Ulysses

some of my favourite lanes there Riccy

Finally think ive got the better of the wobbly steering. The steering bar was loose at the PS box end and tightening that helped, but it was ultimately the kingpin bearings, which I should have done when I was messing about with the wheel bearing, again on driver side. Passenger feels OK, so will do a test run tomorrow and see. 

 


Then a bit of fiddling with a new design of engine mount, courtesy of Dave Marsh Racing. These replace the two original rubber mounts at the front to stiffen everything up.

 

So out with 3 extension bars and managed to swap one side ok.

 

Fired up and its too stiff for my liking. The whole car vibrating like mad at idle speed, OK when driving though. 
I had a suspicion it would be so had ordered some radius arm bushes from Martin earlier in the week. Back out and pressed in the rubber bushes instead. Now back in and is much improved. Still need to do the passenger side one, but that means taking off the exhaust manifold. Not got the time for that this weekend, but one seems to be enough to stop the wayward movement anyway.

 

 

Trip out to visit mam again tomorrow so will see what its like and report back.

This is why this is such a good community, People doing tricky stuff, taking the time to document it, and then posting it so that others can do it and feel encouraged enough to have a lash. Fair play Riccy and everyone else for taking the time to post. Fantastic.

Trip out went ok. Stopped at Carlisle on the way and knocked the steering back a few degrees on the back bar (too much toe in). Needs a bit more but is now at least controllable 

Bimbled about up to Alston area and took in a few easy scenic lanes as well. Decided to have a quick check on the top end of Tynehead (excellent tricky lane). The top end is usually very boggy, but it had been dry. However when I got there I was greeted by a police car and a couple of enduro bikers. One of their bikes had broken down and they were trying to tow it with the other one. Policeman drives past and sees them two off the track and wheel spinning trying to get the bike back to the road. Obvs he was having a go at them, then started on me asking if it was a legal greenlane. It was and I showed him mapping to prove it, but I decided to bugger off and look at the lane another day   (and yes I did help push the bike back to the road)

anyhoo...

GOPR3169 Kirkhaugh ford



GOPR3170 Blagill to Foreshield



GOPR3171 North Hudgill



GOPR3172 Garrigill ford




and also from a few years back here is Tynehead so you know what im on about. Its a much bigger boggy mess at the top end now (start point in the vids)

Few quick jobs this morning:

Wind a bit out of the toe in on the steering bars. Seems ok now.

Oil change for gearbox and transfer box. Managed the transfer ok, but couldnt get the gearbox filler plug undone. Much swearing and WD40 resulted in giving up on it for now. Transfer box oil was full of sparkly bits   but no big stuff thankfully 

Test run out then. The Jimny Jaunts gang were out today around the peaks and a spare place had come avaliable on saturday afternoon. Too late for me to get ready and I hadnt booked monday off either sadly, so I passed the offer. But I did get out this afternoon for a few lanes locally to make up for it...

 

 

Keepers cottage. A nice lane South of Wigton. Usually a bit boggy in amongst the reeds, but fairly dry today. Great spot for a photo


Then onto another local favourite Carlislegate Lane. Lots of leafy stuff, but a passable to most easily.
 


Sandale was next, another favourite. Its very little used so usually over grown. The grass was higher than the bonnet today


High Ireby had some new signs, but that wasnt enough to stop me 
 


A quick nip along a lane that shows on OS maps, but not trailwise. A short and sweet lane.


Then onto Longlands. No walkers and only a couple of cyclists today. Ideal  
     


and a cheeky couple of lanes on the way home too



Nice 3.5 hrs out and about locally on easy lanes. A bit of soft foliage stuff, but nothing damaging and plenty of views  

New fuel tank arrived from Martin yesterday

 

And what a fight to fit the thing. Luckily my back body tips, so I could get at the top of the tank. This allowed me to drain the fuel by removing the fuel pump assembly from above. I used a ball valve siphon hose which got 90% out into jerry cans safely. Handy gadget. 

The filler and overspill hoses were easy to remove, but the tank was a real fight. The 4 bolts that hold on the guard all sheared off and one of the other two rounded instantly. The sixth gave no trouble oddly. It took about 3hrs to get it out and fix the snapped off bolts 

Then to actually get it off I had to undo the rear prop from the diff end and tie out the way, then much wiggling to get it out and the new one back in. Refitted pump and pipework easily enough and I even remembered to transfer the little anti-siphon thing on the filler pipe. I would imagine its a right nightmare job if you dont have access from above!

 

Run out to visit mam tomorrow to check everything and then its the BigJimny meet the following Sunday. Pretty excited about that