We’ve all got some kind of bodge, handy hint or workaround solution for the kind of problems scooterists face, either on the road or in the garage. Send in your ‘Scooterist tip’ and if we think it’s worthy of sharing with our readers you’ll win a free SLUK T-shirt. Dave Maddocks lets us into this little trick to ensure you never struggle setting up a Large Frame Vespa clutch cable again.
Homeward Bound
You know the score, rattling down the dual carriageway 235 miles into a 255 mile rally journey home, you reach for the clutch to change down for the homeward signed slip road and ‘ping’ one broken inner clutch cable.
Conundrum
As the Vespa staggers to a halt and stalls, you’re now faced with a choice. Do you make a dash for home, risking a damaged gearbox and your life at each busy road junction, or do you use your noggin?
Right hand expansions
We all know how tedious and pain inducing setting up a Large Frame Vespa clutch cable can be, add to this the complication of close fitting aftermarket right hand expansion systems and I guarantee you’ll be swearing more freely than Jimmy Boyle’s Tourette challenged twin, as you effect your repair at the side of that busy road. Wouldn’t you rather have the help of a little bit of wood cut to approximately 71mm (it’ll have to be approximate as it’s wood after all), which you can place between the clutch arm and the corresponding lug on the engine (see pic).
Away you go
Essentially, that 71mm allows the clutch arm to sit back at approximately the right distance for you to tighten the solderless nipple onto the cable, with one of the two pairs of hands usually needed to do this job and have your clutch adjusted “about right”. Beware here though, as no two clutches are the same. That said, you should be able to get some fine adjustment on the cable adjuster just to the right of the clutch arm itself, if indeed it’s needed.
Cheap as (Wood) chips
The great thing about this tip is that the materials required are a 71mm long piece of wood, that should in most cases cost you virtually nothing. Even the most tight fisted woodshop owner would probably give you a piece, gratis. A small piece wood is great because it’s light and easy to stash in your toolbag. If you wanted to be a real connoisseur, you could probably get a “Gucci” Version made up in nylon block for a couple of quid.
Scooterist Tip and photos: Dave Maddocks
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Send them in to Editorial@ScooterLab.UK and title the email ‘Scooterist Tip’.
how thick?
Hi Nigel, I would say that a 71mm long block of wood (or nylon) 25 – 30mm wide by about 10-15mm thick should do the trick. Thanks for the comment, hope you like our Site. Lee@SLUK
ta pal
Fantastic, I’ll give it a bash at the weekend