Hi Wyndham,
You haven't mentioned whether you've filed them to fit, which is routinely necessary when fitting cotter pins. I'm by no means expert in this, but what I do is grip the pin in a vice so that the flat is uppermost and horizontal, and then use a medium metal file to carefully and evenly remove metal. I keep trying the pin and filing until I have a good fit, with each pin inserted to the same amount.
I then gently tap the pins with a plastic faced hammer, and tighten the nut, taking care not to overtighten, since the pinds are soft, and the threads can strip. I then check and tighten again if necessary after a few miles' riding.
I know a couple of guys who use engineers blue (I think it's called) to show up high spots for more accurate filing.
Hope this helps.
Neil Foddering Weymouth, Dorset, England
>From: Simon PJ <simonpj@mac.com>
>To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: [CR]Cotterpin blues
>Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 17:53:16 +0000
>
>I have to admit to being impatient and ham-fisted when it comes to
>cotterpins.
>
>I currently have some cranks that I need to re-install and am having
>problems because the cotterpins that I have do not fit well. I did tell the
>people from whom I ordered the cotterpins the types of cranks that I needed
>them for, but seem to have ended up with ones which are a little too large.
>Or maybe it's my installation technique?
>
>I would be very grateful for advice as to which size of cotterpins I should
>be looking for. Are there types of cotterpin that are better than others?
>
>The cranks that I need them for are a Chater Lea set, and couple of
>different Williams sets.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Wyndham Pulman-Jones
>Girton, Cambs., UK.