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Laydown gearbox

Submitted by george_arber on Thu, 28/02/2019
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Heavy Twins

As the kickstart lever on my 1956 Dominator 99 tends to stick at about 15 deg from it's top position, I have removed the outer cover with the intention to replace the kickstart return spring.

 Having removed the top cover and although Paul did mention that the spring could perhaps be tensioned after removing the steel shroud, can the spring be replaced by removing the steel  shroud which partially covers the kickstart serrated shaft ? The steel shroud is firmly in place and I do not wish to damage it in trying to remove it. How is it held in place ? I am reluctant to delve further into the gearbox.

The reason for wanting to get the kickstart lever to return to it's natural top position is I am wondering if I am losing an arc of engagement when starting the bike.

George 

Submitted by ian_soady on Thu, 28/02/2019

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If, as in the heading, it's a laydown box then all you need to do for spring replacement is to remove the kickstart lever and the steel shroud - this is just a push fit on the gearbox shell (a very loose one in my case).

The tricky bit is getting the inner end of the spring into the right slot without losing a finger or two, then holding it in place while you replace the shroud..

Submitted by george_arber on Thu, 28/02/2019

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Thanks Ian,

Forgive my naive question but I am on a steep learning curve re Nortons ! But when the shroud is removed are the appropriate slots for the spring visible ?

George

 

Submitted by george_arber on Thu, 28/02/2019

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Now removed the shroud and all is clear. There must be a knack in getting the new spring into position. I have still got all my fingers but no more finger nails ! Come on boys what is the secret here.

George 

Submitted by john_day on Thu, 28/02/2019

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get a length of plug chain ,one link over the spring, wrap other end around your hand, and pull , if anything slips your hand is well clear of the dangerous bits. you can cut off the link attached to the spring afterwards

cheers

Submitted by george_arber on Thu, 28/02/2019

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Interestingly the new old style return spring appears coil bound in it’s static state. With the horizontal tang fitted into one of the fixing holes and the vertical tang gripped ( with a suitable chain ) and rotated anti-clockwise there is not much rotational movement . However I will have another go as one must.

George

 

 

Submitted by ian_soady on Sat, 02/03/2019

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It sounds as though you're fitting the inner end on the gearbox first then the outer one into the shaft? This is the wrong way round.

Edgar Franks's book suggests that you can just turn the spring by hand to locate the tang. All I can say is they must have had stronger hands in those days.

What I do is to make a loop of soft wire, pass that over the inner tang (with the outer end located in the shaft of course), then use a screwdriver as a lever to pull the tang round till it locates in the appropriate slot. Then just cut the loop with side cutters. The tang will try to make a break for freedom as you install the shroud but a couple of attempts usually sorts it out.

Submitted by george_phillips on Sat, 02/03/2019

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I found it easier with an extra (strong) pair of hands plus a length of electric cable. The strong guy looped the cable round the horizontal tang on the spring after the vertical tang was engaged int he k/s shaft hole. The whilst he pulled (very hard) I poked the horizontal tang into the slot with a  broad screwdriver. Once in, it stays there.

George

Submitted by george_arber on Sat, 02/03/2019

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I did try to fit the new spring the correct way but I think that whilst the new spring  was identical with the one that I removed ,they are both incorrect. The actual spring part no., is evidently A2/367 and hopefully is slightly different to the  one that I attempted to fit. 

I am of the opinion that the original and the new spring are coil-bound and are too wide as if it has one too many coils . When attempting to fit the replacement spring after inserting the vertical tang into the serrated shaft , the horizontal tang was over the boss by over it’s full length. I have now ordered what I am assured is correct from Norvil so we will wait and see. I am now aware that the spring can be obtained from the NOC shop but at the time I checked I could not open the link to the NOC shop.

I did  at one stage get the spring to fit with both tangs in position but the spring was distorted and the once again the kickstart lever did not get to it’s top position due probably induced friction from being coil-bound. 

George

 

 

 


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