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The man tested it and the gizmo said 'battery - good' with 63% life. I explained the battery is 4 months old and should be 100% life.

He then phoned Bosch and the man explained that the battery could get damaged if it had a prolonged drain. He asked me 'had it had a long drain such as a boot light or courtesey light' - 'what! on a 1962 TR4, you're aving a larf'.

 

So, having discovered many years ago that Bosch plugs are useless and expire in a very short period, I now know to avoid their batteries for the same reason.

Reassuring to know that Halfords honour their warranties, but not the cheapest place to buy a battery.

 

[Not that I have anything against Bosch generally - I have quite a lot of their tools, including a Dremel and they replaced an out-of-warranty but rarely used Li-on battery without any quibbles]

Edited by BrianC
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Well, Heavens above it passed the MOT with a very badly painted rear wing.   Had an interesting day today. I needed to spray the  rear wing from the TR4. I did this last week and it wen

Hi Folks, well that was quite prophetic !!!!!!  Lockdown on March 23rd certainly threw a spanner in the works, So after 8 months sleep the Blue Racer has risen and having risdid is now at ho

Hi Roger, I recently had the "opportunity" (not) to do some bodywork on and respray my rear wing. I bought a very cheap (customer return) small garden gazebo on ebay and put it up in my garage. I

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Hi Brian,

I would definately recommend their batteries. The previous one lasted 8/9 years and the winter killed it.

As for price the HCB072 is £102. Not cheap as you say but it does have Calcium (for stronger bones). I have a Halfords trade card and I paid £68.

 

The cause of the failure was mine. You must NEVER let a lead acid battery drop to Zero Volts it will kill it.

 

I did this and was lucky to get it back to nearly working (Bosch must be doing something right)

 

Anyway their customer service was spot on.

 

Roger

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Hi Folks,

I had in mind today to get the last skinny wheel painted in order to have tyres fitted tomorrow and balanced.

I have a concern over the way they were balancing the first two wheels as I ended up with a whole bunch of weights on the wheels.

So I popped along to the tyre shop to measure the mandrel shaft on their balancing machine - 40mm dia.

 

A few years ago I overcame the problem of the run of the mill tyre shop balancing wires. I made up an old wire wheel adaptor to use as an adaptor for the balancing machine.

Unfortunately the machines are all different, so when my tyre shop changed theirs my adaptor would not fit.

Today I made the adaptor fit by boring out the centre to the correct size.

However this was not straight forward. The adaptor would not fit in my lathe. So, firstly, I had to make an attachment plate for the adaptor to bolt to and for the lathe to pick up on. Quite easy in the end but the initial thought instilled fear and annoyance into me.

I think the adptor should work as long as it fits on the machine - we will find out tomorrow.

 

The next bit of fun was removing the stubborn paint off the last wheel. I have found the paint stripper I'm using appears to be getting weaker with each wheel I'm doing (can that happen - it still burns my arms from the fall-out). Anyway, there is still a fair bit of paint left after two goes at stripping.

A sanding disc in the drill works well - usually. I use a pad with velcro type hooks in that pick up on the sanding disc.

So far they have performed very well. But today I had to open a new box. The mandrel still has the hooks and the discs look hairy enough to attach to the hooks, and so they do for a short while.Then off they fly. Like little alien ships with the Mekon on board looking for some dastardly buisness to do. Better still it was like a clay pigeon shoot in the garage this morning, discs flying everywhere, they could take your eye out.

Thankfully I managed to get the paint off whilst not losing my sight.

 

The wheel is still not painted and it is now pouring down (hence my scriblings here). I shall venture out soon and try to get the thing sorted.

 

Roger

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I've seen Roger's paint stripper, if that's what he wishes to call it - evil stuff, looks straight out of Quatermass to me, anything that sits there in a tray quietly lurking and yet seemingly not quite still fills me with fear and trepidation. Roger's yelp of warning when someone approached said tray serves only to reinforce the conviction of something nasty in the garage. B)

 

As for the wheel he'd been interfacing with the stuff, if that thing went low flying then you wouldn't see Dan Dare or Doctor Who for dust . . . . leprous wires you don't argue with ! :P

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

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Thankfully the wheel has submitted and allowed my to get a coat of primer on it.

