Brake lever refurb

[Rich]

My restoration of the Midas is nearly complete at the back end, all that is left are the brakes to finish. The handbrake cable recently arrived from Alistair and it was in the email exchange that took place that he mentioned wear in the handbrake levers being a problem.

I had a look at mine and they were indeed more than floppy with a couple of millimeters gap between the two parts after they came out of the acid bath. As I'm waiting for hydraulic cylinders to be delivered I took the grinder to the arms and removed the pivots. The resulting holes were then drilled out to 8mm and some stainless bushes were turned and pressed in with a little locktite for insurance, reducing the holes to 6mm.



The arms were ground flat and a 6mm stainless pin made to form the pivot pin.



A delrin washer was turned and drilled, this fits between the two sections, sorry about the poor photography.



The pin is retained with an 'E' clip over a stainless washer.



The finished assembly.



The levers now have a firm smooth action with no slop at all, rust shouldn't be an issue either and they should be virtually maintenance free. This is my first attempt with stainless steel, I don't know what grade I've got but its bloody hard and I'm going to need to go shopping for some decent tooling for the lathe if I keep on using it.

Rich

[Alan D.]

Hi Rich,

Now that's a classy job, well done. I just used a 6mm stainless bolt with a nyloc! But that is a much better job! I can see I now need to add a lathe to the wish list. I'm trying to organise a rotary tube bender at the moment, to bend thin wall tube. I've managed to get some plans to make one and am waiting for the components to be water jet cut.

If we all keep going like this, we will be able to oust Rolls Royce at being Rolls Royce! ( If that makes sense!)

Alan

[Rich]

Thanks Alan,

What's the intended use of the bent tubing?

Rich

[Alan D.]

Hi Rich,

Sub frames, rear beam axles and roll cages, plus anything else my overfirtile mind thinks of.
Normal people would just go to the pub or watch men running around in shorts, which I think is a bit suspect!

Have you worked as a turner or in a machine shop?

Again an excellent job. Delrin?

Alan

[Rich]

Ahh, that kind of tubing! Do you have a tubing notcher already? I had one of those on my FROST wish list for years.

Thanks for the compliment, but no I have no formal engineering experience. I'm lucky enough to have had several talented engineers as friends and I've picked up some bits from them and worked the rest out for myself.

Delrin is an engineering plastic, essentially acetyl.

Rich

[Alan D.]

Hi Rich,

I don't think I need a tube notcher as I've just purchased a radial armed pillar drill and the head tilts to all sorts of angles. Basically it was cheaper (£139) than a tube notcher and more versatile. But you never know I may find a need for a notcher, never say never!

Have a look at the link below and view more images and you will see what I mean!

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp? ... e=1&jump=0

Alan

[manifold]

stop bragging alan, your making me jealous! I need a bigger garage.

[Rich]

stop bragging alan, your making me jealous! I need a bigger garage.

I'd be happy with just a garage!

Axminster Tools is just a few minutes from here, I'm becoming more familiar with their stock than their staff are.

Rich

[Geoff Butcher]

Pedant alert! Delrin is the trade name for acetal, also known as polyoxymethylene.

[Alan D.]

Well thanks Geoff,

I've just had to look up that word , as it was not a common word used in our fitting shop. But keep the information coming, knowledge is power!

Regards Alan