Rear tyre rubbing on tail/brake light wires under rear mudguard

[RoyC]

Hi BrianS,

I think you need to put another two notches on the rear dampers setting to cope with the extra load.   
ELLIS

and cut down on the doughnuts. 

[BrianS]

I'm from Devon Roy so it's the pasties that are my downfall 

Looks like I got away with it on the wiring. I had only lost a bit of insulation on the earth wire so it was repairable with some heat shrink plus I re-sleeved the wires.

The connections behind the battery box were a bit iffy and two of them were just twisted together as shown in the photos. I have crimped and soldered on a couple of new brass Ripaults bullets and now just need to do the same where they join into the loom.

I removed the tail light assembly and the connectors to the LED tail/brake light assembly are good.

Need to look for a saddle clip to hold the wires back tight to the mudguard.

The suggestion about the battery was good and it was well down so got that on charge. Bit worried though as the A10 is sporting a newly rewound 12V dynamo and DVR2 rec/reg. 

Just got to get it all back together and test with someone following me!

Before that, I got to look for a C spanner. I think I may have a bicycle one that might fit but it's a question as to whether it is man enough for the job 

It's got a tad warm where I am working on the bike so have slowed down a bit.

[Black Sheep]

"3.50 is just the width, there should be some /80/90 type figure to denote the profile ratio....maybe" - or maybe not. A Roadrider will have profile markings but the Avon SM does not. Interested that it is an 18" wheel though. Unusual on an A10.
On my plunger A7 and Velocette, I ran the wires externally too. Not so neat but easily accessible.

[BrianS]

Whoops - it is an 19" tyre - sorry.  Can't see any profile marking so assume its 100%?

[Greybeard]

I have an old leather welding apron that comes in very handy for things like turning something that could be marked by a tool. You might try turning your shocks with a Stilson against some tough leather. How about an old leather belt? Lubricate the notches obvs!

[RogerSB]

Whoops - it is an 18" tyre - sorry.  Can't see any profile marking so assume its 100%?

Shouldn't all A7s and A10s have 19" wheels?

My rear shocks are set to the highest setting.
Nine times out of ten my wife is riding pillion and that is 13 1/2 stone (86 kg) for me and 12 (76) for my wife, plus our combined riding gear, boots etc., so say a total of 26 stone (165 kg).
My A10 is 1960 GF, and rear tyre is Dunlop Gold Seal 3.50-19, which is inflated to 26 psi for carrying a pillion (the max recommended for carrying a pillion being 28 psi).
After reading this post I though I'd better check under the rear mudguard. Thankfully no sigh of any rubbing on the rear light wires. The wires are held up tightly in place by several steel clips braised along inside the mudguard and through a grommet to the light fitting.

[RoyC]

Both of my wheels are 19" also.

[BrianS]

Sorry again - I have corrected my post - it is a 19" 

The frame/mudguard saddle clamp fits right where I would like to put an extra wire clip so I will have to fit it to the side of it. That said, I could use one of the bolts to hold a half-saddle clamp and save drilling the mudguard 

Having got this far I would rather not re-route the wire outside the mudguard.

[BSA_54A10]

Get some 5 core trailer wire.
It is really cheap and of course double insulated as the 5 wires are inside another sheath.
Rewire the taillight .
With LEDs you can just about get away with telephone cable which is thinner again.
IF you go for phone wire double up on the tail light as it is on for a long time where as the stop lamp is only on for short periods of time.

[BrianS]

Thanks Trevor but I am almost there now! Wiring done and am just making up a retainer to hold the cable as close to the mudguard as possible in the area that it rubbed.

I haven't got room for a bike stand so I am scrabbling around on my back on the floor doing the job. The cable did NOT want to go through the existing retainers 

Battery was only reading 1.6V but has been on charge and is looking healthier now. Next job will be to check if the dynamo is charging. Presumably put a voltmeter across the battery, start the bike and see if it increases?

[Jules]

I suspect that if the battery was down to 1.6v then its probably stuffed, even though you may get it to accept some charge it will probably not hold it - this may be the reason for the flickering leds, poor voltage control...

[Greybeard]

I haven't got room for a bike stand so I am scrabbling around on my back on the floor doing the job.

My knees would not like that!