| Author | Message | ||
     Hughlysses |
So, this week I finally got around to doing a couple of jobs on the Uly. The Uly hasn't been getting much use since I bought an EBR 1190SX last year, but after I spent a solid week riding the SX in the mountains a couple of weeks ago, it occurred to me I still have a lot of uses for the Uly. I installed a set of 2010 turn signals I'd bought months ago after the stem on the right front one broke. No issues with that job and I was surprised at how much better they looked. OK, job 2 was to install a new Pirelli Angel tire I'd also purchased months ago. I have a HF tire changer with added nylon clamp blocks and a different tire tool. I forget who makes them, but they're a significant improvement over the original HF design. That said, changing 17 inch tires, especially that rear one, is still a PITA. Naturally it was about 90 degrees F and 95% humidity yesterday afternoon, so after I'd fought about an hour to get the old tire off and the new tire on I was a bit frazzled. So I start pumping up the tire and naturally the beads are reluctant to seat. I hadn't installed the air valve in the valve stem yet so I paused filling and went to install the valve stem. I inserted the valve in the valve stem and put the tool in behind it and started turning. Turn, turn, turn but it never tightens up. Huh? Try to take it back out. Turn, turn, turn nothing. Crap! Is the valve damaged? Did the internal threads in the stem strip? Crap! Maybe the valve will work- add air, remove hose, air blows right back out. Crap-crap! I figure the valve stem is damaged and I'll probably have to change it. If push comes to shove, I have the original 2007 rear wheel off of my bike that I can rob the stem out of. Ugg. Might as well get to work. So, since the tire isn't fully seated on the rim, I loosen the nut the holds the valve stem in place on the rim, tie a length of dental floss to it, push the bead back down adjacent to the valve stem, pry the bead open with a tire tool, push the stem into the tire and fish it out with a piece of wire. I get it in my hands and look into it, no valve. WTF?! Here's where Occam's Razor comes in, which states the simplest solution tends to be the right one. So what's the simplest explanation for the valve not tightening up nor coming back out nor holding air? A stripped valve or valve stem? No- the valve never got installed! I look around on the floor, and sure enough, there's the valve stem lying a few feet away. ARRGGGHH! All I can figure is I took my eyes off of it for a split second and dropped it as I was inserting the valve tool and the valve fell out of the stem. So, after trying unsuccessfully to fish the valve stem back through the hole using the attached dental floss, I called it quits for the day. This morning I went back out, fished the valve stem out again, ran a bigger piece of cord through the center, tied a knot in the cord so it couldn't pull through the valve stem, and tied dental floss to both ends of the new cord. I pulled the cord and the stem popped right into the hole, then I used the dental floss to pull the cord back out. Put the nut back on the valve stem and tightened, CAREFULLY install the valve into it, added air and pumped up the tire. So, after that ~2 hour side venture plus one night's delay, the new rear tire is installed on the Uly. Lessons learned- Take regular breaks when it's HAF in your garage. When trying to solve a problem, remember Occam's Razor. Sometimes late afternoon jobs are best left to the next day. | ||
| Tootal |
I've only had them fly across the room because I'm trying to put them in with the air flying out! | ||
| Etennuly |
What's the old adage.....you are only as old as the number of things you would normally never screw up completing a task, multiplied by the number of items lost and hunted for during said task, multiplied by the number of times you could not find your glasses. | ||
| Sharkguy |
"Gumption Trap" |
