T140 Rocker Boxes

I have no desire to watch millionaires (players) gobbing all over the place or other millionaires (managers) chewing gum with shiny suits on while multi millionaires (pundits who were shite when they played) describe how it should be done.
So I went to sort some rocker boxes out:



These are replacements for a pair that have been busted by a ham fisted owner who can't find nuts underneath the rocker boxes. Using a hammer to loosen bolted down rocker covers isn't recommended. However, if he hadn't broken them maybe I would have had to watch that obnoxious crisp eating knob end.



Anything used previously needs to be checked and rebuilt. The tappet adjusters are obviously worn and the boxes themselves were probably finished off by the Friday afternoon shift just before the strike and need a bit of loving care.



These rockers were as they came from the factory. Note the position of the thrust washers and the Thackery springs. There's arguments about whether the spring should sit against the covers as the thrust washers may prohibit oil flow if not. I've fitted them both ways and have the opinion that the thrust washer should sit against the cover. You can do your own reading up on the ins and outs. But I'm going with the 50 year old existing layout.

 

Take everything apart to inspect. The oil o ring on the rocker spindle is obviously flat and needs replacing.



Take the o ring off with a tooth picky thing from the medicine cabinet. Ensure you wash it before putting it back or you'll be tumbled by the Admin Staff. These o rings are missed or replaced incorrectly and can leak. There is a special tool for compressing the o ring while refitting but you are better off just being careful while you do it.



Inspect the spindles for worn grooves or steps where the arms move. Feel with your fingernail to ensure no steps are present. Any wear and they need to be replaced. Clean the build up of oil and the oil ways.

 

Replaced copper washers and oil o ring from a dwindling stash.



And have had to order thrust washers, two sizes - 1/2 inch and 3/8 inch (at oil feed end), Thackery washer springs, adjusters and lock nuts.



The lock nuts were tightened by a gorilla so were a right git to get off. The new ones will be the allen key type, which make adjustment a bit easier. Gave everything a clean out - the dish washer is just the job but make sure the Admin Staff isn't about for a few hours as the washer takes longer than you think.
Will await delivery of bits and rebuild will be sometime next week.
Best get back to the footie I suppose.

 

So, new Thackery washer springs showed up and they are just bollox. New one on the right.



Unless there is a proper double bend to them, they are nearly impossible to thread the rocker spindle through.



I'll bend them in the vice so they fit proper like. Bit annoying that a supplier supplies like this. Another annoying thing is the 'special' tool to allow the spindles to be inserted without shaving off the new o rings.

 

The 'special' tool is tapered inside. As the rocker spindle is inserted the tool is supposed to compress the o ring to slip nicely into the rocker cover. To enable it to do this it needs to be over the spindle before it is inserted.



Once the fiddly job of getting the arms in place along with all the washers, the spindle can be tapped in.



Does it work? Does it bollocks. The o ring was shaved just as if the spindle was knocked in without the 'special my cock' tool. Resort to the age old method of carefully squeezing in with a small flat screwdriver as the spindle goes in. The rocker boxes have a slight angle to the sides so the o ring can be squeezed in little by little with hardly any shaving. I'll keep the 'special load of doggie poo' tool so I can moan about it when I come across it next time.

 

Nice new mushroom adjusters and lock nuts. The allen key ones are easier to play with when setting



All together



And stashed



Thankyou and over....