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Girder fork spindle washers

Submitted by david_cooper on Tue, 18/10/2022
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Singles

I see my 16H has no washers under the spindle nuts. None are listed in the parts list.  But lots of singles have them. I assume owners have added them in the belief that every nut deserves a washer.  Is this a known question? 1937 picture from Vintagenorton site suggests no washers.

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16H1936.jpg

Submitted by david_cooper on Wed, 19/10/2022

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Thanks Nick - I understand the knurled washers should always be there.  But I've just looked at your exploded view from the WD manual, to see if there are supposed to be any washers under the nuts outside the side links.  They don't seem to exist, either in the WD manual or the parts books.  Lots of bikes have them - including one of mine.  I only noticed after I found one of the 1/2" cycle thread locknuts had fallen off, and the front lower spindle was slowly making a bid for freedom.  That would have been a disaster on the A3 dual carriageway last week in the dark and pouring rain!  I have new nuts on order, but I see they are supplied with incorrect (unnecessary?) washers to put on the links under the nuts.

 

Submitted by nicholas_clark on Wed, 19/10/2022

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Hi David.

I didn't realise you meant washers at the end of the spindles. That had me thinking, I know my WD16H does not have any washers at the end of the spindles and the nuts have never come loose in 30k miles. I had to go and check my Inter and that does have washers under the outside nuts. I hadn't really noted the difference between my two bikes. I rebuilt both sets of forks with the parts they originally had. So I think the choice is yours. If the washers are left off the nuts should become loose if they are tightened sufficiently. It is possible they would loosen if the threads between the spindle and nut are worn. 

Submitted by david_cooper on Wed, 19/10/2022

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Another odd corner of knowledge gained! My 16H has no washers, and it's never been a problem. The Inter has washers, and a nut fell off.  I think it's going back with no washers (which will scrape the paint..). Loctite, possibly! 

Submitted by nicholas_clark on Thu, 20/10/2022

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Hi David, I hope you noticed my typo in the sentence, "If the washers are left off the nuts should become loose if they are tightened sufficiently." It should read that "the nuts shouldn't become loose" Sorry about any confusion!

Submitted by richard_payne on Thu, 20/10/2022

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There were no signs of washers ever having been present on my '39 WD16H when it was dragged out of hibernation still fitted with 1939-dated tyres and tubes along with bent forks.

I saw no signs that they had ever been taken apart.

Norton weren't great fans of loose washers. Even the tinware hex. screws had an integral 'washer' rather than separate. Fork Spindles

Submitted by david_cooper on Tue, 25/10/2022

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Just got some correct size spindle end nuts from Les at Russells.  7/16 whit spanner size on both the 7/16" and 1/2" cycle thread nuts.

 


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