mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Agree that black rack would be better and I think the light needs to move to the rack strut too. Lines look fine though.
1940s Raleigh rescue - Should I or shouldn't I?
- Thread starter ChrisEyles
- Start date
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robsa
Über Member
- Location
- chesterfield
Thanks guys. @ Steve I think black would be better but that's the closest match to the colour I found on it under 40 or so years of different colours slapped on it
robsa
Über Member
- Location
- chesterfield
OP
OP
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Looking really nice! I'm also thinking the rack would be better in black - in which case I think it complements the bike nicely. I like the back light, no doubt I will be searching for something similar (and possibly picking your brains on the LED replacement!) sometime soon.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
The only thing that worries me is the damage all those clamps for the rack and lights are doing to that lovely paint job.
robsa
Über Member
- Location
- chesterfield
Old inner tube cut to size and put in-between clamp and frame dogtrousers
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
That's a weight off my shoulders. I shall sleep better tonight.
OP
OP
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Well, I finally got hold of some nice 28" wheels for the older bike 
The rear one has a 3-speed (I guess AW) sturmey archer hub, and the front a dynohub, which is a nice bonus over the previous (dead!) wheels. After a good scrub and a spot of paint they're looking pretty good, though they still need truing up. Can't get the accompanying lamp to work yet, but looks like this is a problem with the lamp connections rather than the hub itself.
I had more fun and games with cotter pins this weekend. The chainring was quite loose on the axle, and needed a shim... it was rather tricky getting the correct thickness so that the crank would be tight, but the cotter pin would still fit. Once again the vice stepped up to the rescue and it's now "customised" to size with a file.
Now that I've set the seat to roughly the right height, the frame feels enormous! I can only just stand over the frame, and have to sort of bounce up onto the saddle. Don't know if this was a giant's bike or if that's just how they made them back in the day.
Next challenge will be setting up the rod brakes. The sleeves are currently frozen onto the connecting rods (and hence unadjustable) so I'll either have to see if they work OK in the current position or come up with an ingenious fix (i.e. wrench them apart as hard as I can!).
Now I also need to get hold of a shifter for the SA hub - want to try and find a nice top tube mounted quadrant shifter if possible. I never thought these two bikes would turn into such a big project as they have done! Must be a record for the slowest restoration ever (I did up a 70s racer a little while ago and was amazed how simple, quick, and easy everything was), but I *am* looking forward to that first test ride!
The rear one has a 3-speed (I guess AW) sturmey archer hub, and the front a dynohub, which is a nice bonus over the previous (dead!) wheels. After a good scrub and a spot of paint they're looking pretty good, though they still need truing up. Can't get the accompanying lamp to work yet, but looks like this is a problem with the lamp connections rather than the hub itself. I had more fun and games with cotter pins this weekend. The chainring was quite loose on the axle, and needed a shim... it was rather tricky getting the correct thickness so that the crank would be tight, but the cotter pin would still fit. Once again the vice stepped up to the rescue and it's now "customised" to size with a file.
Now that I've set the seat to roughly the right height, the frame feels enormous! I can only just stand over the frame, and have to sort of bounce up onto the saddle. Don't know if this was a giant's bike or if that's just how they made them back in the day.
Next challenge will be setting up the rod brakes. The sleeves are currently frozen onto the connecting rods (and hence unadjustable) so I'll either have to see if they work OK in the current position or come up with an ingenious fix (i.e. wrench them apart as hard as I can!).
Now I also need to get hold of a shifter for the SA hub - want to try and find a nice top tube mounted quadrant shifter if possible. I never thought these two bikes would turn into such a big project as they have done! Must be a record for the slowest restoration ever (I did up a 70s racer a little while ago and was amazed how simple, quick, and easy everything was), but I *am* looking forward to that first test ride!
robsa
Über Member
- Location
- chesterfield
Those wheels look brill Chris keep at it can't wait to see how this one turns out. Think your going to need to do the one foot on the pedal scoot mount with the size of that frame
OP
OP
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
Had a quick look at the headlamp tonight - the problem turned out to be simply the little springy contact underneath the bulb - thanks a lot for the tip @tyred! The light is pretty feeble so the LED upgrad is a definite down the line.
For an encore I stripped the thread on one of the front axle nuts tightening the hub into the dropouts :S Not sure if it's the nut or the axle tha's stripped (both look OK by eye), but I suspect the axle, which has had quite a lot taken off as flats. Fortunately there should be enough excess thread to pop on a second nut, or replace the stripped nut with a spacer and clamp it down with a new nut. Nothing more frustrating than doing something like that and knowing you've only yourself to blame!