I don't know what the primer coat was on the wheel but the stripper hardly touched. Tomorrow top coat then tyre.

 

The wheel that Alec stayed clear of came up a treat.

Alan was lucky not to get his rather nice jumper attacked by the stuff. It definately made a grab for him.

 

I have about a pint of the stripper left and not too sure what to do with it.

I did have a frankestein moment and was thinking of putting the stuff in a glass jar, irradiated with a UVb lamp and a spark plug to reproduce lightening in the hope of creating life. Knowing my luck I would just get an embryonic MG owner.

 

 

Tomorrow wheel balancing - that should be fun

 

Roger

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Success and silly grin time.

I took the two remaining wheels to have tyres fitted and balanced. The other day the first two wheels looked like 'smith's crisps' on the balancing machine.

So today I went armed. I adapted a splined adaptor to fit onto the balancing machine. So now the wheel is fitted to the splined adaptor and the whole lot put on the machine. It actually looked round. somewhere between 5 and 25Grm to balance - result.

Tomorrow I take the first two back to have another go.

 

 

Something that I've noticed is the lawn. At the moment it is warm and wet, very wet. The conditions make the bloody stuff shoot up like a decent valve spring losing its collet.

Anyway, last week I mowed the lawn. Today the lawn needs cutting again - what is going on.

I shall give it a decent trim - short back and sides (with a little quiff near the greenhouse).

 

But to start with I need to clean the garage out. The episode with the wheels and paint stripper has left it looking like a battle field.

 

 

Roger

Edited by RogerH
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But have you cut the grass yet?

 

Rgds Ian

 

 

Yep, the lawns been mowed and we can see the Wildebeasties again. I was even taken out for a nice trip to the dump, by Stig.

 

Tyson Staffie obviously missed the Wildebeasties!

 

Sue :rolleyes:

Edited by SuzanneH
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Hi Folks (I'm not Sue),

my computer is sick at present so I'm using Sues.

Today I got the first two wheels/tyres rebalanced. Great success. The 120Grms and 40Grms went down to 20 and 10.

My adaptor for the balancing machine appears to work a treat.

 

I have started on rebuilding my handbrake. I think it would be easier to rebuild the Eifel tower.

I think I have all the pieces, we will see. In princple it looks easy but getting all the bits onto the central push rod is fun (not).

Tomorrow we will vanquish the little so and so. I see in the Moss catalogue that they show the ratchet pawl upside down.

 

 

Roger

 

re the Moss catalogue ratchet pawl. It is not shown upside down :blink: it's a fly-off handbrake - oops!!

Edited by SuzanneH
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Hi Folks (I'm not Sue),

my computer is sick at present so I'm using Sues.

 

You can sign-out of the Forum and sign-in as yourself, unless of course you are emulating Johnny Cash ('My name is Sue, how do you do?').

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Hi Brian,

yes, I thought of that but that would require Sue remebering her log in etc!!!

 

Anyway back to the fun.

I rebuilt the handbrake and it appears to work OK. This required the replacement of a chassis bracket that for some reason was not there/removed. Many thanks to Stuart for photos of missing item.

 

When I fitted the new cable (handbrake to compensator) it was quite slack. So I looked deeper. The cables at the back were also slack but worse still it appeared that all the clevis pins and holes were knackered (technical term for buggered).

The handbrake levers in the brake drum also had elongated holes.

This afternoon I started to take off all the rear brake items - clean, overhaul, make good all the dodgy holes and refit.

 

Repairing the elongaed holes is fairly easy - drill out till round (5/16 hole becomes 3/8) fill with suitable turned bar stock then redrill to 5/16. Tomorrow should be fun.

