Hi,
I want to replace the front mudguard bolts on my B44, these are the 1/4" cei bolts that attach the mudguard to the stays.
I need to know if they are normal zinc plated bolts or whether they are chrome plated with a slightly radiused head.
Any help would be gratefully received.
Andy
Checked on my two 1970 B44VS. Both in fairly original condition. Of the 8 bolts on both front mudguards 7 is slightly domed, guess one had gone AWOL during its time in the USA.
Due to poor eyesight, not certain on plating. Could be dull chrome or zinc. Looks like the radiused bolts clamping down the handlebar.
Originally they were Cadmium plated, easiest/nearest to that these days is BZP. Shallow dome on the heads on any bolts still specified in the 1970 parts book as CEI thread. Any which had changed to UNF thread by then were standard flat-headed bolts/set screws.
Thanks to both of you for the information given.
That's a great help.
I'm not a perfectionist, but a lot of the fasteners on my bike have been replaced with metric and it's a right pain figuring out if I need a metric or imperial spanner when removing bits. So I plan to replace all the metric fasteners with the correct 26 tpi items.
Andy
Though depending on year, you might need AF spanners for those changed to UNF. Worse is that they seems to have changed some during the year. Probably when stock was gone.
Found differences on mine built in November and March. Same model year.
Quote from: Andy Kay on 22 Sep, 2024, 21:33
it's a right pain figuring out if I need a metric or imperial spanner when removing bits.
Don't you just hate it when the lazy bodgers do this to old bikes?
Second only to running a metric tap or die down an old Imperial thread.
At last!
I have almost completed the job of replacing all of the metric nuts and bolts on my B44 with British Cycle thread fasteners.
I am glad that I have tackled the job as I have come across a number of dodgy bits.
Whoever put the bike back together was a big fan of nyloc nuts. Which is fine so long as the bolts are long enough to engage with the nylon ring. Unfortunately a lot were not and so would more likely than not have shaken loose and dropped off at some point.
I purchased most of the fasteners from Nooky's Nuts and I am extremely pleased with the quality and service I have received.
Using metric fasteners is my second most hated mod (the first is those horrible pre-insulated crimp connectors). I rebuilt an Ariel Arrow some years ago and the previous owner had used gutter bolts complete with square nuts everywhere. As they'd all rusted together it was a nightmare to get them off.
When I first got my 49 M33 it was full of gutter bolts. I replaced t them with stainless, I hate rusty nuts and bolts.