Clutch - Commando 1970

Available at A/N (as below) & Norvil.

Could you post some photos of your clutch parts? Sounds like the clutch is special. Sinterredplates are a littleunusual for a Commando.

When you pull your clutch lever fully in check that the whole of the clutch drum is not moving. Lastly......unless you have a split link in the primary chain....you do have to remove and replace everything at once. One of the pleasures of owning a Commando.

You can't just take the centre off. The clutch basket is attached to it by the bearing which has a circlip securing it. I'm afraid you have to take the the alternator and the front sprocket off too. The front sprocket can be pretty tough to remove. Get the proper puller, apply as much pressure using it as you dare. There's a good chance that it still won't get the sprocket off. I use a blunt ended punch that will go between the rows of teeth on the sprocket to apply a bit of a shock to it.

If you don't mind spending a bit of money on it the later clutch with the fibre plates is a better bet & doesn't notch the centre so much. You'd probably need a new clutch centre and a set of fibre plates.

As for the tab washer. Some people use them and some don't. When you tighten the clutch centre nut don't use the torque setting (70 ft lbs) in the manual or you risk snapping the circlip on the mainshaft. 40 ft lbs is what most people use.

Ian

Previously ian_goodhall wrote:

As for the tab washer. Some people use them and some don't. When you tighten the clutch centre nut don't use the torque setting (70 ft lbs) in the manual or you risk snapping the circlip on the mainshaft. 40 ft lbs is what most people use.

Ian

+ threadlock compound!

Tightening to 40lbft and the nut stands a very good chance of coming loose. Use a new circlip from Andover Norton, tabwasher and loctite and tighten to 70lbft.

Also check the clutch hub is a tight fit on the bearing centre - use steel shim if required. Many wear here and cause chainwheel wobble.

Thanks for the photo Bjorn. This answers the question. Your clutch has very, very early Commando plates. Probably from the first year of production. So around 1968/69. These were superseded by solid Ferodo fibre items after engine 132576.

News to me sintered plates are unusual in Commandos- all 850s have them.More information on Commando clutches you find here: www.andover-norton.co.uk/SI Clutch.htm

Using a Haynes manual is asking for trouble. The author knew very little about Nortons, less about Commandos, and nothing abnout the 850Mk3.

I'd recommend the real deal, i.e. the official Norton workshop manual for the year, See www.andover-norton.co.uk/JRP/jrframes.htm and click "catalogue" and "Norton".

I can't comment on clutches, butwith regard to the: 'Official' Workshop Manual for the Mark 3 Commando.....

Gearbox section, illustrations D6 and D8 both show reassembly procedures for the earlier (RH shift) gearboxes, so errors can anddo occur.....