Tube bailer maintenance...

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JimC
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Tube bailer maintenance...

Post by JimC »

Any tips on these? It seems that my colleagues 14's tube bailers are leaking, which is I guess less than suprising after thirty years, but I've never been in a position to take one apart and inspect how they are made. Do they have seals inside? Rubber O rings or what? Can you replace seals without taking them off the boat?
Garry R

Re: Tube bailer maintenance...

Post by Garry R »

I have a Firefly tube bailer lying in a box and will see how it comes apart tonight if poss. Will get back to you but others may have a better idea
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Ancient Geek
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Re: Tube bailer maintenance...

Post by Ancient Geek »

If it is the Avon Tube Bailer made by Ralph Savery which was the usual one (There are others eg the one fitted to "Tiptoes".) until after Hr Elvestrom lent his name to the first flap bailers, there is but one seal an rubber "O" ring about 1/8" from the outboard end to take it apart unscrew the black plastic knob and just push it will fall apart goes together same way in reverse I am sure a visit to one of "those" shops would find a suitable sized "O" ring. I remember bodging something with string and evostick which worked for one race which was all it had to.
Simples.
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Ed
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Re: Tube bailer maintenance...

Post by Ed »

Gosh, I have never had any luck with renovating these at all....

but it may depend on the type. The two I have tried were both the brass ones, not the chrome ones with a plastic top. One a small type as fitted by Fairey?? the other was similar but bigger with a large lump of tufnol on top. Most probably still have one or other or the bits in workshop.

the problem I found with all the ones that I had was that they leaked because they had been bashed by pulling onto the trailer when they were down. This knocks them out of shape.

so one (or maybe two) I remember was/were a little oval and an other was totally buggered, buckled and you couldn't even close it.

All attempts to straighten were unsuccessful.

but you may well be cleverer than I!!

The depth of my stupidity can easily be shown by the fact that I tried to use a little gentle heat to loosen the stuck one.

It loosened all right....the whole thing exploded when the solder melted.....Ha! Dumkopf!

eib
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jonathan
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Re: Tube bailer maintenance...

Post by jonathan »

Yes, they come to bits by taking off the knob and pushing out through the bottom which sounds very medical. The O rings can be found in a decent car parts dept and you need some special rubber lubricant which can be found in ................. well work it for yourself! There is also a rubber non return valve which can be either choked with mud or have become hardened and inflexible. I have never had to change one of these so you might have to hunt around a bit for the method and the materials though i do believe they may be crimped into position. Failing all this you could swap them for some giant supersuckers!
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