rlubikey
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Posts posted by rlubikey
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2 hours ago, Nigel Clark said:
The Dolomite 1850 has identical ratios to the GT6/Vitesse 2 litre box.
That's what I have Nigel. Personally I find the close-ratio box and 3.27 diff gives a tall first gear on my 2.5PI Spit. But the high speed cruising (with O/D) is great! The tall first gear probably gives the diff an easier time, but if I was to have the box re-built I would have the wide ratios from a 1500 Spit. I think Triumph knew a thing or two and realised wider ratios were more appropriate for their torquey, less revvy, stroked engines. Or maybe torquey engines and wide ratio boxes simply suit my driving style better? A lot of this is down to personal taste and driving style.
Cheers, Richard
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21 hours ago, dannyb said:
i did away with the mechanical fan on my Spit, but I had problems with fuel getting too hot in the carbs in traffic because the fan only comes on when the engine needs it, where the mechanical fan keeps the air moving around the carbs when in traffic.
If your car suffers from this in slow/stationary traffic, consider an extra "fan on" relay in parallel with the radiator sensor. This might be a temperature sensor at the back of the engine bay or a motion sensor (e.g. an inductive/Hall sensor on the output of the gearbox). If you wanted to be really flash it might bring the fan on at a slower speed, perhaps even rising as the temperature increases so as not to sound too much like a modern car to passers by!
Cheers, Richard
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Mathew, I bought one in about 1989 where the yolk was similar to that bottom one. Mine was a cheap pattern part and when I couldn't even fit the UJ I sent it back and bought the pukka item from my BL dealer. Lesson learnt - if it's cheap there's probably a reason!
Cheers, Richard
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On 23/07/2020 at 19:05, clive said:
I think"rotoflex" suspension refers more to the style rather than the actual components. At least these days. And yes, goodnessknows why Triumph used an "iffy" rubber donutrather than the CV which was used in other Triumph cars. Possibly cost? Or I did hear a whisper it helped diffs to survive.
Yes, I've been told that it helped the diffs survive too.
Cheers, Richard
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Regarding the body brackets for the horizontal links, while they have to be moved for the swing-axle, they are bolted in place not welded. (You add shims for the tracking.) You have to move the holes - location dimples already present. BUT ... the body is a box-section at this point. Can someone tell me (and David) are there crush tubes (to reinforce box section where bolts go through) and are they present in the swing axle locations???
Cheers, Richard
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12 hours ago, Dick Twitchen said:
A piece of heat shrink and then a small blob of Araldite, or similar, works.
+1 for that tip. I use superglue with the "accelerator" pen to make it go off. Doesn't need the heat shrink either, unless it's already started to unwrap
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It used to be that you would solder the ends of bike cables, but now they're all stainless which is pretty difficult to solder.
Cheers, Richard
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22 hours ago, SpitFire6 said:
Hi,
Our colonial cousins recommend these to fix all spring problems:
Monroe MA785 Max-Air Adjust Shock Absorber
£130 a pair on Amazon.
Cheers.
Iain.
Iain, Vanadium, et al - yes I had the Monroe Max-Air shocks on the back of my Spit, not to cure a sagging spring but so I could load up the bikes on a towbar carrier and luggage too for touring. They certainly work ... until one of your Monroes fails and you notice some sort of oil in the air pipe where you pump them up. This happened after only a couple of years or so. Perhaps I was unlucky and thousands of other Max-Air owners have no problem, but I won't be buying them again!
There is another company does exactly the same type of air adjustable height shock (it's intended for a Corvette Stingray - just happens to fit a Spit). I haven't tried them yet but when I do I see Rock Auto have them. They are Gabriel Hijackers - apparently it's part number 49304 for Spit rear.
Adrian, these air-assist shocks are designed to raise the height by "helping" the springs on a Corvette or any of the cars other shocks in the range fit (Monroe and Gabriel do loads of different ones). A Spit back end is so light I don't see it as being a problem.
Cheers, Richard
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Didn't the club shop do these a year or two back???
Cheers, Richard
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It's deffo. not a Challenger. The first Challenger was Ford based and the second was XJ6. I clearly remember the first & still have brochure for second - I was young and had delusions of ... something or other.
Cheers, Richard
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One of my (air adjustable) Monroes failed after only a couple of years. Of course, there may be loads of people out there whose Monroes are still good after decades!
Cheers, Richard
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Thanks NM. That would be 5.2 inches, or 132mm. I see Longstone say a Dunlop would be 140mm and Camac 135mm wide while inflated diameters are 579mm/584mm. If my maths is correct, a 155/80R13 would have a diameter of 578mm. If so then I was wrong, the cross-ply would not have been a significantly larger size.
Cheers, Richard
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Rich, 155/80R13 will be the original size radial and give the authentic "biscuit wheel" look. 175/70R13 are significantly wider and damn near identical diameter. I would be careful of 165/70 as this will be a smaller diameter and may not "fill" the arches, spoiling the look of the car. However, 165/80 will be slightly larger diameter and may well be close to the original cross-ply tyre originally spec'ed for the GT6. Anyone remember the OE cross-ply size?
