tiger1964 

I recently got a pump head for my Silca from a C&V For Sale listing, it's in lovely shape -- the metal one with the "bow" at the end to engage the frame.

(a) Well, it came without the rubber tips for the end of the "bow" to protect the bike's paint, but I knew that. I understand repros might be available from time to time. Meanwhile, I thought two short sections of surgical tubing might look right - hey, about the same color as gum brake hoods, eh? However, just got back from Home Depot and they no longer sell surgical tubing, indeed any kind of tubing or hose, by the foot. And they did have prepackaged tubing but in one diameter... too big. But nosing around the inventory, I saw and bought a roll of vinyl tubing, 1/4"OD and 0.170"ID and, as I had brought along the pump head, it seemed like it should work, if a tight fit. Once home, I cut two short sections (5/8", but I might have been able to use 3/4"), soaked them in hot water, and was able to press them on -- certainly unlikely to come back off! Basically invisible, and should suffice until I locate OEM or repro tips or a length of surgical tubing (any clever ideas on sourcing?) That said, not quite as soft as rubber or surgical hose, hopefully won’t hurt the bike’s finish (but still better than the OEM head’s chrome plastic, I presume).

(b) Hmm, I put the head on the new pump; lovely. Oddly, the aluminum decorative/grip sleeve rattles. Then I put the original plastic head on, and the rattle goes away. So, I look closer. On both heads, where the threads are to engage the pump, there is a square boss that keys to the aluminum sleeve’s square hole. However, the boss is much thicker on the Campagnolo head. In one of the most fiddly applications of a micrometer ever, I tried to get readings. The OEM head’s boss is about 1.3mm thick, and the Campy head is about 2.8mm. That’s a lot of difference, creating plenty of movement to allow a rattle (which I am certain I’d hear all the time on rides). So, before I (1) start grinding down the boss on a Campy pump head (!) or, (2) try fabricating a multi-layer rubber washer incorporating the one currently surrounding the threads now, with a second one glued to it but with the center bored out much larger… is there some logical solution?

tiger1964 

By the way, I had an idea concerning solution #2, above. I checked and I do indeed have a pack of those washers used in garden-hose connections; you know, the ones that are always getting lost or damaged on your sprinkler? Anyway, the inside and outside diameters are just about perfect -- but this adds about 3mm more thickness under the aluminum sleeve, wondering if this affects operation (good news, I could use another 3mm - or more - additional length on the pump for a tighter fit on the bike.

Yet again, is this common, considering this head is made to fit this pump?

C9H13N 

Do you have the rubber washer #646 that fits between the body and the Campy head? It should keep the grip sleeve from rattling like you describe.

merziac

Pics of the dilemma in question?

I have never seen one that wasn't a good fit with the head. I would make sure the sleeve is butted up good to the end of the pump inside, you don't want any slack or cushion in there when you are yarding on it pumping up a tire, that whole end of the process relies on integrity for pressure and stability.

It sounds like you have an odd version that has a thicker square boss than normal. Ifn I was you I would make the spacer/washer between the sleeve and pump out of stout, semi rigid, maybe fibrous gasket material.

Gonna go check a few of mine.

T-Mar

I would have just used Plasti Dip to cover the ends of the seat.

satbuilder 

For those rubber tips, if you don’t care about the color, you can get something from McMaster Carr that’ll work. I bought a whole bag of them and it cost me something like $5
EDIT: Part number 6488K208

cyclophilia 

Back in the day we would wrap a small piece of cloth handlebar tape on the body of the pump, just beneath the upper edge of the metal sleeve, to prevent rattling.

tiger1964 

OK, I did a search on Silca Pump 646 and see a washer, but no installation diagram. I do indeed have a washer that looks like that... under the aluminum sleeve. Is there a second one, over the sleeve and thus visible to the eye on an assembled pump? That would seem odd.

Should have. Didn't.

I like that idea too!

JohnDThompson 

I use pieces of medical oxygen tubing (or aquarium aerator tubing) to cover the legs of the pump head. A couple bucks will buy you a lifetime supply.

Re: the rattle. Do you have the rubber washer that fits between the pump head and the pump?

merziac

So the seal does go inside the sleeve, it is fairly thick and needs to be pliable. The sleeve will rotate with the head as it snugs down as the square boss and square hole in the sleeve line up to compress the seal. If it is hard or cracking it will not seal well, some vaseline or mineral oil may help but it needs to be snug on the threads of the pump as well to compress with the head/sleeve mating surface to seal good.

repechage

there was an ebay seller who molded repros in the OEM powder blue, until that time, a real hardware store should have those vinyl rod or bolt tips, red and black are most common.
The diameter is I think 4 mm, but 1/8" ID should cram on there.

SJX426 

VP1010818w , on Flickr
Plastic. Dip​​​​​​​

obuckler

Bolt end covers easily found at a good hardware store (can be hard to find a good store!).

don’t need two. Was just having fun.


Here is how I handled the rubber doodads that were missing.

merziac

You can stretch the spring in the handle to make it fit tighter with a pick or hook tool, it may pull out but then you can stretch it better and it will stick again when you compress it.

juvela

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another item folks used to use for this application BITD was presta valve caps


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historical note -

before Silca made plastic bodied frame pumps they did steel bodied ones -




younger members may not have seen one but SILCA formerly offered a cast metal presta head for their frame pumps which enjoyed a long production life -




this is the head for which REG (Rampinelli) designed their pump holder set -




the Impero body on the green cycle above, a Cinelli Model B of 1955. is of interest as it exhibits the rubber plug in the handle which can be removed easily with fingers to permit the storage of spare spokes inside the pump's shaft -




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JohnDThompson 

Oxygen/aquarium tubing:

dedhed

Most real hardware stores sell tubing by the foot in various sizes for small engine fuel lines.

Another source for rubber caps is vacuum line caps at the auto parts store.
​​​​​​https://www.oreillyauto.com/shop/b/h...s/54514302ba88

tiger1964 

All gone around here.

I'll try that!

Now that's worthwhile! There are two within walking distance -- chain stores, admittedly, but I'll do better there than at Home Depot or Lowe's. Anyway, the clear tubing looks fine for now.

Choke 

Here's the link for the repro end caps from ebay. This auction has ended but at least you'll have the seller's name. He will do custom colors. And FWIW he's a member at the Paceline forum, though he doesn't sell them there.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/30398853549...p2047675.l2557

I purchased a pair of these several years ago and I've been very happy with them. They are on the pricey side but the quality is excellent.

AJI125 

I have some too and they're great! I went looking for this last night on the phone but couldn't find it, good job finding the link.

Road Fan

I think they used to be called ***** feet.

merziac

+123 on the clear tubing, especially on a shiny head with good chrome.

dmark 

A piece of heat shrink.

luns

I think Campy sold (part 646 as has been noted) a thicker version of the washer that goes between the sleeve and pump body than what Silca provided. I think you were meant to crank down hard on the Campy head and embed the extra thickness of its boss into that rubber, but the amount of torque required for that bothered me.

What I did was get a sheet of red rubber gasket sheet, cut out a circle the same size as Silca's washer, and cut the appropriate size square hole into that. I've forgotten whether I stacked this on top of my original Silca washer, or if I also cut a new round washer to substitute for that, but with two layers of gasket, everything fit together nicely. No gluing was needed.

davester

This is the correct answer...bolt end covers, available from many hardware stores in a variety of colors.