clutch chainwheel

[Tumbleweed]

hello again everyone , I  am fitting the clutch to my 59 a10 , on fitting the chainwheel there seems to be a lot of play even after tightening the clutch centre nut very tight ,   is this normal if it is how much play should there be , thanks   tw

[chaterlea25]

HI TW,
Which clutch ??
Photos please

John

[Tumbleweed]

sorry john  I cant show any pics , its a 6 spring clutch and my bike is 59 a10 sw/arm  the centre is tight enough but the chainwheel is not so tight it feels as if something is missing the bearings are all in place , I am rebuilding it from a basket case following the Haynes manual  ,  thanks   tw

[RichardL]

TW,

Others may have a better explanation for this, but, as I see it, the basket will not be stable until the clutch is assembled. The double-row of ball bearings only hold the radial position of the basket. I think the basket can still teeter (so-to-speak) until the whole clutch is assembled and the pressure of the plates hold it in place.  I may be forgetting something here (I have done that before while thinking I had the right answer), so I am prepared for being corrected.

by the way, I don't know if it is even possible to put the clutch hub in as shown in the Haynes diagram, because they show it backwards, as does the BSA parts book.

Richard L.

[Tumbleweed]

so they do Richard l ,  I thought it was just me reading it wrongly  ,  thanks I will get it assembled and see if the teeter is any better  ,   cheers  tw

[chaterlea25]

HI TW,
Ok,
A point to look at, is the inner race a good tight fit on the shaft adaptor?
A lot (most ) pattern races are about 15 thou oversize  so loose on the adaptor
I believe the bearing from draganfly is an improvement ?? see recent posts on this

HTH
John

[Tumbleweed]

point taken   

[Rocket Racer]

I have yet to find the improved draganfly bearing referred to, but in the attached image taken from draganfly's site, the ball bearing sleeve 17 can be moved within the basket to improve the bearing location.

The std ball and cage arrangement is awful but with a bit of patience can be made to work satisfactorily. The poor bearing design in conjunction with the narrow push rod both conspire to make getting  clean plate separation difficult.

The aim is to minimise basket wobble, but this was a budget bearing and that is a reasonable challenge if assembling from odds and sods.

Keep us posted how you get on.

[Tumbleweed]

hi rocket racer,     I have just sent for one of the bearings from dragonfly I think the part was number 18 , hope to have it here in a couple of days ,   I will assemble it all and see if it stops the play a bit        tw

[bikerbob]

I have one of those improved Draganfly bearings fitted in my 1956 A7 just had the primary dismantled to cure oil leak from gearbox and can confirm that the bearing runs OK after one year and without the clutch plates fitted just the center nut tightened there is no lateral play on the clutch chainwheel.

[Tumbleweed]

that's good news to me bikerbob.

[Rocket Racer]

that sounds like a good plan
keep us posted

[Tumbleweed]

hi, rocket racer.  the diagram you sent of the a10 clutch,  where does  number 17 bush go ?  I am fitting the dragonfly bearing     and I put on the back plate then the chainwheel and bearing    but the bearing doesn't look as if both races are being used , there is quite a lot showing inside the chainwheel as if I have missed a bush out is it  17  or does that fit inside the chainwheel body  ,  the original bearing was the same so its not the  dragonfly bearing  can anyone let me know if it should sit like that . also while I am here what is number 13 on the drawing    thanks  pp

[chaterlea25]

HI TW,
Number 13 is the scroll that supposedly keeps in the oil, it is pressed onto the taper adaptor
Number 17 is the bearing outer race, it should be a tight fit in the chainwheel, final positioning is somewhat of a compromise ?? where it does not keep the chainwheel friction material away from the rear plate

HTH
John

[Tumbleweed]

thanks john, number 13 was missing from the box marked "clutch bits" in my basket case ,  so it doesnt look to me as if there is anything else missing the bearing outer race is much narrower than the bearing it seems odd to me ,        tw