I have finally got round to having a look at my clutch which I have been told could be the reason why I cannot get neutral when the bike is warm - although it it easy to get other gears on the move. It has the correct chain case oil.
The clutch plates look in good condition and the clutch basket has no play in it but the chain wheel has a little movement. I have new springs to put in which are correct for my 1964 Rocket engine part no. 68 - 3236 around 2" long but these springs are much longer than I have taken out so I am a bit confused? Also how tight do I screw in the the four spring screws as never done this job before so a little help would be grateful. I have already demolished the foot rest nut...... LH thread, numpty...... :-[
The four nuts should be (more or less) level with the pressure plate....BUT, they need to be adjusted!
After setting-up the clutch centre nut/screw, cable, etc.
Tie the clutch lever in. With the plugs out, kick slowly and use a wire pointer close the outer part of the pressure plate.
Adjust the four nuts until it spins with no wobble.
Many thanks Caulky for your reply and your advice of 4 spring screws heads level with pressure plate but is that just a rough guide. How do I know the correct tension on the plates? Do you think that the clutch is the reason for my difficulty in finding neutral when engine warm? Should I be using the longer springs as to part no as they look far too long (2")or put the ones that came out back in ?
Happy Christmas......... :-)
Use the new springs, the old ones could have been in there for 50 years+. Over time and being compressed, the springs will deform and shorten.
There are many reasons for difficulty selecting gears, clutch adjustment, gearbox wear, etc.
I suggest you set-up the clutch first and go from there.
It can be a struggle getting the nuts on against the spring tension, take your time and it will find the threads. Locate the bolts centrally to begin with.
Put all of the nuts on first lightly, then tension each in turn gradually.
The original springs for the A65 Rocket are listed as part 68 3237 and shown as 1 11/16 inch long, 6 3/4 working coils in the workshop manual.
If the springs fitted are different than original specification you need to make sure that they do not become coil bound before the pressure plate is fully lifted.
Thank You both for the much needed advice and Julian they are 1 11/16" not 2" as sent to me so I wont use the new springs but how do I know that the tension on each nut is correct for the clutch to work properly as I said I have never done this job before and the manual is no help..... :-\
You need to balance the spring tensions of each nut so that the pressure plate lifts square.
Pull in the clutch lever and kick it over watch to see in the pressure plate runs true, if not adjust the individual nuts until it does.
Put in plain English and its easy to understand many thanks again Julian :)
Hi,
This might be worth a read:
Hi Bess many thanks is it the same adjustments for my four spring clutch?
Hi,
I would.
Best wishes..
Thanks again and Happy New Year to you all! :-)
Now that is spooky, I was just going to ask the same question as I am having difficulty with my 1965 A50. My problem is I cannot engage 1st gear or even 2nd without crunching, it just will not engage having adjusted the clutch many times to no avail I decided to remove gear cluster and check all was ok inside, I could find nothing untoward so have re assembled box and clutch etc. Next will adjust clutch according to the BSA service sheet and see if that makes any differance. If not will put bike in corner of workshop cover it over and work on my T*****H Tiger project.
Well got the clutch together but can I hell get the clutch springs started on the studs. I took Julian's advice with parts but Im wondering if age has affected my strength or that I dont have the correct spring cups fitted. The new springs I have now are approx 1 11/16" long but somebody had cut down the springs I took out at 1 9/16"long so presumably they had the same problem! I also understand there is a tool for helping line up the spring screws with the studs, any one used or any advice to help me get them fitted thanks :-)
Found out the problem. The spring cups were only 1" deep instead of 13/8" deep. I also noticed there was a small lip at the back of the clutch centre preventing the clutch plates sitting square against the back clutch centre shoulder. Looks like a pattern clutch centre not machined correctly. I skimmed the lip off and the clutch went together perfectly only 0.002" run out on pressure plate. Just need some warm weather to try it out. Many thanks to all that gave me guidance ;)
New clutch drive plates arrived yesterday so fitted them, but clutch was not square, i.e standing proud on one side by approx 3/16", so strip it down yet again. I found that the first driven plate was not seating square on clutch centre, so out with clutch centre and found there was an area that was a larger diameter at end of clutch centre as mentioned previously stopping the plate from sitting properly, out with the trusty file and removed the excess clutch now sits flat and hopefully when I get to garage today and start bike gears will engage without the crunch.
My clutch centre is an original and NOT a pattern part but still had that larger diameter like Straw Bears.
It is certainly a learning process with the old BSA Bunners! Pleased you learned from my mistakes...... ;)
:)
I like that phrase " learn from other peoples mistakes"------- Cos you wont have time to make em all yourself!!!
Mike
I have not done so bad with the amount of mistakes i've made so far Mike........ :)
:)
I go along with that. I think the main thing is to publish them so other folks can pick the bits out of it (helps you to remember next time round. Ha b---- Ha
Mike 8) 8) 8)
Hi folks,
Following that "doh, why didn't I think of that.." theme, and regarding an earlier comment about the difficulty of getting new clutch springs started on the studs: I battled away for quite some time with my Panther recently before having the stunningly obvious revelation that if i screwed all the old ones in tight and then progressively replaced them with the new ones, it would be a doddle - and it was :) Ah well.. Cheers, Bevan
I finaly found the time to test the clutch on the A50. I live on a slight incline so rode it up the road just in case it should break down, I can then turn round and roll back home. It went well enough for the first time I have ridden it and I was well please with the power, had the thing for about eight years now but due to clutch issues and the infernal racket the engine was making, I think the only thing left of the original engine is the crank cases, it cost more than it is worth. I put it in the corner of garage and got on with other projects, Huntmaster, Tiger 750, Greeves Scottish. AJS 500 M18.
Just another question is it normal to take two attempts to change gear on a BSA and have so many neutrals?