Cheers, Richard
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12 minutes ago, Mjit said:
Not that I'm in the middle of reveneering them so have them stripped and sat about 2m away from my computer or anything...
Ha ha! My wife re-coated mine - the advantage of being married to a restorer of antique furniture. I haven't got around to installing yet so was also able to refer to them easily!
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If it's the same as a Spit, there's the hidden rearward facing stud as mentioned, which is the top RH corner. Then there's the hidden bracket top LH corner. To gain access to the bracket you have to remove the centre dash section - four visible screws. Then, as already mentioned, you have the choke (bottom LH corner) which doubles as a dash retainer. I think that's it - a fixing in each of the three corners.
Hope this helps.
Cheers, Richard
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Here you go, this is the original circuit from the Courier.
Let me know if you want my modified "short-circuit-proof" version.
Richard
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Iain, it is possible to do a quite simple OD "Logic" box which uses the slide switch on the gear lever. The OD will stay engaged while you go between 3rd & 4th (as already noted) and only drop out if you visit 2nd or 1st (or reverse). When you go back into 3rd or 4th, the OD is inhibited and when you decide you want OD, I find that my thumb instantly recognises the switch is in the "engaged" position and it's second nature to slide "off" then "engage".
The circuit comprises two double-throw relays. I have two versions - the first is as published in the Courier decades ago - but I'm afraid I don't know the author. The second is based on the same idea, but modified by me so that the gear lever wiring doesn't carry live, so a short circuit won't blow the fuse - that's if you even have a fuse which I don't believe the standard wiring loom doesn't.
Cheers, Richard
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Dave, it used to be that you could solder the cut end of the cable to stop it fraying. These days a lot of cables are stainless steel which doesn't rust - it doesn't solder either! (Well, not without VERY specialist solder/flux) So now-a-days you can put a blob of superglue on the end which does the same thing.
Cheers, Richard
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Pmus44, wise words there from Doug. Sportier exhausts are like marriage and the old phrase - marry in haste, repent at leisure. I bought a so-called sports exhaust back in 1989 which was described as "not too loud". Absolute rubbish - it was waaay too loud. Never forget, the person trying to sell you something will always try and put it in a good light and a subjective description gives them free rein. Also, car manufacturers spend thousands and thousands designing exhausts and other things which make up your car - do you think after market johnnies spend as much?
However, Clive is right to say that Canley Classics are well regarded. Even so, and as I've said before so many times I sound like a stuck record, different people perceive sound differently.One man's "refined sporty note" is another man's "too loud man, too loud!!"
I think the only way to buy a different, sportier exhaust for your car, is either assume you'll need ear plugs, or hear it first. Get along to your local group (which you can't do right now) and see who's got what and ask for a ride so as to hear the exhaust you're thinking of buying. Most owners will be only too delighted to give you a spin!
Sorry to sound like a cynical Moaning Minnie, but I've been their and got the tee shirt.
Cheers, Richard
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Peter, instead of chopping the cable, why don't you simply unplug the warning light cable from the flasher and run a new wire to your LED?
Cheers, Richard
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36 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:
a pair of FIAMM horns from a Mercedes SLK ... and they are LOUD!
Bloody Mercedes drivers - think they own the road!
Cheers, Richard
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Peter, how does the flasher module work on the Herald? If it's the same as my Atlas then there's a separate output pin for the dash-light. In which case, as NonMember says, I would think the LED will work because this output isn't sensitive to load and it doesn't reverse polarity between turn left and turn right. However, if it's the same as the Spitfire then there's no separate dash-light pin. The light is wired between the left and right bulbs and, as Mijt says, it won't work as it stands because of the changing polarity. However, you can get around this by wiring your dash LED down stream of a bridge rectifier as this will ensure the LED always sees a positive voltage.
Cheers, Richard
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Well done PMV. I can tell you're in/near Cirencester with all those Cotswold stone houses and walls - you lucky thing!
Cheers, Richard
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Dave, That 5% difference in the aspect ratio of the 185/60 & 185/65 tyre makes (does a quick calculation) 9.25mm difference in the radius. If my maths is correct, that's a 3.4% reduction in the speedo and this agrees with my memory (we are talking 10 years ago) that it used to read a few percent fast, just like most cars are intended to be. It reads bang on now.
Hope this helps, Richard
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Dave, I had 185/60R13 on my old Spit and I completely agree with you - they are noticeably smaller diameter and don't fill the arches. It spoilt the look of the car. These days I have 185/65R13. They are the correct diameter and look great but are now unobtainable even in Europe.
So your choice is the original size of 155/80R13, or 175/70R13 which is the same diameter or wider, or as suggested you could have 165/80R13 which is larger diameter but would perhaps be similar to the crossplies which might have been fitted in the 60's.
Cheers, Richard
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Electric Rad Fan Fitting
in Cooling System
Posted
Belt and braces, you can get timing relays (e.g. for heated rear windows) so your fan will run until the temperature sender says it's cooled down, but for a maximum of, say, 10 minutes after ignition off (timer).
Cheers, Richard