Couple of 'simple' jobs today.
Fitted a new alternator drive belt, which was dead easy because of the upgraded adjuster that I'd fitted previously.
And new gear cable rose joints, which should have been straightforward but after fitting them I ended up with only 1st, 3rd and 5th gears
On closer inspection of the new joints, they were a different length to the originals so I couldn't use the position of the lock nut as a guide to replacing them. OK, fair enough I thought, wind the lock nuts back a bit and screw the new joints on accordingly. Three hours later and much testing and I still had no reverse gear
Temper now seriously frayed. On further inspection with the joint off, I was about 5mm away from where I needed to be and with no more adjustment left on the cable. This suggested that my cable has stretched.
I ended up taking up the slack at the gear lever end and cutting the new rose joint screw thread back by about 5mm to give me enough adjustment.
Finally, I had all gears and a very smooth change
Only problem is I've got no adjustment left at either the front or rear of the long cable (the short cable is OK).
I was a bit concerned that I had done something stupid (wouldn't be a first) but I don't really see what I could have done to screw things up.
Just goes to show that there are never (or rarely) simple jobs and it's the easiest ones that catch you out most of the time.