Thursday, July 26, 2007

I Have Never Laughed To the Point of Tears At Technical Documentation...

...Until I read the following in my original Triumph Workshop Manual, Section G8, Regarding the Alignment of the Telescopic Fork Arrangement (you gotta imagine this thing, all set in gorgeous 1964 Gill Sans):
To check the front fork alignment, the front wheel and mudguard must be removed and a spare wheel spindle bolted into position.... Hold the alignment gauge firmly against the fork as shown in Figure G14 and check that the gauge contacts the four corners. If the gauge does not make contact at point A then this indicates that point B is too far forward. To remedy this, slacken off the two middle lug pinch bolts and the stem sleeve pinch bolt and give point C a sharp blow using a hide mallet or a hammer used in conjunction with a soft metal drift....
Translation from pre-EEC British: "If the fuckin' forks ain't fuckin' aligned, take a fuckin' 'ammer an' smack the shit out of 'em until they is. That'll fuckin' show 'em."

2 comments:

Kevin WOlf said...

Yep. I laughed.

Anonymous said...

You will come to the realization that your Triumph was fabricated with machine tools originally designed for wood.

Wait 'til you get inside the engine for a valve and ring job. (See MG-TC)

The Japanese introduced "clearances" to the Brits and H-D in the '60's. (See puddles of oil)