Hi folks,
I wonder if someone can tell me what I've done wrong, or what I've missed?
My 'original' gearbox (BSA WM20) decided to empty it's life blood all over the road one day, and so, I thought, it would probably be easier to just swop my 'original' box, for a lovely pretty reconditioned box that I have had lying around for a while, thus letting me "fix" the leaky one in my own time.
So... Gearbox out and new one in... So far, so good.
Now comes the problem... When I pull in the clutch lever, the clutch is pretty ineffective to non-existent! :-/
I initially thought that somehow the clutch nut had not been tightened up, so I opened the chaincase, then the clutch dome. Once there, I pulled in the clutch lever and to my horror, the whole lot moved about 2mm to 5mm from the frame... (you know what I mean!)
Obviously (I thought) the centre cup nut had somehow come loose, so I undid the 6 nuts on the top cover to reveal the big castle nut (Empire Star clutch on mine) which turned out to be pretty dammned tight. So then I checked the fine threaded cup nut (the one with the hole that the push rod runs through) and that too was tight... I'm running out of ideas now...
Then I got hold of everything by hand and gave a little tug, and the whole lot moved between 2mm to 5mm towards me... chain, cog, clutch the lot!
It looks a bit like the shaft through the gearbox could be loose... but could it?? and if so, how??
Without pulling the whole clutch to bits again (those bloody roller bearings are a pain in the ass!) what would anyone suggest?
When the engine runs, the gear change is sweet and smooth, it's just there's no clutch now :-(
(I do have a fractionally longer push rod that might give me a clutch back...) ;-)
I dunno what to do next? Has anyone else had this bother?
Standing by....
Ian
email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com
Hi, I have been lurking on this forum for a while soaking up the knowledge while rebuilding my M21 and think it's time to give a bit back. I think, (it was quite a while ago) I had a similar problem when rebuilding my gearbox and found that something had been either missed out or wrongly assembled at the kickstart ratchet gear end of the gearbox which was allowing too much end float. Hope this is of some help.
Cheers Mark
email (option): markp.laing@gmail.com
Mick, thanks for your input, much appreciated.
During the interval from my posting till now I got the fractionally longer (flat ended) pushrod out, and, clutching at straws, I gave it a try... That is of course AFTER double checking everything at the clutch side.
Once the rod was in, i screwed down the 6 nuts holding the end plate on and gently squeezed the clutch lever while watching and listening for anything untoward happening.
Not only was the lever operation positive throughout but the "loose" travel seemed to be done away with also...??
Everything 'appears' to be back to normal now...??
Im about to re-assemble the bike (once I can get her started which is a seperate issue) and try it out.
Shall report back later.
email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com
Ian,
Putting a longer push rod in won't cure your end float it will only push it one way. You need to investigate why there is end float.
Tim W
email (option): t.j.walker@btinternet.com
End float appears to have stopped happening before the pushrod went in... cant explain that?? However, once all re-assembled, started up, clutch way too tight so unwound the adjusters to take the tension off but now cannot engage 1st gear. 2nd feels like first should and when the engine is off and a gear is selected manually and held in position, 1st feels like top gear and when the gear lever is released it flicks back to neutral. 2nd feels very positive, as if it should be 1st....
Im looking at fixing the old leaky box and putting that one back in as I at least know that one works!
Depressed bearly covers how I feel right now :-(
email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com
You appear to have a gearbox fault...'Shooting in the dark' is unlikely to provide a cure so you should regard this not just as a problem but the opportunity to strip and examine a box to get a grasp of how it works, the state of wear and what needs to be done...
Read everything you can find, obtain the factory worksheets if you don't have them, plus an exploded view and parts list for the gearbox so you can identify the various bits...
It would probably be worth a search of the website as there have been many previous posts on the subject...Also look in the technical section..
And, of course, photos and questions on here will elicit a lot of useful comment...
If you intend to keep the bike you're going to have to familiarise yourself with the gearbox (and the rest!) at some point..As you have two gearboxes and a problem it seems that now might be the ideal opportunity....
It's best to remember that no one was born with a spanner in their hand...Even the so called 'experts' on here also originally started off at the bottom of the curve...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Hi guys,
Well, I finally bit the bullet and opened up the original "leaky" gearbox (lots of pictures taken during the process)...
I found the reason for the leak.... No bleedin gaskets present & the "bodge" appears to have finally gone to meet it's maker! No wonder the oil puked everywhere!
Nothing else in there seems to be untoward, apart from a few slack bolts/screws! (Reaches for the nutlock).
However, all said and done, I need to put gaskets in... Does anyone recommend using home made cardboard gaskets, or, home made cork gaskets (1.5mm thick) or waiting for Draganfly to deliver some?
I'm off to make a cuppa tea & await a reply from someone with more experience/knowledge here than I have :-)
Thanks for now
Ian
email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com
Either wait for Draganfly to deliver or get some proper gasket paper (10 thou is a good start). The thickness of your gaskets will affect the end float on the shafts and using 1.5mm cork is probably not a good idea.
I have collected a reasonable amount of info on these gearbox rebuilds, mainly gleaned from this forum and with thanks to Ian Wright and others, which I can send you if you want. Just mail me.
Good luck
Pete
email (option): petercomley@web.de
Pete is right.
Especially the gasket between the gearbox house and the middle cover is important.
Not to thick and not to thin.
Thanks guys. I ordered from Draganfly yesterday (before posting my query) but i thought i would ask as ive gota lot of cork sheeting here. As ive got 2 gearboxes to sort, I ordered 2 sets.
Wish me luck :-)
Ian
email (option): fozzie001@hotmail.com