Hi all,
Having finally decided to lift the heads and barrels to cure the long term oil leaks from the top end of my Electra I note that the workshop manual says you have to remove the two frame strengthening plates. From years of bitter experience (particularly with Lightweight Nortons) and from looking at how they are secured I sense this is easier said than done. Can any of our Electra gurus advise the best approach? Is it easier to undo all the nuts and bolts and remove them completely or can you undo the headstock nuts and bolts and then pivot them out of the way having merely loosened the rear nuts?
Cheers
Nick
Easy removal of strengthening plates
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I remember......
I remember not having to completely remove them. (bit of a rubbish statement). I can see that the coils/brackets need to be removed and the head steady (in my case a Boyer ignition between the plates.) If you then remove all the front bolts/nuts, slacken the rear bolts then of course the plates can be swung up. Re-tightening the back nuts can hold the plates up high.But of course taking the front big nuts off will compromise the frame integraty. And with the plates up high they are bound to 'snag your elbows or ears at some time!' Have fun.
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Hi Peter and Al, Thanks -…
Hi Peter and Al,
Thanks - sage and detailed advice as always! You have confirmed what I feared having lokked closely at how they are attached......and from stripping my Navigator frame down. Those frame bolts can be a real challenge after 60 years and thay little styling panel round the headstock can be a pain with thew wiring harness going through it...... After all the hassle of getting the plates and heads off I might as well do a full top end overhaul as required. Luckily I have a set of NOS valves, cam followers and cam follower guides in my spares stock. The previous owner tells me it had a rebore less than 3000 miles ago so hopefully I wont need to try and find a set of pistons...... If I get a grip I should be able to get her back on the road for Easter....... I am an eternal optomist! I will keep you posted.....
Thanks again
Nick
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Nick,
Never seen an instruction on this. Not easy in my view.
Be prepared for removing the coils and their mounting brackets, the horn, and the two 1/4 ins crews on the front of the headstock that secure the little styling panel. Cylinder head steady bolt too. Winker relay if you still have it tucked between the plates.
The headstock frame spacers have to be removed to give you a chance of swinging the plates up.
Having got to the stage where the plates can be swung out of the way, I choose to remove the rear nuts and drift out the stud at rear of plates. Then the plates can be totally removed. No worry how to hold them up.
It's easier if you have a relaxed attitude to paintwork, rust, and scratches.
Peter