C5ALIVE Forum
C5 Help => C5 Faults & Solutions => Topic started by: Karl on 20, January, 2009 - 13:55:01
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A question that crops up every now and then, so I've created this thread ;)
"Brown Fingers" were fitted on very early C5's and were found to be too brittle, causing the fingers to snap when you attempted to remove the gearbox. There is also a suggestion that they simply snapped during normal use of the motor, but I cannot substantiate this. They were replaced with "white fingers" , constructed out of more flexible materials. The fact that they were replaced confirms there was a problem with the brown ones !
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i257/1stbooboo/brownfingers001.jpg)
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i257/1stbooboo/brownfingers002.jpg)
The "brown fingers" are shown in the photo on the left with the motor and gearbox joined .
On the right you can see the white fingers shown on the motor with the gearbox removed.
The colour of the gearbox is not a problem.
If your C5 has the brown fingers fitted it doesn't mean you shouldn't use it, but it is very likely the fingers will snap when dismantling for greasing. As Martin says, you can work around this by dismantling the motor first, and greasing the gearbox from behind whilst it is still attached to the fingers. A bit fiddly, but it can be done. Wizbat's C5 had the brown fingers which had snapped and were then "bodged" by a previous owner ...but that's a different story ;) .
In theory, the brown fingers are most likely to be found on grey boot versions because these where the earliest models made. Although my first C5 was grey boot, it still had the white fingers - and boots are very easily changed. Physically checking the motor/gearbox is the only sure way of telling what is actually fitted.
Adam Harper still sells "white fingers", so don't be put off buying a c5 with the "wrong" ones fitted - it is a very cheap and easy fix 8)
Hope this helps :)
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I had brown fingers once I never bought the same brand of toilet roll again ;)
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I had brown fingers once I never bought the same brand of toilet roll again ;)
If the credit crunch makes things much worse, we'll all be using the cheap stuff again... shaking hands could become a thing of the past :o
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shaking hands could become a thing of the past
Ooooh ! toilet paper and shaking hands what a combination ;D
Blabblububububububub
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Mine has the brown gear box - I might be sending it off for a service soon.
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Having tried to service a motor with those "brown fingers" fitted I can safely say that trying to preserve them is a waste of time and effort.
Just replace them with a set of "cream fingers" and save yourself the hassle 8)
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Can I take off the whole gear unit by removing the two bolts ?
My gearbox dos not have brown fingers but instead the gearbox is brown and the fingers are white (well sort of)...
(http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag99/gertk64/2013-05-11155940_zps8b3f8c03.jpg)
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Can I take off the whole gear unit by removing the two bolts ?
My gearbox dos not have brown fingers but instead the gearbox is brown and the fingers are white (well sort of)...
(http://i1300.photobucket.com/albums/ag99/gertk64/2013-05-11155940_zps8b3f8c03.jpg)
As long as you have the white/yellow fingers you should be ok to remove the gearbox in the usual way described here; http://c5alive.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1217.0
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Hope you don't mind if I tag onto this topic, here Adam Harper is mentioned as a supplier of white fingers, is he still supplying them as I need to replace the broken browns on my motor.
Any help would be appreciated.
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Hope you don't mind if I tag onto this topic, here Adam Harper is mentioned as a supplier of white fingers, is he still supplying them as I need to replace the broken browns on my motor.
Any help would be appreciated.
I'm afraid this topic was created when Adam was still trading as "Sinclair Vehicles", the only source of "new" old stock Sinclair C5 parts and accessories. Sadly since then he has disappeared from the c5 scene. He took some time out for personal reasonms and has not yet returned, no idea if or when he is likely to start selling those elusive spares once again.
Your best bet is to keep an eye out on the small ads and Ebay etc.