70s Carlton Cobra? - Needs work and I need advice!

[BlokeFromStoke]

All old bikes are a complete pain in the ar*e, yet here we are Imperial cotter pins are available on ebay.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18510961.../jqtPy+rHWj3Fu4M5ZdS4IFg==|tkp:Bk9SR9bv8o_sYQ

Cheers for the link! I will buy some of them if the bloke in the next street doesnt get back to me. Just seeing If I can find anything local as I get a bit impatient waiting for parts in the post.

I'll check the video out on refitting it Jim. I did wonder if there was a technique and funny enough I guessed it was pulled through tight with with the tread when it was nearly home. Glad you mentioned that.

While I wait for the possible phone call about this pin (probably will never come will it) I took the pedals apart and regressed them. I thought these would have bearings in but its just a plastic cir-clip and grease. Cleaned them up/ regressed them and its a lot nicer.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

MKS pedals are nice not pricey, far superior too.

 

[BlokeFromStoke]

I forgot to update this thread! I ordered a cotter pin of ebay for the Carlton. I followed the old school advice and watch a few youtube videos to see how people we're possibly doing it wrong.

Anyway I greased it up, Whacked it through with a ball peen hammer (the opposite way to the other side cotter pin), Put the washer/nut on to check how far the pin was coming through and kept hitting it till the pin wouldn't go through anymore. Tightend it up and went for a quick ride. Much better!!

 

[Nolycrahere]

I had the same problem getting cotter pins to fit my Carlton ... not realising there are metric (9mm) versions as well as the very slightly larger Imperial size, I chewed through 2-3 of the 9mm versions before realising the problem.
Best cotter pins I've found in terms of longevity came from CORDO (Part no. 524525) but I bought them from Holland Bike Shop before Brexit & they now have a significant delivery charge, although you can also but other bits & pieces that offset that charge.
The above tip on not trying to pull the pin into place by tightening the nut is correct ... I have a plastic mallet that I use to hit the pin home which avoids excessive metal walloping.
Good luck !

 

[winjohn]

That is the exact bike my dad bought for me in 1967 as a reward for passing the 11 plus exams and getting a place at the local grammar school that was a three mile bike ride away. The original colour was call black and red acrill-chrome with red and black paint over chrome. Of course the paint flaked off the chrome very easily and mine too ended up completely chrome. I rode mine into the back of a car and bent te frame at the top and down tubes. It was also stolen and recovered with a broken derailler so I convrted it to a fixed wheel, just for cost reasons and ran it fro then as a fixie from 1970...chrome fixie...I was a hipster before hipsters existed!!!!