Wrestling with Float Pins

[leonardhcross]

Good morning Naked friends. Recently, I purchased a set of 758A carbs on eBay. Upon opening, I discovered the usual dried varnish in the float bowls but, all-in-all, they looked good. I have dismantled and saved the original parts on other gummed-up carbs. On one occasion, I broke off a float post. This time, I tried using a small c-clamp as a brace. With patience, (3 days), heat, PB Blaster and gentleness, I was successful on carbs #2 and #4. However, I broke the tall tower on carb #1 and ended up using a dremmel tool to cut through the pin on carb #4. Strangely, on both #1 and #4, the pins started to come out and then jammed inside the brass hinge, not the towers. They would not budge. I have not experienced that on other gummed-up carbs. Here is a link to the video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZFCy13 ... XY&index=1

[wingrider]

Seems to me Randakk had a tool that would help to pop the pins without breaking the posts off...

[leonardhcross]

Seems to me Randakk had a tool that would help to pop the pins without breaking the posts off...

I have seen posts about using a spring-loaded punch. I tried it but it did not perform better than a well-placed punch and careful tapping.

[robin1731]

Seems to me Randakk had a tool that would help to pop the pins without breaking the posts off...

I have seen posts about using a spring-loaded punch. I tried it but it did not perform better than a well-placed punch and careful tapping.

But, the spring loaded punch doesn't put the side load on the post like a regular punch and hammer do. Randakk does sell a tool to press the pins out. Works very well. They also sell replacement posts if you break one.

[gltriker]

*
carb facts' to read; Especially, paragraph three
https://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=66338

[NotSoLilCrippseys]

Right.

They go in one way, and they back out the same way they went in. Reverse it, and bad things ensue.

I bought one of the Randakk post-repair devices when I broke a post a year or so ago.

It definitely worked for my needs, but it required a bit of futzing.

I don't know if that's the case with all the units or just mine, but I had to do a bit of drilling on the billet unit and tweak the float height to address the not-OEM float pin height. My lesson: Don't bust one of those towers if at all possible.

viewtopic.php?p=823836#p823836

Maybe my information helps; maybe not.

[leonardhcross]

Well......I'll be. I have now rebuilt three sets of GL1000 carbs. At no point was I aware that the float pins have a specific direction. According to Mike Nixon, the two towers actually have different sized holes. Yikes! I swear that I have been able to extract and insert pins in either direction so I am confused. Just now, I took the time to review carefully Randakk's carb overhaul video which is what so many of us week-end warriors have used. In the video, he is less than clear regarding the pins and their direction. At one point he says' "push the pins from one side or the other". After that, he points out that the pins are bevelled and one should push them out "in the direction of the bevel". That is less than clear to me. What he does not say is, "Never tap on the blunt end" or "Be sure to tap or push only on the bevelled end". In his video, some of the pins are pulled out from the taller tower and others are pulled out through the shorter tower. I also note that the float pins that are being sold on the Randakk site are the same on both ends. So, my take away?.......from now on, I will only insert the pins from the tall tower to the short tower and will only remove them in reverse.

[gltriker]

Here's my final contribution to this thread. (a resounding YAY rises from the crowd) *
anyhoo...
Based upon my hands-on experience with two, complete, 1976 GL1000 carburetor "racks" that have both ably served up *energy fluid* delivery to my 1975 GL1000 brike's engine (with no broken, nor expanded bore "Tall" float hinge pin post holes), I've Painted-up a copy of my 1976 LTD spec. "rack", photographed 2 years ago.
Both "rack's" carburetor bodies (total of 8 individual castings) were not internally damaged; aka "unmolested"

NOTE! Although I've used the word, POINTED END to describe the physical appearance of the float hinge pin end that lightly anchors into the partially constricted closed outer end of the TALL post hinge pin hole, Tapered and Beveled have also been used to describe that end, as well. BLUNT END is self-explanatory.
Blunt End and Mushroomed-from-striking, consequently binding-in-the-float hinge are probable/predictable end results

20230805_183134 - details of GL1000 float hinge pin posts AND directional hinge pin installation...direction.png

-
I'm Done now, Len

[leonardhcross]

Perfect. Thanks Cliff. I retract my last statement and revise it to read....."from now on, I will only insert pins into the SHORT tower over to the TALL tower and will only remove them in reverse. This graphic should be posted in the "Shop Talk, How To" Forum. i.e. "How to correctly remove and instal float hinge pins".

[leonardhcross]

Also, it is important to note that the new pins available from Randakk's do not have a "pointed" or even "bevelled" end. Both ends appear to be the same.