Wazza's created a Rola-Cola

[middie]

Started on the RHD steering rack yesterday - new boots and tie-rods, as well as filling with gear oil.

Looked like being an OK job until I had a look at the size of the hole of one of the boots, compared to the size of the lump of metal I was supposed to slide it over. After a quick 10 minute tantrum I had a cold beer and thought the problem over . . . that's when the Rola-Cola came to life.

Cut off the top of a soft drink bottle - in this case "things really did go better with ....". Get rid of the screw-top piece - Cut out a slice of the width of the newly created funnel - Liberally coat with Petroleum Jelly - Position over the large metal lumps and fashion into a small funnel shape - Boot meanwhile soaking in hot water, and then coated with Petroleum Jelly - Then slide the boot over the Rola-Cola, making sure you leave some Rola-Cola showing so you can pull it out, leaving the boot sitting snugly in position.

Ta-da, and a happy Wazza could have another cold beer.

 

[middie]

Then the problem of getting the gear oil into the boot. After another cold beer ALL the solutions looked terrific (in fact everything looked terrific).
So the Needle-Nudger came into being. Syringe with the right size "outlet", some plastic tubing, and the solution was working.
Making sure the boot clip was in place, the tubing inserted, the boot clip tightened enough to hold the tubing but not cut it off, then lots of toing-and-froing with the syringe filling up with oil.
Finished by turning the rack so that the oil-filled side was upright, and now I hope the oil makes its way down to the other boot.
This has most probably all been done before, but it was the first time for me.

Wazza

 

[mightymidget]

one of future jobs, thanks for shareing the agravation

 

[Silverghost]

Necessity is the mother of invention, yeast, malt and hops are the uncles!! In this case, Bud's-ur-uncles! :laugh:

 

[drooartz]

Nicely done.

 

[middie]

Oh oh. I really shouldn't have been a show off about my rack boots. Had a look this morning and I have a nice puddle of oil under the rack. The boot didn't show any leakage out of the clamps, so I investigated further.
The oil seems to be coming out of a hole in the main rack area. I'm assuming this may be an actual fill hole, and I could have saved the Needle-Nudger for another job.
Does anyone know if this IS a fill hole, and what it should be plugged with to save further leakage?
Wazza

 

[JPSmit]

don't know about the hole but great solution for the gaiter - beer does make you smarter.

 

[nomad]

I'm thinking plug or zerk!!! Like your approach, Middie, and makes me want to go back to Aussie and partake of a tube with you blokes!!

Kurt.

 

[middie]

You are welcome any time Nomad. Just let us Aussies know and you will be given the Spridget treatment.

Wazza

 

[nomad]

Hope to someday, Warren. My mum is from NZ so I've got lot's of relative's your way. Hav'nt been to Aussie since the Nav in the early 70's. Gorgeous country that I swore I would get back to!

Kurt.

 

[middie]

Lots of confusion over the steering rack, with some saying it must be oil, and others saying it must be grease. I eventually went onto the Triumph forum (as the steering rack off a 1500 is Triumph sourced) and the word is that it must be grease.
The hole is an anti-rattle "something or other" and should have a nylon plug in it. The oil is running out because it shouldn't be in there at all, just grease in the balls and teeth.
Live and learn, but at least when I empty the oil out I have the Rola-Cola to get the boot back on.
Wazza