier for me as it reminded me of an incident when I was on an armed duty overnight as a member of the Royal Family was visiting Derbyshire . There were two of us in this remote rural loaction, one of us was in the house with one of us outside patroling the grounds rotating every hours to go inside for a warm.

It was at the height of IRA activity in the UK with two serious incident in Derby at the time - the murder of a recruitment Sergeant & the bombing at the Army Recruitment Office in  the Main Center in town. At about 5.00 am I was outside when I heard this shotgun blast whilst I was outside, I radioed my oppo inside so we investigated the area hoping it was just a Poacher when the Automatic Crow Scarer went off again. It's the only time I ever took my Smith & Weston out of its holster.

55
Other Bikes / What is a CDI unit on the Superdream models?
« on: October 02, 2024, 04:00:37 AM »
I'm doing some more due diligence reading up on the CB500N Super Dream models - there are lots of references to the CDI unit.

So what on earth is a CDI unit & where does it do in laymans terms please?

56
CB350/400 / Finally fitted the 400 clutch cable guide!
« on: October 01, 2024, 05:32:06 PM »
I've had my SS clutch guide bracket for a good six months as they were hard to find.  I had a members home made part as a temporary fix attached with a cable tie to a right angle bracket.

I had retained a copy of where it shoud fitted so used this old posted photo for reference - the job actually went quite smoothly for a change.

.400F - Clutch Cable Guide 2 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

57
Misc / Open / Unusual looking 400 with 4 into 4 pipes
« on: September 24, 2024, 05:42:04 PM »
This looks different.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286031217028

58
Other Bikes / This bike is mental - an ex-work mate has just bought it.
« on: September 20, 2024, 12:09:41 PM »
This is a Suzuki 1400 Turbo with 270 bhp that my mate Neil has just bought.

I know Neil used to race at Santa Pod but this amount of power on a road bike only one word Mental.

.
IMG-20240919-WA0003 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

59
Misc / Open / Honda CB400N Super Dream any good?
« on: September 20, 2024, 01:45:05 AM »
Saw this on e-bay I always liked them nack in the early 1980's any good for a project can you get the parts\?

.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126669079649

60
CB500/550 / Might need to adjust the 500 rear dampers - not sure what to do?
« on: September 17, 2024, 03:22:40 PM »
Went out for a short ride today as the sun is out - nothing epic just 18 miles or so  to put a few extra miles on the 500 before winter sets in. I'm starting to really love the way it sounds & feels - so very different to the 400 in terms of flexibility through the gears.

When I rode it before the rebuild the front suspension was overly hard plus it made some horrible clonking noises under braking. On dismantling I found a PO of the front forks had fitted some spacers between the top of the springs and the internal top nut. I removed the makeshift spacers returning the set up to standard as the springs were still within the original limits in uncompressed length.

The ride is good on good road surfaces but there is something almost harsh about the way the bike rides over road repair strips at 40-50 mph. At the moment the rear damper spring setting is set on the lowest setting so presume that's softest (I'm 15st). Looking at the design I guess you need to rotate the adjuster with some sort of C spanner to harden the spring rate. I believe the rear shockers are standard ones.

What size tool do I need to rotate the rear damper spring to the second setting & will that improve anything or make it even worse?

Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 ... 36