The scrapper

[Mothman]

Decided to change the position of the scrapper today, took 3 of us to do it. Will make it much easier to remove the rest of the bits. Also, 3 bodges came to light, exhaust, fuel pipe and the same common hydraulic problem i had on the 16TGS.

Andy

[Kitch]

Cable tie in place of a broken plastic clip and a short section of rubber in a fuel pipe are bodges now?

[Mothman]

Yes bud,

i think they are, they work but still a bodge. Same as the hydraulic one we did at the w/end.

Andy

[Dollywobbler]

There are good bodges as well as bad bodges!

[Mothman]

I suppose its semantics too, when does a heavy shower become prolonged rain? You can both repair a bodge and bodge a repair.

As you say Ian, there can be some bad bodges and some damned good ones that last years. A garage in the early 90s down the west country way did a bodge, most definately a bodge that lasted the life of the BX and worked fine. Was told to get it fixed asap but the guy did such a craftsmanly job on it i hadnt the heart and the bit was expensive too!!

Andy

[citsncycles]

By definition (I looked it up), there isn't such a good thing as a good bodge, but there are degrees of bodging.

In the strictest sense, any repair that doesn't involve the total replacement of any worn or damaged item is a bodge, but so long as it results in a safe, legal repair it can be acceptable, if not always the preferred option.

[mat_fenwick]

Why do I get the feeling that this thread will run and run...?

there isn't such a good thing as a good bodge

How so? I haven't looked up any definition of it, but my understanding of the meaning was similar to yours, i.e. a repair made with whatever you have to hand at the time - functional if not pretty. That's not in itself a bad thing when talking about engineering.

Bodge seems to be used interchangeably with botch, which has a different meaning i.e. to mess up a job. That's my understanding anyway, and so I wouldn't take offence about a repair being called a bodge. Unless they meant to say botch...

[citsncycles]

The definition I found said that a bodge is a repair made badly or where you don't have the time or materials to do it properly. This would include all those nicely made sections I've welded into Timex (and the GS for that matter) because I haven't replaced entire floor pans or sills. It was interesting that the definition said nothing about lack of money, which is what I'd regard as a main reason for a bodge - after all anything can be made for enough money.

[JayW]

By the definition above, anything not completely replaced with new is a bodge?

In my day, being a mechanic was all about REPAIRING things, these days (and for me at the last HGV workshop) you're average mechanic is now called a FITTER. A derogatory title in my opinion but with cheap Asian production it's more finacially viable just to replace a prt than repair it (although "financially viable" doesn't necessarily mean cheaper.

For me, bodging is repairing something to a working standard with the resources you have to hand, but not to a level you're happy with. Repairing properly is done with the correct materials and something you're happy will last the expected lifespan of the parent component.

BOTCHING as Mat says is just getting it all wrong!

Top radiator hose splits a couple of inches from the hose clip:
1. Repair properly: Replace the entire hose.
2. Bodge: Trim the split piece off, cut the hose in the centre and add a length of copper pipe to extend the hose to fit.
3. Botch: Trim the split piece off, stretch the hose to reach. Doing 70 on the motorway the hose tears off empties the water and cooks the engine.

I'm happy to bodge when required, though it would almost always get a follow up!

[citsncycles]

That sounds just about right Jay. Of course it's like everything else with old cars - subject to interpretation! Looking at your radiator example above, I'd only do No.3 to get me home, while No. 2 may be the only course of action with some of our cars as hose stocks seem to fast drying up, and we will eventually either to make up our own hoses or pay to get something made. I had to be a little inventive with Timex's heater pipes because they are NFP.

There are also different definitions for Fitter - there's the one where all you do is get bits out of a box and bolt them on, then there's the one I was taught as a trainee aircraft fitter, where you either alter an existing part, or make one from scratch to fit (regulations permitting), using nothing more than basic hand tools, a vice and a pillar drill!

[citronut]

i was always told in the old days a bodge was a satisfactory repair to something with anything you have to hand

regards malcolm

[ghaddon1701]

In my opinion some of the solutions Citroen used in the BX from the factory were various degrees of bodging.

[citronut]

In my opinion some of the solutions Citroën used in the BX from the factory were various degrees of bodging.

in that situation they were afterthoughts

regards malcolm

[citsncycles]

In my opinion some of the solutions Citroën used in the BX from the factory were various degrees of bodging.

Citroen have done some appalling jobs of RHD versions of cars over the years - 2CV's that crack their bulkheads because of the battery location, Dyanes that have some of the speedo hidden by the wiper motor, Ami wipers that don't sweep the drivers side adequately and GS's that demist the passenger side before the drivers side to name a few! And the less said about the pedal linkages on some modern models the better. Compared to these, RHD BX's are actually quite good in this respect.

[Vanny]

but my understanding of the meaning was similar to yours, i.e. a repair made with whatever you have to hand at the time.

That's Jury Rigging, and nothing to do with the legal process.

Most of us don't bodge, most of us Jury Rig, we just happen to have an excess amount of junk lying around!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jury_rig" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;