 

I was hoping that perhaps most of the operating systems would be ok as the car had a 1 week old MOT when I got it last year. Clearly MOT's aren't what they were.

 

The off side rear damper looks as though it is leaking. I will remove it, clean it, and give it a stiff talking to - that should sort it.

 

Roger

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Hi Folks (I'm not Sue),

my computer is sick at present so I'm using Sues.

Today I got the first two wheels/tyres rebalanced. Great success. The 120Grms and 40Grms went down to 20 and 10.

My adaptor for the balancing machine appears to work a treat.

 

I have started on rebuilding my handbrake. I think it would be easier to rebuild the Eifel tower.

I think I have all the pieces, we will see. In princple it looks easy but getting all the bits onto the central push rod is fun (not).

Tomorrow we will vanquish the little so and so. I see in the Moss catalogue that they show the ratchet pawl upside down.

 

 

Roger

 

re the Moss catalogue ratchet pawl. It is not shown upside down :blink: it's a fly-off handbrake - oops!!

 

 

Thats so impressive, seperate computers even, only in the sarf could it appen.

 

When is it going to be done Roger. My TR4 got a mot this week is yours far behind?

 

Bet you did the grass just to get at the girls PC a sound move too.

 

On another note I hear that some of the "suppliers" arent going to Harrogate, TR shops one, because its too far, others too it seems, whats up with these people, they must be making far too much dosh, to be bovvered

 

trekking northwards its a damn disgrace sir. Shame when many overseas visitors come with the will to buy and see the goods on the day, I do hope those that do turn up do well and find the trip worthwhile.

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Hi Pete,

doesn't everybody oop North have their own laptop - they do down here.

 

As I said, the TR4 had a one week old MOT when I picked it up Feb 2010. The previous owner had it apprx 2 years but clearly hadn't clue.

Prior to that it had not seen the light of day for 10-15 years. The owner from 1970 to 2000 did his own repairs (some quite good - his fibre glass is to die for) and also the undersealing - I think he turned the car upside down and got the local council to tip a load of tar onto it.

Having said that the chassis and most body panels are very good.

I'm still finding oddities that suggest a racing/rallying history.

 

I was planning on having it MOT'd prior to Harrogate but I'm now on the sick list and can't attend (pity realy, I could have brought one of the laptops and donated it to somebody up there :P Another two weeks and I would have done it but now I'm looking at the end of September.

 

Roger

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Peter, he didn,t even ask to borrow my lap top and now here I am relegated to my I-phone which I can hardly see. Hope they fix his laptop soon, he is either moaning about the damn thing or breaking it. Still when he is on that Zimmer frame and crutches I,ll get my own back!

 

Sue (how do you do smileys on an I-phone?)

Edited by SuzanneH
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Stupid bl@@&y phone! Not smokers, SMILEYS.

 

PS I wouldn't even have a joint bank account with Roger let alone share a computer!

Edited by SuzanneH
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Peter, he didn,t even ask to borrow my lap top and now here I am relegated to my I-phone which I can hardly see. Hope they fix his laptop soon, he is either moaning about the damn thing or breaking it. Still when he is on that Zimmer frame and crutches I,ll get my own back!

 

Sue (how do you do smileys on an I-phone?)

 

 

its not good being a bit poorly as we say oop ere, so Roger you lookafter yourself young man. Zimmer eh' there could be trouble ahead.

you have an I phone, thank god I havent the foggiest what a soddin I phone is.

 

My lad came home for a visit a couple of weeks ago, as we were having a cup of tea on the pavement outside he pointed his Cell phone (see I am Intercontisodingnental) to the sky at an aircraft landing at Manchester, its coming from etc etc.The phone gave details of the flight and other stuff, apparently its a programme that only costs a couple of quid or so he says.

 

It must be the devils work. Must say I dont miss the smileys Sue!

 

We dont all have our own Laptops we go to the library and wait for the children to finish and then dive in.

 

Harrogate will miss you, next year and its the TR4 to Malvern. night night.

