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Workshop, mostly tips and tricks

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 4:57 pm
by Daiwiskers
Plenty of time on out hands let's learn something from each other

Not workshop related but quite a useful tip
Check the spare tyre in your car or van if it's flat you may as well leave it at home

Workshop related

You have to get a nut or bolt down into a recess
We all know about putting paper in the socket but you then have to get the paper out again also it's not easy to get it to hold a nut and what about getting a washer down there?

Super glue is your friend here, super glue the nut or bolt into the socket if you need to fit a washer super glue it to the fastener already glued in the socket

Your turn now Dai

Re: Workshop, mostly tips and tricks

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 11:32 pm
by Haggis
A dab of grease works for me.👍

Re: Workshop, mostly tips and tricks

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:26 am
by Daiwiskers
I have used a blob of grease for years and always struggled with the larger/heavier nuts and bolts



Stuck screw with screwdriver just starting to cam out and you don't have a impact driver to hand
Dip the end of the screwdriver into valve grinding paste, often it will give you just enough extra grip to get the screw out

Remember there is more than one way to do it most of the time

Re: Workshop, mostly tips and tricks

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:28 am
by stinkwheel
Interesting one about the screwdrivers. If you have JIS screwdrivers (essential for owners of Japanese bikes). They are designed NOT to cam-out. Far superior to a "proper" phillips screwdriver for removing phillips screws. Obviously utterly useless for removing posidrives.

Here's a tip for if you have a bike with no mainstand but need to oil the chain or take a wheel out and have no access to a paddock stand. I did it as a video for someone a while back:
https://youtu.be/FLcSoE0ju7s

Re: Workshop, mostly tips and tricks

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:56 am
by stinkwheel
Not too many enfields with hydraulic brakes old enough for this to be an issue but if you have super-seized brake pistons, you can blank off where the banjo goes with a plain bolt and sealing washer then pump them out using a grease gun on the bleed nipple. Once one has moved, clamp it down with a g-clamp and keep pumping to get the other(s) moving.

If that doesn't shift them, they are scrap.

Re: Workshop, mostly tips and tricks

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:38 am
by Daiwiskers
Copper grease

As disc brakes have been mentioned I will bring up one of my pet hates

After watching I don't know how many YouTube videos showing people plastering copper grease onto the back of the pads

Please don't do it all it does is collect road dirt and brake dust

Most brake pad manufacturers recommend that they are fitted dry if you feel that you must use something rub over the back of the pads with a pencil

I only use copper grease on brake caliper pins nowhere else on the brakes

Copper grease is a anti seize it is great on engine mounts, casing screws axles, wheel nuts on your car etc and please only use a little bit

I dare say someone will come along and say that they have been plastering it on to the back of pads for years, all I can say to that is if it works for you good luck

I do have another pet hate I will be back later with that one

Re: Workshop, mostly tips and tricks

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:42 am
by Wheaters
Copper grease on the back of brake pads has always seemed strange to me; I know it's done to prevent brake squeal or pad rattle. Some pads come with a malleable pad of some sort on the back, to do that same job. A piece of duct tape can be used in place of this on a plain metal backing plate.

Also, the tip about holding a nut or bolt with glue/paper/superglue is a good one. On my trials car there are four nuts that need to be brought up to it horizontally underneath a flange, where four bolts go vertically down to hold the supercharger onto the manifold adapter. There isn't enough access space to offer up the nuts by hand. I get around this by the use of a ring spanner with a strip of duct tape stuck across its edge, so the nut sits in a "spoon" and is held in place by the sticky side of the tape; it can then be brought upwards to meet the nose of the bolt without risk of it falling out of the spanner.

Re: Workshop, mostly tips and tricks

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:44 am
by Wheaters
Copper grease on the back of brake pads has always seemed strange to me; I know it's done to prevent brake squeal or pad rattle. Some brake pad backplates come with a malleable pad of some sort on the back, to do that same job. A piece of duct tape can be used in place of this on a plain metal backing plate.

Also, the tip about holding a nut or bolt with glue/paper/superglue is a good one. On my trials car there are four nuts that need to be brought up to it horizontally underneath a flange, where four bolts go vertically down to hold the supercharger onto the manifold adapter. There isn't enough access space to offer up the nuts by hand. I get around this by the use of a ring spanner with a strip of duct tape stuck across its edge, so the nut sits in a "spoon" and is held in place by the sticky side of the tape; it can then be brought upwards to meet the nose of the bolt without risk of it falling out of the spanner.

Re: Workshop, mostly tips and tricks

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:47 am
by Daiwiskers
I feel better now that I have got that off my chest

Now the local motor factor is shut all is not lost if you have a lady in your house she will have lots of useful stuff

Your handle bar grips slip if the slipping is not too bad you can use hair spray just slide the grips off spray on replace grips

A mate of mine if he had no gasket sealant would use hair spray

It's also great for protecting electrical components, battery connections, anything really that is not out in the open

Nail varnish I get through loads of this I use it for marking things like shock mounting bolts, engine mountings anything that is prone to vibrating loose

Another good use for nail varnish is when replacing cam belts
Remove covers get engine up to TDC on number one cylinder mark cam pulley with two dots of nail varnish do the same thing to the crank pulley let dry then mark the belt to match when the belt had dried it can be removed, then mark the new belt using the old belt as a guide,
Should have said do this on the side away from the tensioner

All you have to do is line up the marks and the job's done

The timing belt trick is assuming that you don't have a cam locking tool if you have the tool use it

Also it's quite fun walking into a chemist with a shaved head, beard, oily hand's and buying hair spray and the brightest coloured nail varnish they have

Don't forget we are allowed out to go to the chemist

Take care all Dai

Re: Workshop, mostly tips and tricks

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 11:29 am
by stinkwheel
Wheaters wrote:
Wed Mar 25, 2020 9:44 am
I get around this by the use of a ring spanner with a strip of duct tape stuck across its edge, so the nut sits in a "spoon" and is held in place by the sticky side of the tape; it can then be brought upwards to meet the nose of the bolt without risk of it falling out of the spanner.
Pretty much the only way I've found to attach the main springs to lycette-type saddles without completely losing the plot after an hour and launching them across the workshop.