Doing a lot of repairs to a Honda 1985 motorcycle so I can list it and sell
it.
The turn signal button assembly was broken (ever since I've had it). It
needed a knob of some sort. The only thing extending from the handlebar
switch was a sharp 1/4" x 16± gauge tang. It extended about 5/16 inches and
was obviously broken short. I managed to remove it. After some head
scratching I decided not to weld on an extension. Instead I took a 1/4x20
bolt, slit the end on my 4"x6" band saw to a depth of 5/16 inches. Prior to
pushing the tang into the slotted bolt end, I threaded a 1/4x20 die onto the
bolt. Inserted the tang into the slot and ran the die back down on the bolt
so the tang edge is now threaded. (BTW, the tang ended up to be a very
tight fit). Cut off the bolt head so I could remove the die. Cut the whole
assembly to match the depth of a stainless steel acorn nut. Solid as a
rock.
Alternative was to buy an entire grip/switch assembly from Honda for lots of
$$. It's sure a nice feeling when you can mend/repair a part instead of
replace.
Ivan Vegvary
Do not bee suprized if you receieve Instead I took a 1/4x20
It's sure a nice feeling when you can mend/repair a part instead of
You may feel nice now, but you have offended the French as that motorcycle
is supposed to be all metric, not any silly English measures.
Do not be shocked when you receive a letter from the French society for
purity of the metric system for your callous disregard of their sense of the
way things should be.
"Roger Shoaf" wrote: (clip) Do not be shocked when you receive a letter from
the French society for purity of the metric system for your callous
disregard of their sense of the way things should be.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
If you do hear from them, I wil be glad to help you mount a defense. It is
one thing to replace a metric thread with SAE. The only thing worse would
be replacing it with a wood screw. But, you did not REPLACE a thread. You
created an ingenious substitute for a weld, in an area which originally was
just solid metal. Anyone working on this in the future would have the
option of buying a new original part for big bucks.
"Gerald Miller" wrote: He shoulda used one of the 1/4 - 20 nuts that I
got a number of years ago, all sized for a 10mm wrench.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You could fix those with a bastard file.
That's funny, I have a couple of hundred bolts like that, 1/4-20, 10mm
head. Need any to make up sets?
For some ungodly reason someone decided to use such on wheelchairs. It
can get interesting when the 10mm wrench in the service toolbox isn't in
the service toolbox.
Somehow neither a 3/8 nor a 7/16 wrench just doesn't work worth a darn
on a 10mm head.
Gradually, all the mobility equipment manufacturers are going metric,
probably because almost all of their products are made in China by
Phisiang Electric Machinery Corp.
I had a tough one Sunday. Backed my bush hog into a gopher hole at speed,
and twisted off/snagged/bent/mangled the rear caster wheel fork pretty bad.
Broke one side of the fork off, and twisted up the rest to where it was
going to take heat and hammers to straighten... plus some welding.
I realized pretty quick that with the heavy iron those members were made of
(about 40lb of 1/2" x 3" strapping), I wasn't going to generate enough heat
with my little Victor torch, even with the rosebud on it. No fab shops open
on Sunday, either.
Out comes the propane turkey cooker. Set the burner on high, trickle in a
little O2 with the torch, and "cook" the fork cross-member until it's a nice
dull red.
THEN work the torch over the piece while it's still cookin', and get out the
5lb hand sledge.
Kind of like a propane forge, I guess.
The fork doesn't quite meet new specs now, but it's back on the mower, and
it trails straight.
LLoyd
Unfortunately, the "gophers" around here are Gopher Tortoises -- a Federally
protected species, and the object of much "neighborly" arguments and
arrests. I have no use for 'em... they twist horses' ankles and wreck
pasture vehicles, but if _caught_ molesting one (that means even picking it
up to re-locate it), it's good for a $10K fine. Since I have a
_really_bad_neighbor_ who's always peering over the fence to see what law
I'm breaking today, I'll be avoiding that right now.
And avoiding the hole. Hmmmmm.... maybe I can coax the thing with some kind
of bait or repellent to move its abode to my neighbor's land.... Hmmmmm....
LLoyd
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