depronman
A2OC Donor
My OSS failed last year with a click of death, so I bought a replacement OSS from a members breaker. Its sat in the garage waiting for the stars to align when Tom and myself where available for a day to swap them over.
The day in planned for this Saturday, so I thought I had better try out the 'new' OSS to make sure it was all working, and clean and re lubricate it. I borrowed a lead of Tom some week ago, but life and other A2 jobs as got in the way, anyway Monday evening with a deadline now forcing this job to the top of the pile I went and tried to open the OSS, well you guessed it, the bloody thing opened one side and not the other, causing the glass panel to twist. Luckily this was with the hand crank so I could stop it as soon as I saw what was happening.
Several hours latter the rear 'fixed' glass panel was removed and the trucks and cables also removed, the fault was then evident in that the cables have a plastic end which was broken on one side and very badly worn on the other.
What to do now I thought.
Have a beer and a think, sat with my thoughts for a hour or so then thought I will make replacement ends out of brass tube and brass sheet and silver solder the two together. A plan was hatched.
So Tuesday evening after tea I disappeared into my workshop and returned at 1:15am with two brass cable ends, these slide in the rail profile perfectly.
Wednesday evening say them attached to the trucks and folded over and pushed up and down the rails with ease. Everything was clean up to remove years worth of old grease and grit. The cables have a crimp end which needed to be removed with a cutting disc and dremmel so the brass ends could be fitted, new brass cable crimps were made and after cleaning the cable ends and fluxing and tinning the new crimps where solder in place.
Everything was then lubricated and re assembled. the cables synchronised and motor fitted. Hand winding proved that the trucks were now moving very freely and with no free play, I ran them back and forth about 30 to 40 times with no glass panels in place all by hand cranking.
Then attached the two glass panels and, back first, then set it closed and adjusted the fit and tightened screws, then front panel, same procedure.
Turned the hand crank and the OSS opened and closed very easily and smoothly, I did this about 6 or 8 times by hand and all way well, so closed the OSS.
I then wired up the motor and pressed to close and held for a few seconds, then pressed open and the OSS proceeded to open very smoothly, picked up the rear truck and opened the rear glass panel then stopped when fully open. Pressing close, closed the OSS equally smoothly, the rear glass parking in the correct position, all seals in contact and glass joint level, the front section also parked in place perfectly.
I repeated this about 10 to 12 times and it worked perfectly
Sat on the sofa with a celebratory beer and a big grin on my face as I type this wee story
Now hoping for a dry day on Saturday so Tom and me can swop out the OSS's.
Having pulled the OSS apart down to its raw components I would say the design is quite elegant, and generally well engineered, but let down my one very cheap and very under engineered plastic part on the end of the cables. Hopefully the brass lasts a lot longer than the plastic and I have many years of trouble free OSS. Mu other car is a Focus CC so you can see that I like my open top motoring, so the OSS will not suffer from lack of use
I have a video of it working but its 33mb, anyone know how to get it down to a manageable size to upload to this thread ?
Cheers,
Paul
The day in planned for this Saturday, so I thought I had better try out the 'new' OSS to make sure it was all working, and clean and re lubricate it. I borrowed a lead of Tom some week ago, but life and other A2 jobs as got in the way, anyway Monday evening with a deadline now forcing this job to the top of the pile I went and tried to open the OSS, well you guessed it, the bloody thing opened one side and not the other, causing the glass panel to twist. Luckily this was with the hand crank so I could stop it as soon as I saw what was happening.
Several hours latter the rear 'fixed' glass panel was removed and the trucks and cables also removed, the fault was then evident in that the cables have a plastic end which was broken on one side and very badly worn on the other.
What to do now I thought.
Have a beer and a think, sat with my thoughts for a hour or so then thought I will make replacement ends out of brass tube and brass sheet and silver solder the two together. A plan was hatched.
So Tuesday evening after tea I disappeared into my workshop and returned at 1:15am with two brass cable ends, these slide in the rail profile perfectly.
Wednesday evening say them attached to the trucks and folded over and pushed up and down the rails with ease. Everything was clean up to remove years worth of old grease and grit. The cables have a crimp end which needed to be removed with a cutting disc and dremmel so the brass ends could be fitted, new brass cable crimps were made and after cleaning the cable ends and fluxing and tinning the new crimps where solder in place.
Everything was then lubricated and re assembled. the cables synchronised and motor fitted. Hand winding proved that the trucks were now moving very freely and with no free play, I ran them back and forth about 30 to 40 times with no glass panels in place all by hand cranking.
Then attached the two glass panels and, back first, then set it closed and adjusted the fit and tightened screws, then front panel, same procedure.
Turned the hand crank and the OSS opened and closed very easily and smoothly, I did this about 6 or 8 times by hand and all way well, so closed the OSS.
I then wired up the motor and pressed to close and held for a few seconds, then pressed open and the OSS proceeded to open very smoothly, picked up the rear truck and opened the rear glass panel then stopped when fully open. Pressing close, closed the OSS equally smoothly, the rear glass parking in the correct position, all seals in contact and glass joint level, the front section also parked in place perfectly.
I repeated this about 10 to 12 times and it worked perfectly
Sat on the sofa with a celebratory beer and a big grin on my face as I type this wee story
Now hoping for a dry day on Saturday so Tom and me can swop out the OSS's.
Having pulled the OSS apart down to its raw components I would say the design is quite elegant, and generally well engineered, but let down my one very cheap and very under engineered plastic part on the end of the cables. Hopefully the brass lasts a lot longer than the plastic and I have many years of trouble free OSS. Mu other car is a Focus CC so you can see that I like my open top motoring, so the OSS will not suffer from lack of use
I have a video of it working but its 33mb, anyone know how to get it down to a manageable size to upload to this thread ?
Cheers,
Paul
