| Author |
Message |
    
David Baron
Unregistered guest
Posted From: 216.113.201.4
| | Posted on Saturday, 11 September, 2004 - 10:22: |    |
Beasley (1948 Bentley Mk VI B386CF) has been behaving very well, but I've noticed that the left trafficator works when it feels like it, ie not usually. It's getting power, I've lubricated the pin etc.
I think it might be jamming slightly at the top of the arm where it comes out of the body. Can I adjust the height of the mechanism and if so, how? Service & parts manuals are completely useless.
At least one other Mk VI owner is having trouble with his, so I'm sure this is a common problem.
Merging onto the freeway and changing lanes are interesting enough in a RHD car, I feel obligated to give some warning that I'm a-comin'. Not that anyone knows what the trafficator means anymore! Other than the cognoscenti........illuminati.......rollsandbentli..........
(Message approved by david_gore) |
Martin Cutler
Unregistered guest
Posted From: 211.31.33.54
| | Posted on Saturday, 11 September, 2004 - 20:58: | |
My guess is it needs re-magnetising. Mine are still there, but I have added neat motorcycle style blinkers, so everybody knows where I am going. Not that this helps!!
(Message approved by admin) |
David Baron
Unregistered guest
Posted From: 205.209.21.102
| | Posted on Tuesday, 14 September, 2004 - 07:03: | |
Uh, OK, "remagnetising"?? Huh? HOW? I do hope you're not pulling the trafficator equivalent of sending a gofer for a can of striped paint, left-handed screwdriver, skyhook, etc..........
Question still stands, how do I adjust the height of the arm relative to the body?
(Message approved by david_gore) |
David Gore
Moderator
Username: david_gore
Post Number: 305
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, 14 September, 2004 - 12:07: | |
David,
Never having had any experience with R-R/B trafficators; I do not know whether the plunger has to be magnetised or not for the solenoid to do its job.
The solenoid generates a magnetic field which then acts on the plunger to pull it towards the solenoid coil - if the plunger is not supposed to be magnetised and has been magnetised by the solenoid then the trafficator will either not work or only partially operate until the opposing magnetic fields cancel each other out.
If the plunger is supposed to be magnetised in opposite polarity to the solenoid and has either lost its magnetism or polarity; the trafficator again will either fail to operate or partially work.
If the magnetic characteristics are to specification; it is still possible for the plunger to bind/jam against the solenoid part-way through its travel due to wear/crud or whatever and give the impression [dare I say indication!] that the system is out of adjustment. It would be my supposition that the linkages would be of fixed length and non-adjustable to avoid unnecessary complication but as with other R-R/B designs; this is not always the case. |
Bill Vatter
New User
Username: bill_vatter
Post Number: 2
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, 15 September, 2004 - 13:07: | |
I think you should take the trafficator out and on the bench carefully work out any stiff spots in the mechanism. Be careful when moving it manually on the bench: the solenoid must begin to pull at the mechanism to unlock it before you can manually swing up the arm. If you try to force it out it will break. This feature is designed in to keep the arms from flopping in and out from the motion of the car when they should be staying firmly in their stored or "in" position.
Corrosion and/or goo may have accumulated over many years. The mechanical advantage (leverage) the solenoid has on lifting the arm is greatest when the arm is fully extended and not very great when the trafficator is retracted and just beginning to move. If the trafficator is mounted at a silght angle (bottom out just a little from perfectly vertical or bottom in just a bit, I cannot remember which), the trafficators seem to get a better start going out and up, and the result is they "snap to attention" quicker, giving the impression the solenoid is stronger, but it is really the mounting that does it.
Get it very clean and smooth, and it should work fine. Oil should be applied only at the pivot pin at the top. Spraying it with lubricant is a recipe for getting it gummed up with goo.
Trafficators are like people. They need exercise to stay in shape. If your car is infrequently used, and your trafficators not used much when you do take the car out, they will certainly wind up not working very well.
It is understandable that you minght not want to use the trafficators because they do not seem to want to go back in at highway speeds, but using them at highway speeds is exactly what is needed to keep them working smartly. I use mine a lot, and they will snap up and down smartly at 70 mph. However it was not always like that. they were sticky and slugish when I got the car.
Prescription for health:
Change your oil; drive your car; signal when you change lanes. |
Dave Baron
Experienced User
Username: redbaron
Post Number: 6
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, 16 September, 2004 - 01:02: | |
Thanx Bill, will try it when Beasley & I have some downtime. We've been driving regularly, and going to lots of events, over the summer. Trafficator has been working OK since weather cooled down at the start of September, maybe differential thermal expansion (cor, I didn't know I knew big woids like dat) was to blame for the sticking, as well as the factors you mention. |
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