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:)

 

Hey Sue,

 

To do a smiley on your Iphone just type a ':' followed by a close bracket ')', This is identified on the forums as a smiley.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

 

 

I am just in awe of how you know this stuff Tony, amazing.

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:)

 

Hey Sue,

 

To do a smiley on your Iphone just type a ':' followed by a close bracket ')', This is identified on the forums as a smiley.

 

Cheers

 

Tony

 

 

Thanks Tony, I know thats the way the youngsters do it on Facebook and text messages but I thought I should be able to get to the emoticons on this forum via my I-phone?????????????

 

Pete, what is your library doing open at 10.36 pm last night? Thats a good service you have there, we daren't venture out at that time of night!

 

As for Zimmer frames and crutches, if he ever needs a wheel chair we have got a brilliant Station Hill in Hayes it will remind him of his child hood adventures, on the same hill, in a soap box. WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

Sue ;)

Edited by SuzanneH
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Hi Toronto Tim,

see attached my wire wheel balancing adaptor.

The splined adaptor has a nylon insert in the central hole. This is drilld/bored out to the diameter of the balancing machine shaft.

The spinner is bored to slightly bigger than the machine shaft then faces off.

 

The adaptor sits on the balancing machine with the flat face of the adaptor hard against the machine back plate.

The balancing machine tightening nut then fits up against the faced-off spinner.

 

Roger

 

 

 

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Hooray, the computer is fixed and I am now myself.

 

Today I have been mostly doing rear brakes.

For those with memories you will recall that the TR4 didn't have a conventional floor handbrake. Somebody fitted a tunnel mounted version.

In order to fit the normal H/B I had to make a bracket on the chassis for the pawl plate to fix to.

All the holes in the fork ends and levers were quite well worn so I enlarged the holes and fitted some bushes.This has taken up the play quite nicely.

Having fitted the cables I then find out that the fly-off H/B is resembling a stay-on H/B.

For some reason the fly-off ratchet works well on the bench but becomes extremely iffy when installed. I've now fitted a stronger spring - some improvement but not much.

 

I also fitted new rear brake pipes. THe transverse pipes were easy. With all this success I decided to replace the front/rear pipe. Ummm, bad move.

Having removed the old pipe (this is a form of fun and amusement. It's a bit like trying to sort out a Rubic cube with one hand up your bum).

Anyway the pipe came out. I noticed that the rear female union on the pipe was a tight squeeze through its chassis hole - remember this (that's a hint).

I open my box of Automec coppper pipes to find that I gave this particular pipe away two weeks ago - I am soooo generous.

Off to the shops to buy more pipe. New end fittings, ends of pipe nicely flared (actually not flared but the other one) he he, end fittings fitted before flaring.

The new female union is identical to the old one. Guess what (who hasn't remembered) it will not fit through the rather tight hole - how can that be.

 

The mysterious shrinking hole was sorted, not by some kind words and a soothing balm but a very vicious rotary file in the ole' Black&Decker.

 

The rear union of the long rearwards pipe run sits very low and the pipe is in danger of getting hit by a cat, hedgehog or badger.

So I put in an additional bracket sitting on the old one. This raises the pipe apprx 1" so should give the wildlife a fighting chance.

 

The H/B fly-off is still iffy but tomorrow I'll give it another attack and see what happens.

 

I need to get all the awkward undercar things done this week as most of August will see me being very vertical for a few weeks - no bending at the hip (or I fall over).

 

Roger

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Ha Ha, guess who has a fly-off handbrake (heres a clue, me). Yes well done it's me.

It turned out that the bracket that I had to fit to the chassis for the ratchet pawl was a bit skew wiff.

This put some pressure on a whatsit which in turn stopped the pawl from err pawling.

Remove bracket (what fun) and reweld in place.

 

After lunch I shall fill the brake system with fluid (DOT 4) and adjust everything (after sorting the leaks - there is always leaks, isn't there :blink:

The clutch will be filled/sorted after the brakes.

 

Roger

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