Following the question above I have posted something on the thread concerning short top links, sidecars etc. Here I continue discussing the use of the modified steering heads on solos. First let me say how useful it is to have the feedback. Without that it is difficult to know when something should be modified. For example hrdaustria came straight back with his comments about the strength of the springs. He (Michi) has fitted the Greg Brillus mod as well as the rest of the kit (although Michi has used needle roller bearings rather than ball races. He immediately notified me of the problem with the hydraulic steering damper and the fact that there was not enough movement with the 45 lbs/inch springs for someone with his weight. Michi weighs 77 kg, about 12 stones or 169 lbs. Chris Launders, who did nearly all the test riding, weighs about 21 stones, 294 lbs/ 143 kgs. Chris originally found that 36 lbs/inch springs were correct when the Oilite bushes were being used but once bearings were introduced we had to stiffen both the springs and the damper settings. I will be sending Michi a pair of 36 lbs/inch springs next week so that he can see whether these will work with his weight or not.
I have had 30, 33, 36 and 45 lb/inch springs made and the prices of all the sets are the same but I do need the feedback in order to ensure that the best compromise is there to serve the largest number of people. I did design a system to make the lower spring box adjustable without it changing the appearance too much but so far no one has expressed any interest in this but that is sitting there in the instructions if anyone with the right engineering skill wishes to try it out.
Remember chaps, feedback, positive or negative, will help us all
Also yesterday, at the open day, the fact that several people are buying these kits but not fitting them was discussed. Greg has had and either sold or fitted nearly 30 kits and that means that many/most Australian riders are using this mod. It was suggested to me that the reason for some of the slowness over here was that people do not feel competent enough to carry out this work them selves and there is no one else over here commercially doing the fitting work. I am not prepared to start and do that work but there are people over here who earn a living by making or fitting parts to Vincents. This job is not difficult and if you have bought the kit with a modified lower link with the bearings fitted then all the tedious work of fitting the shims and fitting the lower link correctly to the steering head is already done for you. If you are not fitting one of the hydraulic steering dampers then you should be able to do all the work in a morning or at least a leisurely day or weekend. If you are fitting the steering damper then the only extra thing is to tap a 3/8"BSF thread into an existing hole and check the clearances between the movable part of the damper link and the cylinder head. If you are not confident enough to do it yourself then invite some chums over for a steering head fitting party and do the lifting and adjusting between several of you. Drinks and sandwiches all round and enjoy it. If by chance you have one of the bikes which seems to require fitting a smaller radius front mudguard (three out of about 120 so far) then you are in for more work but I cannot tell you how to discover beforehand whether you will be one of that select bunch.
If I, a small 79 years old, small astronomer can do it then so can you.
I have had 30, 33, 36 and 45 lb/inch springs made and the prices of all the sets are the same but I do need the feedback in order to ensure that the best compromise is there to serve the largest number of people. I did design a system to make the lower spring box adjustable without it changing the appearance too much but so far no one has expressed any interest in this but that is sitting there in the instructions if anyone with the right engineering skill wishes to try it out.
Remember chaps, feedback, positive or negative, will help us all
Also yesterday, at the open day, the fact that several people are buying these kits but not fitting them was discussed. Greg has had and either sold or fitted nearly 30 kits and that means that many/most Australian riders are using this mod. It was suggested to me that the reason for some of the slowness over here was that people do not feel competent enough to carry out this work them selves and there is no one else over here commercially doing the fitting work. I am not prepared to start and do that work but there are people over here who earn a living by making or fitting parts to Vincents. This job is not difficult and if you have bought the kit with a modified lower link with the bearings fitted then all the tedious work of fitting the shims and fitting the lower link correctly to the steering head is already done for you. If you are not fitting one of the hydraulic steering dampers then you should be able to do all the work in a morning or at least a leisurely day or weekend. If you are fitting the steering damper then the only extra thing is to tap a 3/8"BSF thread into an existing hole and check the clearances between the movable part of the damper link and the cylinder head. If you are not confident enough to do it yourself then invite some chums over for a steering head fitting party and do the lifting and adjusting between several of you. Drinks and sandwiches all round and enjoy it. If by chance you have one of the bikes which seems to require fitting a smaller radius front mudguard (three out of about 120 so far) then you are in for more work but I cannot tell you how to discover beforehand whether you will be one of that select bunch.
If I, a small 79 years old, small astronomer can do it then so can you.
