English French German Italian Spanish

Floppy gear ever

Submitted by george_phillips on Wed, 27/04/2016
Forums
Nortons - General
I have a mid fifities ES2 with a laydown gearbox. The gear lever has around 1" floppy free play. This is because of the gap between the return spring cover plate and the spring itself. This gap is unadjustable no matter how strong the spring is. So my question is "Is this normal or am I missing something?" Views welcome! George

Submitted by jonathan_newton on Thu, 28/04/2016

Permalink

Previously George Phillips wrote:

I have a mid fifities ES2 with a laydown gearbox. The gear lever has around 1" floppy free play. This is because of the gap between the return spring cover plate and the spring itself. This gap is unadjustable no matter how strong the spring is. So my question is "Is this normal or am I missing something?" Views welcome! George
George; haveyougot the coveron theright wayaround? The legs of the spring protrude through theNARROW end. The ratchet mechanism is there togive you selfcentering of the leverso it is always presentedin the same position regardless of the gearselected. This ratchedcrank isconnectedto the selector Arm/Rod which adds/subtracts the~15 degreepedal movementper gear change, translating to the four gearselection locations on the inner quadrant andball detent.
Hopethis helps.
Jon

Submitted by george_phillips on Thu, 28/04/2016

Permalink

Yes Jonathan - it's the right way round, I understand how the movement works but don't know why I have around 1" free play at the end of the pedal although there is a gap between the spring and the open end of the cover plate. I've now fitted a new spring with no better result. G

Submitted by george_phillips on Sat, 29/04/2017

Permalink

Hi Stuart - I bought a new spring which didn't seem much different to the old one, took the gear change mechanism apart and cleaned it. Did a slight bit of tweaking of the new spring and it has been relatively OK. I still need to hoik the lever up after each upward (through the gears) gear change to enable the next change to take place but you just get used to doing it. The flop appears to have gone. Hope this helps. George

Submitted by richard_payne on Sat, 29/04/2017

Permalink

The main benefit of the change to the 'AMC' box was that it reduced lever travel which helped to compensate for the cheapening of some aspects and the mechanically horrible clutch operation. However, you shouldn't have to be doing a 'double hook' for upward changes on the laydown box.

Could wear on the bronze thrust washer be a factor ? The pre-AMC boxes rely on this to keep mainshaft end-float within bounds.

Submitted by george_phillips on Sat, 29/04/2017

Permalink

The serial number on the gearbox shows that my ES2 is fitted with a Dominator box. Whether this makes any difference I don't know. George

Submitted by stuart_munroe on Sat, 29/04/2017

Permalink

Originality is not paramount but riding certainly is. My bike is an ex RAC machine and bought off e-bay. It has been a very expensive and harrowing experience. The gear box is the last bit to be under the spotlight. Every other part of the bike has been worked on - it was rebuilt using all kinds of various bits. Interestingly enough the gearbox was also an early Dominator unit. Now with a standard inner case. I would just like to get it rising again.

Submitted by george_phillips on Mon, 01/05/2017

Permalink

BTW Stuart, whilst having a sort out in the garage I found the original spring cover plate so I must have fitted a new one. The original was slightly worn where the spring made contact which would add to the free movement of the gear change lever. I did read somewhere that a dab of welding at the point where the spring would touch the cover plate during a gear change helps as it reduces the clearance between spring and plate. George

 


Norton Owners Club Website by 2Toucans