I managed to get the 1962 A65 Star through the MOT today (hopefully the last one! ). One advisory was a bit of play in the head stock. I have looked at the Haynes manual but it dont explain the task. Can anyone point me in the right direction please as never done the job before :)
You need to put the bike on its centre stand with the front wheel clear of the ground. If you then grab either side of the front axle, you should be able to feel any play in the steering head by rocking the bottom of the forks back and forth.
To remove the free play, you first need to remove the cap from the top of the steering stem and to slacken off the pinch bolt at the back of the top yoke. If there is free play in the steering head bearing, you need to screw in the adjusting sleeve uncovered by the cap by, say, 1/8 turn at a time until the play in the steering head just disappeared. Finish off by tightening up the pinch bolt and replacing the adjuster sleeve cap.
Suggest also slacken the bottom yoke pinch bolts before adjusting, also ensure that the forks pivot freely on the bearing without any feeling of roughness or lumpiness which would indicate overtightening or wear and/or lack of grease. These bearings are often neglected.
I have just had a look at both the A10 and A65 Haynes Manuals and they both use identical text in the sections on "Steering Head Bearings: Examination and Replacement" and neither manual explains how to adjust the bearings. Very poor ::)
Below from the 1962 A65 Instruction Manual showing adjustment of steering bearings.
There are other more comprehensive manuals for the A65 than Haynes - the BSA factory manual for 1962 - 1965 being the definative work and is readily available.
Thanks ever so much good people for the help. All went well until the bottom barrel and clip off the steering damper fell off - a nightmare trying to get the four keyways on the small barrel to line up ::)