Hi, y'all
As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm rebuilding a basket case 1992/3 650SS. I didn't take it apart, I just took away a garage load of boxes, some parts aren't even Norton parts.
I've assembled the clutch onto the gearbox main shaft but something is amiss!!
When it appears to be correctly adjusted, the end of adjuster screw in the pressure plate is flush with the pressure plate and there is no exposed thread for the locknut. Having worked on AMC clutch/gearboxes before on my AJS and Matchless machines, I'm as certain as I can be that the cable mechanism in the gearbox is set correctly against the ball and roller, so I'm wondering if I have the correct pushrod. It's 6mm diameter (not 1/4" as I'd expected) and is 9.5/8" long. I only have a Haynes manual and that doesn't specify the pushrod length.
Have I got the correct pushrod, and if not, what should the diameter and length be, please?
Thanks
John
Can't provide the dimensions…
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"I have read in the past of…
"I have read in the past of the pushrod being cut in half, with a single ball bearing then being put in the gap in the centre of the shaft. The idea being that it somehow "assisted" the action when the mainshaft was rotating at a different speed to the clutch assembly ie gears 1-3 only."
The mainshaft, the clutch centre and the pressure plate all rotate together at the same speed, in any gear and in neutral.
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Diameter
The last 58 years, I've always seen 6 mm rods. Never a 1/4" rod. Often seen two parts + a 6mm ball. Even seen three rods plus a mix of ball and roller bearings. Don't know length as I make them from 6mm silver steel and harden the ends. Fitting approx half length +ball. Then assemble clutch without adjust screw. Push in a rod and mark it where it comes out of pressure plate. Take out the rod and make a new mark depending on how much the adjusting screw goes in. Then cut second rod to length. So I never measure total length of rod.
Long time since I made rods for a laydown box, don't remember how I did.
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Take care with diameter. I…
Take care with diameter. I understand the clutch rod is 6mm, running in a 1/4" hoke (6.35mm). That made sense for production, to give a small but reliable clearance for axial movement. And they simply procured 6mm bright rod, and hardened the tips. With 1/4" drills to make the hole.
Perhaps the hardening has worn away by someone overheating it by hanging on thd clutch too long?
Can't help with length. But it should allow the lever to have its 1/8" free movement at the tip with the clutch centre adjustment screw showing a couple of threads inside or outside its locknut.
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hello, how many clutch…
hello, how many clutch plates should there be fitted. barry
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Thanks for the info. Gents…
Thanks for the info. Gents.. The AMC gearboxes on my AJS and Matchless machine all run 1/4" pushrods, which was why I was a bit surprised to find a metric one in the Norton.
As I mentioned, this bike is being built up from bits which may, or may not have been original.
I think the clutch assembly is probably not totally correct. The back plate on the clutch hub is a plain plate and the clutch basket has friction inserts. In front of that I have five plain plates and another four friction plates. That just about fills the available space. I think that the original clutch had a friction back plate and a plain basket but I'm always open to correction. :)
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Can't provide the dimensions John, but I have read in the past of the pushrod being cut in half, with a single ball bearing then being put in the gap in the centre of the shaft. The idea being that it somehow "assisted" the action.
You would of course have to re-harden the 2 cut ends.
Edited in hindsight and Michael Ball's comment below. I really must think through my comments before I rush to post!