How can I get the steel plate off that covers the rubbers which need replacing on my 1959 99? The book says lever off with a screwdriver after removing the 3 c/s screws and turning the plate a bit, but it will come up about 1/16 inch then jams, on the centre, I think, and there is no obvious way to get a good pull at it, unless the three clutch spring bolts are extracted which I'm reluctant to do. Any advice would be welcome!
Use a gas torch or similar…
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Previously Phil Hannam wro…
Previously Phil Hannam wrote:
Use a gas torch or similar to heat around the outside top edge. Don't overdo this or the rubbers inside will melt and make the problem worse. Just get it to the point where it starts to smoke a bit. Try not to heat the top plate.
The heat should expand the main body enough to free the bits up. Use something like a flat screwdriver blade with the end bent over 90* to insert down alongside the bolts, to help pull the plate out.
A small flat-bladed screwdriver can also usually be inserted past the bolts and under the top plate. By tapping this gently, it should slip through enough to be then turned; which will then lift the top plate enough to get a bigger wedge in.
Attached diagram shows how all the bits fit together.
Many thanks! The bent-over rod was the thing. Armed with two, I finally prised the thing apart and found NO rubbers, which explained a bit of back-lash!
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If you found no clutch rub…
If you found no clutch rubbers, look very carefully at the root of the vanes on the clutch centre for cracks. If you find them, replace it.
When you insert the rubbers, insert the 'drive' rubbers first, then the 'over-run' rubbers. Remember, the clutch drum drives the vanes, so if looking at the top set, put the thick rubber to the right of the vane, the thin one to the left. A tool to aid inserttion can be made using an old clutch plate (tags inward) and a lever
To the web-master - why is it so damned hard to quote from a previous post and not end up with one's own post appearing as part of the quote? I always end up fighting with the web-site, and of course, lose.....
Paul
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Thanks, everyone. I found…
Thanks, everyone. I found an old mainshaft as per the Norton maintenance manual, and used an oil-filter wrench to obtain enough twist on the outer cage to get the new rubbers in, quite a hassle. I had to shave the over-run ones a touch as they were too big. Having ridden unaware with NO rubber for years I will be interested to see the change. I have also added the missing one-sided outer plate below the outer alloy pressure plate so hope that slip will no longer be a problem. Drag instead, possibly. Shame the primary chain case is such feeble design on such a good bike..
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Use a gas torch or similar to heat around the outside top edge. Don't overdo this or the rubbers inside will melt and make the problem worse. Just get it to the point where it starts to smoke a bit. Try not to heat the top plate.
The heat should expand the main body enough to free the bits up. Use something like a flat screwdriver blade with the end bent over 90* to insert down alongside the bolts, to help pull the plate out.
A small flat-bladed screwdriver can also usually be inserted past the bolts and under the top plate. By tapping this gently, it should slip through enough to be then turned; which will then lift the top plate enough to get a bigger wedge in.
Attached diagram shows how all the bits fit together.
Attachments Clutch%201959%20on.bmp