Seymour Snerd
Lifetime Supporter
SPF owners: if you have never removed and replaced your rear cage, be prepared to do some work to put it back on. Mine came off easily, but since it came off one bolt at a time I had no idea how much stress I was releasing (its stress, not mine).
This weekend it became time to refit it. I disovered that all five of the six 1/2" mounting holes that could be were significantly misaligned relative to the "hoop", in one case by more than 1/8".
Even worse, the bottom of the cage at the front is a length of square tubing with two 1/2 tubes welded through, which in turn accept a pair of bolts to thread into the lower hoop. These tubes were not at all perpendicular to the hoop, and thus grossly bind when just the two are tightened.
The moral is be prepared for some work with a rat-tail file or burr before you put the cage back on.
I don't want to think about how it was assembled in the first place.
This weekend it became time to refit it. I disovered that all five of the six 1/2" mounting holes that could be were significantly misaligned relative to the "hoop", in one case by more than 1/8".
Even worse, the bottom of the cage at the front is a length of square tubing with two 1/2 tubes welded through, which in turn accept a pair of bolts to thread into the lower hoop. These tubes were not at all perpendicular to the hoop, and thus grossly bind when just the two are tightened.
The moral is be prepared for some work with a rat-tail file or burr before you put the cage back on.
I don't want to think about how it was assembled in the first place.