Clutch

Hello John. I'm not entirely sure, but I think that although the construction is similar, the L/W clutch is a smaller diameter. Therefor plates etc not interchangeable. Might be worth looking at the part #s on the Norvil website. 

No doubt Andy S will be along in a minute to set us both straight! 

Hi John.

I'm not an expert in them but there are two clutches, one fitted up to the introduction of the Electra and the other after.

Some parts are the same as the heavies , plates etc, but a lot of the hub parts are not. You need to check Part Nos and watch out for the many supersessions carried out over the years.

I have added a couple of images I doctored in Photoshop to try and get an accurate image of the early Navigator clutch as none of the Norton images are correct. Hope these might be of use to others as well, I reckon if there are any faults with them someone will come in and correct them.

Hope this helps,

Stan

The Dominator clutch & Lightweight clutch do share some components, luckily. However, its difficult to be precise as both changed over the years.

But two items differ for certain - 1) The clutch centre has 3 different fitments on the Lightweights, none of which fit the Dommi & 2) The clutch basket inc sprocket has a single row sprocket on the rear, while the Lightweight item uses a Duplex chain.

The plate sizes are the same for both - someone above thought they were different - not so.

The only sure way to see what fits what, is to use the parts list booklets to compare the two.

The Manx ran dry...with oil drip feed to the open chain.  So rather different from an enclosed chain in an oil bath.

Some more slipping after fuel stops on the TT. John forgot Governors bridge. Less slipping needed with 5 or 6 gearboxes.Spring strength and length also affect how many friction plates needed.

Didn't some of the later Villiers stinkwheel engines have a diaphragm clutch? Did that somehow inspire Norton Villiers with the Commando clutch?

Anybody here with experience of these engine units, perhaps such a clutch might fit some of the L/W Nortons- after all, lots of James/Fanny B bits incorporated to the earliest Jubilees?

Just waiting to be shot down in flames. Again.....

Edit: " The (Starmaker) clutch was the first application of the use of a diaphragm spring in a clutch to be used on a motorcycle. Diaphragm spring clutches have now become universally used on both motorcycles and cars. The clutch had two sintered bronze friction plates with one steel intermediate plate, pressure being applied by a diaphragm spring. Although the clutch had a very high spring pressure the natural mechanical advantage allowed by the diaphragm spring plus the scroll type release mechanism ensured light finger pressure at the handlebar lever "

http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/Museum/Engineering/Villiers/Villiers12.htm