“Only John Deere replacement parts fit and wear like the originals.” Way back when I owned JD equipment, this appeared on every part bag, a warning not to sell our soul for a cheap replacement part that wasn’t quite up to snuff.
Today, I finished the trailer hitch on the Honda. It was not an original Honda part, and not an authorized one either. And it fit… almost. Just like the armrests, it missed by a teeeeny bit. Enough to drive one crazy! When parts are made of steel, a sixteenth of an inch may as well be a mile. Actually it is worse, as one can see that it is sooo close…
At last, the hitch is on, and looks good. I will delegate the wiring of the brakes and lights to an expert, however.
I learned a few things as I worked on the bike. When patience runs thin, stop. There isn’t a deadline (at least, not a close one), and it’s best to take a breather (or a day) to refresh and regroup.
The other lesson is that patience is not my strong suit. And wrenching is for patient people.
Finally, it helps to have help. My son Jonathan gave me a hand wrestling steel rods into place so the bolts could fit. Nothing like another set of hands to expedite the challenges of a sixteenth of an inch.
Happily, the end result is very good.
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