Herald 1200 saloon boot stay lower screws

[Morgana]

After welding the snapped upper support bracket I'm ready to put the stay back on, and stop supporting the boot on my head. The base of the stay was held on with three completely different screws which I'm keen to return to something rather less wobbly. There was one 'J' spire nut, one nut and machine screw and one 'U' spire nut on the channel that clamps the fuel tank to the stay and the body bracket.

None of the diagrams I've seen show in detail how this ought to be when it's right. I've attached some pictures of the order I think the parts should logically go in. I guess two 'J' spires on the green body bracket (to allow them to be installed from underneath without fouling the fuel tank like a 'U' would), and one (U or J?) on the separate (black) clamp piece, all held together with No.10 1/2" or 5/8" pan/flanged self-tappers? Does anyone have a picture or reference of the original fitment?

Edited April 7 by Morgana

[Colin Lindsay]

Your bottom pic makes sense, spire clips and setscrews on the top two and a bolt through the lower with the stay bracket sandwiched between the body clip and the tank itself. 

 

[Pete Lewis]

if you don't have the short spacer you show  the stay arm will foul the tank and hold the lid up out of line

there are a few Tee shirts on that little bracket 

Pete

[Morgana]

Thank you both. My black bracket spacer piece has a spire clip on, so was fouling the top of the fuel tank on top of there being three different screw types in the holes! I'll make it look like Mr Lindsay's with some spires, self-tappers and a machine screw/nut combination and I think that will improve things no end.

[Morgana]

Following on...I took the top pivot off too, and have now forgotten what it looks like when I'm rummaging, despite thinking I'd put everything in a carefully labelled bag. Is it a clevis pin with a starlock washer on? Any photos?

Edited April 26 by Morgana

[Colin Lindsay]

12 hours ago, Morgana said:

Following on...I took the top pivot off too, and have now forgotten what it looks like when I'm rummaging, despite thinking I'd put everything in a carefully labelled bag. Is it a clevis pin with a starlock washer on? Any photos?

Will check this afternoon, and upload.

[Colin Lindsay]

The top pivot on mine is just a nut and bolt through the bracket. It's meant to be a pivot pin but mine's long gone... part number 608237, probably NLA but one of that diameter should be easily found.

Went back out to the garage just now and made one from a 3/8 shoulder bolt. Perfect fit!

Edited April 27 by Colin Lindsay
practice

[Morgana]

Thanks for the effort, Colin. It does need that shoulder since the hole in the stay is much larger than the hole in the bracket. I have the starlock bit but despite looking everywhere I can think of the pin remains elusive! I may have to do as you have done. I've got some nylon washers that might add some smoothness, as well.

[Morgana]

Luckily I can borrow time on a lathe, so I turned a pin down from a bit of bar this afternoon, and it looks like it'll do the job!

[Colin Lindsay]

14 hours ago, Morgana said:

Luckily I can borrow time on a lathe, so I turned a pin down from a bit of bar this afternoon, and it looks like it'll do the job!

Much better than the converted bolt I made earlier but I've already put an order in with the In-Laws. They're flat out at present but hopefully they'll run me up one or two in bright shiny metal.

[rogerguzzi]

17 hours ago, Morgana said:

Luckily I can borrow time on a lathe, so I turned a pin down from a bit of bar this afternoon, and it looks like it'll do the job!

Hello 

         I think I would have threaded it before parting off? or does it not have a nut on it?

Roger

[Morgana]

@rogerguzzi It was a 1/4" starlock washer when it came off, which I still have in the 'Herald Boot Stay' bag where the original pin disappeared from. I turned the small end so it fits through the 1/4" hole in the boot bracket I welded up after it cracked, and the starlock then slides on there. I made the shoulders big enough to fit a 1/16" washer between the stay and the bracket to spread the load over more than the 1/4" hole, and will maybe put a wave/breville on as well to keep tension. I think it's the back and forth wobble, coupled with degraded packing foam between the bracket and the boot skin that causes the bracket to crack, so any way to mitigate this is to be desired.

[Colin Lindsay]

I used a clevis pin and washer on mine, ground it down to fit both stay and bracket stages, pushed it through, measured for a through-hole and then cut the end off at a suitable distance. It lasted all of 24 hours before I dropped it off at the In-Laws engineering works to see if they'll make a professional version. I think they owe me a few Brownie points, but I won't expect any results for an age or two. 

[Morgana]

That's the spirit, Colin! Even when something works, when I know it's a bit of a bodge I am always hankering to do it properly... Next up are the acme screws that ought to be holding on the fuel tank instead of the strange collection of roofing screws the PO left me with.