Mechanic Sense Tingling (Allen: 5 Murphy: 3)
Ha ha hooray Calloo Callay! iiii win iiii win iiiii win!
Today went great with the work on the bike.
Score 1)
I went to the locksmith after my final and he had my keys in less than 20min, including an extra mailbox key for my room mate to check while I'm gone. No problems whatsoever, I even left early enough so that when the bus had to detour because of closed roads I still made it well before the locksmith closed. (I did go a little out of my way because when I called this guy he was sure he could get it done)
Score 2)
I finally figured out why that stupid bolt was just spinning AND why I didn't think it felt like it was stripped. Because it wasn't! Apparently it was a single very long (2ft ) bolt with a nut on the other end where the left footpeg was. So all I had to do was get another wrench to lock the left side in place and turn on the other end. I had even gotten a piece of pipe from the hardware store on my way back to act as an extension for the wrench handle (levers are such wonderful things) so my hands weren't sore from pressing on the shorter wrench handle. Yesterday I was having to use most of my bodyweight to turn the bolt, today one hand!! =D
Score 3)
After getting the footpeg off I was finally able to take out all the screws on the right-side engine cover. But once again I run against my inexperience and even with all the bolts holding the cover on taken out, the cover isn't coming off. I vaguely recalled something about sealing the engine case--no I don't go into this completely blind, I do look at generic maintenance how-tos before hand--so I figured that's why it wouldn't come off. I tried yanking, tapping, thumping, all to no avail. Finally as there was only one screw left that could do anything I tried loosening and tightening it to see what would happen. Turns out this screw compresses the springs in the clutch, so once they were compressed enough the engine cover which the springs pressed against popped off, thanks to its now absent bolts. And I learned a new trick for how to get the cover off (and added a note to my maintenance manual). =D Though later I'm going to have to look up more closely how to seal it again.
Score 4)
Next I ran up against the lockwasher, which is like a normal washer except that one edge bends up against the nut so it can't come loose. Of course in its locked state it was flush to the nut's edge and it took some fiddling to figure out how to pry it back flat. So I began attempting progressively more violent things to try and accomplish this, beginning with pliers to bend it and finally ending up using my flat-head screwdriver as a wedge and applying a hammer to force my wedge inbetween. Ta-da freed bolt! And I can even probably reuse it when i put it back together(I said PROGRESSIVELY more violent, remember?)
Failure)
Finally I ran into the game stopper for today. The next bolt I have to remove is larger than any of the tools I have to turn it. So its off to the hardware store early tomorrow morning. At least I know exactly what I need.
So barring any catastrophic, unforeseen challenges, I will have the plates out and examined before noon tomorrow. Which leaves me time to order or shop around for nay parts I might need.
Today went great with the work on the bike.
Score 1)
I went to the locksmith after my final and he had my keys in less than 20min, including an extra mailbox key for my room mate to check while I'm gone. No problems whatsoever, I even left early enough so that when the bus had to detour because of closed roads I still made it well before the locksmith closed. (I did go a little out of my way because when I called this guy he was sure he could get it done)
Score 2)
I finally figured out why that stupid bolt was just spinning AND why I didn't think it felt like it was stripped. Because it wasn't! Apparently it was a single very long (2ft ) bolt with a nut on the other end where the left footpeg was. So all I had to do was get another wrench to lock the left side in place and turn on the other end. I had even gotten a piece of pipe from the hardware store on my way back to act as an extension for the wrench handle (levers are such wonderful things) so my hands weren't sore from pressing on the shorter wrench handle. Yesterday I was having to use most of my bodyweight to turn the bolt, today one hand!! =D
Score 3)
After getting the footpeg off I was finally able to take out all the screws on the right-side engine cover. But once again I run against my inexperience and even with all the bolts holding the cover on taken out, the cover isn't coming off. I vaguely recalled something about sealing the engine case--no I don't go into this completely blind, I do look at generic maintenance how-tos before hand--so I figured that's why it wouldn't come off. I tried yanking, tapping, thumping, all to no avail. Finally as there was only one screw left that could do anything I tried loosening and tightening it to see what would happen. Turns out this screw compresses the springs in the clutch, so once they were compressed enough the engine cover which the springs pressed against popped off, thanks to its now absent bolts. And I learned a new trick for how to get the cover off (and added a note to my maintenance manual). =D Though later I'm going to have to look up more closely how to seal it again.
Score 4)
Next I ran up against the lockwasher, which is like a normal washer except that one edge bends up against the nut so it can't come loose. Of course in its locked state it was flush to the nut's edge and it took some fiddling to figure out how to pry it back flat. So I began attempting progressively more violent things to try and accomplish this, beginning with pliers to bend it and finally ending up using my flat-head screwdriver as a wedge and applying a hammer to force my wedge inbetween. Ta-da freed bolt! And I can even probably reuse it when i put it back together(I said PROGRESSIVELY more violent, remember?)
Failure)
Finally I ran into the game stopper for today. The next bolt I have to remove is larger than any of the tools I have to turn it. So its off to the hardware store early tomorrow morning. At least I know exactly what I need.
So barring any catastrophic, unforeseen challenges, I will have the plates out and examined before noon tomorrow. Which leaves me time to order or shop around for nay parts I might need.