Brooks B66 - loose rails?
 

Just after a little advice...

I recently had a 1950s Brooks B66 come into my possession, and have proofided the leather as normal. However, the small, round-headed bolt underneath the nose is loose, meaning that the rails wobble. Is there anything I can do to rectify this, beyond reckless glueing? Thanks!

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=289248

Contacting Brooks has been fruitless... anyone?

From what you are describing, the fastener circled has play? or that it is not retained from above? It has been a while since I have had one of these in my hand but the nose has a bolt that can be adjusted for additional tension, which I would think would help, but if you have run out of threading (your red circle hides things a bit) that might be a problem. The flanks appear a bit splayed out those can be brought in which might help the cause and or make the saddle more comfortable.
The nose bolt if I remember correctly is kind of a threaded stud that took a square socket, access from inside the saddle.

Yeah, the fastener has play and pulls out slightly... I tried tightening the nose bolt but this made little difference (I can't push it too far as the saddle is fairly cracked)... do you think a washer could be used to reduce the wobbling of the fastener and thus the rails? Thanks for replying :)

I don't have one in my hands either, so I'm not sure what to tell you. I have one of these in NJ that I can look at when I get back there after the holidays.

As I recall, the B66 has springs that are bolted in, so you can disassemble the frame without having to mess with rivets. Am I right? If so, you should be able to take the nuts off the bolts at the cantle plate, and you may be able to get to the nut of the bolt you're referring to.

Reckless gluing is not a good idea, though!

If you can wait a couple weeks, I will take one of mine apart and tell you what I see. No worries there, all mine are junk frames waiting for new leather.

That's a good idea, I should be able to unscrew the rails from the springs and see what is going on! Thanks again :)

Brooks B.66.
 

The 'small, round-headed bolt' is not a bolt, but a rivet. The rails and tension rod assembly on a B.66 is made as one item, rivetted together at the front.
When the rivet becomes loose, as they frequently do, the solution is to saw through the rivet and replace with a nut and bolt. Simple, really.

ah hello Tony! You were going to be my next port of call :p

I can see what you mean now - it's clearly a rivet that's come loose. I've loosened the rails from the spring but I can't see a way of replacing the rivet with a nut and bolt without dismantling the nose. Sorry to be a pain - I've have Brooks saddles for years but never come across one with this problem!

If the rails are loose enough to cause annoyance, it should be easy enough to insert a saw blade between the rails and the tension bracket and, ideally, if you use a scroll hacksaw carefully you should be able to cut through the rivet without putting a mark on the other components - if that matters to you. I've done this on numerous occasions over the years.

That's a neat idea, I'll ride it for a few more miles and decide. Thanks!

I have a B66 dated 1959 that has the exact same problem, if you figure out a solution please make sure to post it here.

Brooks have offered to repair it for £22 - seems like a good deal to me!