Navigator Kickstart alternative

Hello there,

Well the kickstart in the picture certainly looks very like the actual kickstarts fitted to my machines. The offset looks similar and the shape around the top looks the same - but it is impossible to be certain from a picture. Why not phone Villiers Services and ask? Francis Barnett did use Villiers engines in some models at least and of course the Navigator frame is closely related to a Francis Barnett

You say the spline is 5/8" and 36 tooth. How do you measure a spline?

Patrick

Hi,

I honestly don't know what is the correct way to measure the size of a spline - and you are very probably correct. When I lived in Yorkshire and went to autojumbles looking for a kickstart I took a Jubilee gear lever(same size spline) with me for a sample as different people seemed to give different dimensions for the same thing . Back then Lightweight bits were few but they did appear.

You also have to watch gear levers as well - people will tell you that it is the same as the Dominator. It isn't - the offset is wrong and it fouls the timing cover.

Good luck in your search.

Patrick

Previously Andrew Wibmer wrote:

I have been looking for Norton Navigator kickstart for a few months now with no joy, spreading the net wider I came across this:

http://villiersservices.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21_24_95&products_id=255

given it is a 5/8 and 36 tooth spline, anyone have experience of using this on a Navigator, also aware that some Francis Barnett Kickstarts might fit. Any one tried this?

Hi Andrew,

i have the same problem with my Electra, did you have any luck with the villiers item?

cheers, Stew.

Previously Andrew Wibmer wrote:

Previously stewart_bramham wrote:

Previously Andrew Wibmer wrote:

I have been looking for Norton Navigator kickstart for a few months now with no joy, spreading the net wider I came across this:

http://villiersservices.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=21_24_95&products_id=255

given it is a 5/8 and 36 tooth spline, anyone have experience of using this on a Navigator, also aware that some Francis Barnett Kickstarts might fit. Any one tried this?

Hi Andrew,

i have the same problem with my Electra, did you have any luck with the villiers item?

cheers, Stew.

Hello Stew,

a mate of mine picked up a different kickstart with the same splines but different shape. It will do until I can find better. Apparently Frances Barnett is the same spline. Also I did find a bent and mangled gear lever with good spline but left it with the dealer. (Malvern autojumble). Sorry but it is looking a bit tough. I think I will end up cutting the spline off the one I have and welding on anything I can get then rechroming - but not looking forward to that. If I lived nearer Brierly Hill I would pay them a visit.

Andrew

Thanks for the info Andrew. The search goes on.

ATB, Stew.

Hitchcocks do cheap kickstarts for Enfields I don't know I'd they would fit but you could use is as a base if you weld a gear lever end on it. The jubilee gear lever also fits the ES2/AMC box, so that's another possible source.

Is it possible to heat and bend the kickstart shaft? I have one that needs to kick out more. I tried straightening a bent brake pedal once but it snapped making me wonder whether it was cast and not forged.

My guess is that it is forged