The Dreaded Carblink

[deadwood_dup1]

Does anyone have a cure for this rediculous design? I cant tell you how many times this lil POS has caused problems. Especially at the 2 or 3 RC. Who in there right mind would stick one of these in an area like the 2 next to the main link? I couldnt even get my hand in there. Mostly by luck is how I get em back on!

Anyone got any tips/tricks to these lil POS devices? I was thinking of using super glue to put them on so they never come off. Wish they worked like an A-2 sissor. Those are easy and ive only changed a few of them. (Well expcept for the back row but gave my abs a great work out!)

Anyone? By the way....Who came up with these things? Id rather give them to a scrap metal yard and design something new. Something that doesnt have to be adjusted.

Blowin off steam....
deadwood

[ModelTech]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

Deadwood:

I've never really had a problem, since I use the rubber handles on my needle-nose pliers to pry them off & on. I've been doing it that way for a long time, so it's kinda hard to descibe the process.

It's a litte tricky at the two or three, because of the traffic jam of parts involved. It helps to lower the table about halfway, and if you're small like I am, you sit with your back against the kickbacks and sit up under the bin, so you can see what you're doing.

I've never replaced A-2 scissors, so I'm not sure I have a "fix" for the Carb Links. I like the way they pop off and on. It made changing out the main respot link a breeze. Just took it to the bench and put new "stuff" in, and popped it back in, with 2 new x-washers. Bam! 10 minute job.

Try using the rubber-covered handle on several pliers until you find the one that works. Leverage is the key. Hope this helps a little!

Doug

[8270king]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

If they are falling off.....use a wire tie around it.

Jerry

[TheGMan143]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

King: Wire ties work, as long as the person putting them on knows enough not to put it where it binds the while stringer assembly by not letting the carb swing fully... I had a pinnie that was notorious for that.

As to the question, they usually fall off because the little spring-steel clip at the end has become bent or weakened. If you have one that's falling off regularly, change it with a stronger one, or at least give the little 'tongues' on the opening of the clip a pinch to let them grab on better. Before putting a carb in a machine, test the strength of the clips on a spare cell... it'll save some headaches later... better to find out it's weak before putting it in than in the middle of a league.

[Mark_S]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

Personally I use my 3/8" spaner to prise them off. Just the right tool. We've also removed all the flat washers and replaced them with real ones.

[ModelTech]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

Putting a lock nut (Stover?) helps, too. We work with metric on our '70s, 'cause they're Chinese. I change the nut AND bolts with American (albeit metric!) every chance I get. Gman, nice tip about the testing the clips. I've made a note of that.

Spanners or pliers with rubber handles. That's the answer. Pop off and on, no problem. Lemme at 'em! Hey guys, any other tips on respot cells on the '70? I'm collecting as much info as I can.

I absolutely LOVE this Bowltech site! I've learned more here in 6 months, than I have in 30 years!

[TheGMan143]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

Just a few for now...

If the threads in the cell frame get stripped from overtightening or wear, you can fix them & save the frame by laying the stripped hole over a flat area of your vise or anvil, and whack it a bit flatter with a hammer and a punch (or even just the hammer). The holes are punched through at the factory, leaving a lip... so you can flatten it a bit to make the hole smaller. You can then run a tap back through it and dress the threads. Saves the frame, and keeps your cells from having one end or the other "waving in the breeze" from a stripped mounting hole.

Change out the old U-shaped nylon slides with the newer "button" slides. The buttons are a lot easier... you install them in a few seconds, and if they break, they don't leave an exposed pin that hangs up on the inner lip of the cell frame.

If you can still get them, buy some of the old steel "squarehead" 1/4-20 stove nuts. They fit right against the stringer, so you don't need a wrench to hold them from spinning... use them to replace the flimsy spring-steel clips that hold the ball into the stringer as the clips break. Add a little blue loctite on the threads, and they never come loose. After a while, you'll eliminate most of the clips. Usually if you get a lazy cell, it's because the clip has broken or come loose, and it's allowing the ball to move around instead of driving the cell correctly.

[Mreessr]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

G man, I use 10-32 locknuts for stripped out cell frames. They do not get in the way of the fingers.
Does anyone have any ideas to eliminate the insert with the adjusting screw that the cell wire connects to now that many of us have no cell wires to worry about ? With years of wear the stud gets sloppy and you have to back out the screw to keep the 2 inch adjustment.I have found that when I back out the screw too far it seems very loose and the screw will back out further on its own. I use a little loctight to rectify this. I have replaced some of the small studs with new ones and that helps but any other ideas are appreciated.

[poplarpetey]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

The newer versions eliminate the insert and the small spring. There is a set screw that you adjust with an allen wrench. BowlEquip was putting these in before he left Waveland. Not sure of a part #. Probably 090 ??? ???.

Pete

[8270king]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

I use the lock nuts on all 5 pin cells regardless.....they always have the screws fall out otherwise.

Jerry

[TheGMan143]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

Originally posted by StucKInThePit:
Gman, nice tip about the testing the clips. I've made a note of that.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">We drilled &amp; tapped a hole into side of the the vise on the bench, and screwed a cell-ball (sorry about the local slang) into it with some loctite. Keeps it handy to test link clip strength when rebuilding links and cells.

[ModelTech]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

No need for apologies, "G"! Cell Ball works for me. I'm putting that to work today! I've got just the place for it. Again, I have no problems popping those on and off. Our machines are brand new, so I don't anticipate having to dick around with them, now that we installed lock nuts.

Damn sweep crank bolt nut stripped out. New American lock nut (19mm) installed. Let's see THAT sucker come loose, now! I've now got a collection of Gman tips in a special folder. With your permission, "G", I'd like to print them out and bring them in with me and post them in our "book".

Might-eee valuable info...

Doug

[ModelTech]

Re: The Dreaded Carblink

Update:

Ever had an 8270/90 spotting cup link nut come off? Man what a train wreck that can be! All brand new machines MUST be checked constantly for loose nuts &amp; bolts, no matter what brand or make. That's a daily routine for me. I'm glad we have just two (for now).

Takes about an hour just to go thru both machines. You wouldn't believe how close we've come to another "train wreck" because of loose nuts.

I'm replacing all the Chinese nuts with American, and LOCK-nuts to boot! Wish I could just rebuild the entire machine with 'em. I bet that'd be fun, LOL !

Doug