For an encore I stripped the thread on one of the front axle nuts tightening the hub into the dropouts :S Not sure if it's the nut or the axle tha's stripped (both look OK by eye), but I suspect the axle, which has had quite a lot taken off as flats. Fortunately there should be enough excess thread to pop on a second nut, or replace the stripped nut with a spacer and clamp it down with a new nut. Nothing more frustrating than doing something like that and knowing you've only yourself to blame!
OP
OP
ChrisEyles
Guru
- Location
- Devon
I had a proper look at the front wheel yesterday. The axle thread was indeed stripped a little, but fortunately I can get away with putting a spacer over the stripped bit and having the locknut on the good part of the thread - phew!
I was curious how the dynohub worked, and the axle felt a little gritty, so after a bit of googling I managed to strip it down and get to the bearings. As it turned out, the gritty feeling was coming from the magnet assembly rather than the bearings, so I shoved in some grease... it occurred to me (immediately afterwards!) that this might not have been a good idea if the magnetic permeability of the grease if very low, but hopefully I'll get away with it, and it runs a bit more smoothly now.
I won a quadrant shifter for the top tube on ebay at the weekend, so I'm looking forward to getting the SA hub working properly. I'm also curious about stripping down the SA hub and having a look inside, but since it seems to be working fine as it is I might chicken out for fear of pawls and little springs flying everywhere!
The last big challenge will be getting the front rod brakes to work. The outer sleeve is frozen (I guess rusted) solid onto the handlebar rod, so it can't be adjusted. I tried heating it up with a soldering iron and going at it with a pair of mole grips, but no joy. I'm going to try squirting in a bit of GT85 every day for a couple of weeks and then repeat, but I'm not too optimistic about this working! Plan B is to either drill a second hole in the stirrup at the right height for the brake blocks (although it still wouldn't be adjustable...), or to hacksaw the sleeve off and get a new one (but would have to be very careful about not running into the inner rod).
I was curious how the dynohub worked, and the axle felt a little gritty, so after a bit of googling I managed to strip it down and get to the bearings. As it turned out, the gritty feeling was coming from the magnet assembly rather than the bearings, so I shoved in some grease... it occurred to me (immediately afterwards!) that this might not have been a good idea if the magnetic permeability of the grease if very low, but hopefully I'll get away with it, and it runs a bit more smoothly now.
I won a quadrant shifter for the top tube on ebay at the weekend, so I'm looking forward to getting the SA hub working properly. I'm also curious about stripping down the SA hub and having a look inside, but since it seems to be working fine as it is I might chicken out for fear of pawls and little springs flying everywhere!
The last big challenge will be getting the front rod brakes to work. The outer sleeve is frozen (I guess rusted) solid onto the handlebar rod, so it can't be adjusted. I tried heating it up with a soldering iron and going at it with a pair of mole grips, but no joy. I'm going to try squirting in a bit of GT85 every day for a couple of weeks and then repeat, but I'm not too optimistic about this working! Plan B is to either drill a second hole in the stirrup at the right height for the brake blocks (although it still wouldn't be adjustable...), or to hacksaw the sleeve off and get a new one (but would have to be very careful about not running into the inner rod).
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Here's a video of one stripped, explains why they tick in second gear (direct drive) as well.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6v5K-2zWMI&feature=player_detailpage
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6v5K-2zWMI&feature=player_detailpage
robsa
Über Member
- Location
- chesterfield
All I did to mine to get it to run lovely was empty a can of wd40 into it rode it round for a couple of mile. Then same again with electrical contact cleaner then about a teaspoon of atf. Like you, I was chicken about striping it!
It is intimidating stripping them down for the first time but there isn't a huge amount to be afraid of in reality. Just be sure to stock up on Swarfega first
Saying that, flushing them out with diesel or Wd40 or whatever and then some fresh oil usually does the trick. I believe the best oil to use is monograde SAE 30 engine oil, often found in garden centres sold as 4 stroke motor oil.
Saying that, flushing them out with diesel or Wd40 or whatever and then some fresh oil usually does the trick. I believe the best oil to use is monograde SAE 30 engine oil, often found in garden centres sold as 4 stroke motor oil.
Chris S
Legendary Member
- Location
- Birmingham
They pop-up on ebay fairly frequently. They've only got a job lot at the moment.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-B...ar-Changers-/252053853843?hash=item3aaf949693
