Girdraulic Forks Pad Bolts

rapcom

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I have noticed a small oddity on Drawings MO63 and MO107 which is puzzling me, and wonder if anyone can explain it for me.
At the top of the fork blades are two pad bolts FF43 and FF43/1, which lock the upper front fork spindle FF14. Both are still listed by our esteemed suppliers. The Parts List says that FF43 is a Pad Bolt -Short, and FF43/1 is a Pad Bolt-Long, and the MO drawings show that the left (short) one is inserted with the thread to the rear, and the right (long) one is inserted with the thread to the front.
I can see that one might want a slightly longer one on the right if you have the original speedo bracket FF69/1, but why should they be positioned at 180 degrees to each other ?
Surely not to reduce the unsprung weight moment arm of a nut and washer?
Does anyone actually have their Girdraulics set up this way?
Have I missed something obvious?
 

John Appleton

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Dick!!!!! you really should get out more!
••IMAGE NO LONGER AVAILABLE••

John.
 
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rapcom

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That's what I said, but the question was, why would you put them in from opposite directions?
 

John Appleton

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Dick, I think I must also be a very sad case. There I was, out in the shed last evening , trying to find a reason for the pad bolt to be reversed and all I could come up with were reasons for it not to be. The best of these reasons was that ,if it were fitted with the thread to the rear, the nut would foul the front brake cable as the forks work.The other reason is that it would just look wrong.
I am now going to "get out more" and think about it whilst I ride the bike, and try to decide if fitting it the other way round will improve my enjoyment. John
 

chankly bore

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Hmmmmmmm! Careful myopic and strabismus inducing perusal of Richardson and Series C Riders' Handbook seems to result in contradiction.I always stick the nuts to the front because they act as a barrier to corrosion.Richardson 1955 edition page18. Handbook 10th. edition 1960 page un-numbered after 40 and following.Balance of probability is the spares drawing is right,this time.I only get out when my keeper isn't watching!
 

Miss Amanda Waterscooter

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I'm sure I was told by one of the ex-works guys who used to go to the A Rally some years ago that if they knew the forks were going on a shadow they fitted both the pad bolts this nuts at the back just 'cos it looked better.
Ian S
 

John Appleton

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I think I will use my influence with the social secretary to arrange an international "sad gits" rally. Dick can be master of ceremonies and the rest of us can discuss such fascinating subjects as "which way to fit a bolt", John
 
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John Appleton

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The social secretaries mother has just made the observation that "they are all sad gits rallies" ! Its ok, I have just taken up wife beating!
John
 
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