Author Topic: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier  (Read 1600 times)

Offline Sunbeam

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Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« on: 03.06. 2019 11:03 »
 Hi, could anyone help me with a picture of the correct battery carrier for my 1962 RGS. I believe the carrier should have some sort of wire clip to hold the battery, thanks....Howard.
Howard

Offline Blackcat

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #1 on: 08.06. 2019 16:21 »
Dear Sunbeam

I researched this issue extensively whilst helping a friend produce a replica A10/A7 battery carrier. BSA used three carriers for swinging arm pre-unit twins:

Part 42-4515 - Early battery base plate/carrier for A group 1954-on which requires three battery straps and two trunions. These carriers may also fit BSA B31/B33 and Gold Star swinging arm models depending on year etc.

Part 42-4644 - Battery base plate/carrier, this part has a front plate welded to 42-4515 to which the wire clip you refer to is clipped. This plate has a bolt hole with a 2 BA nut welded to it* as support for the special air filter fitted to the A7 [after frame GA7-8855] and A10 [after frame GA7-8437]**.

Part 42-4651A - Battery base plate/carrier for A7SS [after frame GA7-8929], A10SR [after frame GA7-8618]**. This part also has a front plate welded to 42-4515. There is a hole in front plate but with no 2 BA nut. This nut wasn’t needed to support the air filter as this carrier was for A7SS and A10SR models which would usually be fitted with the alternative more sporty (i.e. less restrictive) ‘pillbox’ air filter.

* see https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=9055.0
** see BSA A7/A10 parts book 00-5086.

I think the RGS would ‘normally’ use part 42-4651A. However, these models were assembled by BSA at the end of the A10 production run in 1962-3 with whatever was to hand, to a buyer’s individual specification, and some may have been built from spares by George Dow himself. And of course there are a very large number of ‘replicas’ out there now which may or may not have correct parts on them.

I attach an enlarged picture of the illustration in the 1963 UK catalogue which shows a battery carrier front with a plate welded to it.

The carriers with a front plate welded to it are available in stainless steel and are dimensionally correct as they used an original BSA carrier of mine as a pattern. See:

https://classicbikepartsuk.uk/product/bsa-a10-rgs-b31-battery-carrier-tray-air-filter-bracket/

I have no link with the company other than as a very satisfied customer.

Regards

Martin
 

Offline trevinoz

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #2 on: 08.06. 2019 23:27 »
Definitely 42-4651A

Offline Sunbeam

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #3 on: 18.06. 2019 17:36 »
Thanks Martin for your very comprehensive reply. My 1962 RGS has the 3 peice battery strap with trunnions 42-4515. Researching I realised 3 versions were available for BSA twins but got more confused as the RGS used a lot of Gold Star parts.  I'll definitely take your advice and fit the 42-4651A battery carrier, the late model Gold Stars used this with a thin metal right angled strap that held the battery in place. One side was clipped in the tray slot on the opposite side to the welded bracket, this is then secured with a J bolt that goes through a hole in the angled bracket, then tightened up with a nut. I can see loads of battery straps on eBay...but these right angled straps don't seem to crop up....thanks again...and Trev for confirming Martin's findings.

Regards

Howard.
Howard

Offline Blackcat

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #4 on: 19.06. 2019 09:18 »
Dear Howard

The wire clip is 42-4649.

I got a stainless one from George Prew eons ago but I'm not sure if he’s still trading as his website is currently down. I have his number as 01763 848763 and he was at Kempton Auto-jumble last year.

There is an expensive used one on eBay right now:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162959335169

Regards

Martin

Offline Sunbeam

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #5 on: 25.06. 2019 17:58 »
Thanks for the info Martin. Any idea why type of battery to use on my RGS?. The ones I'm coming across are too tall to be held by the wire clip especially if you use a battery box, been looking on the net for what was originally fitted by BSA to get the correct dimensions.

Regards

Howard.
Howard

Offline trevinoz

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #6 on: 25.06. 2019 22:42 »
Howard, the battery is 6N11A-1B.

Offline Sunbeam

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #7 on: 26.06. 2019 21:46 »
Thanks Trev, I'll buy one.... hopefully if I can source am AGM or VRLA as they hold their charge longer.

Regards

Howard.
Howard

Offline duTch

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #8 on: 27.06. 2019 05:02 »
 Dunno about RGS, but I was using a 13Ah 'B38-6A' which is about the same size as the one on the left compared to the 6N11A-1B in first photo, which is an old one I had in my Road Rocket (maybe a locally made Century/Exide copy) 125 x 90 x ~160 mm.... lost the lid.

 The untrusty Haynes book has a list; 2nd pic, but may find it difficult to source those


Started building in about 1977/8 a on average '52 A10 -built from bits 'n pieces never resto intended -maybe 'personalised'
Have a '74 850T Moto Guzzi since '92-best thing I ever bought doesn't need a kickstart 'cos it bump starts sooooooooo(mostly) easy
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Offline Swarfcut

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #9 on: 27.06. 2019 08:57 »
Dutch. Untrusty Haynes Indeed. My Blue Bike on the Front Manual has a super error concerning crankshaft shims, Page32, Section 24, Para.2 The instruction indicates some shims go between the inner race and crank, others go at the timing side, almost as  thrust washers. This is a major assembly error, how many folks have taken this as the true Gospel? Another on on Page 38, last line, mentions the carb drip shield, even though at that stage of assembly the barrels have not been fitted.

 Swarfy

Offline duTch

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #10 on: 27.06. 2019 11:45 »

 Weeeell let's not lose the plot...but;
Quote
...... The instruction indicates some shims go between the inner race and crank, others go at the timing side, almost as  thrust washers. This is a major assembly error, how many folks have taken this as the true Gospel?

 I can see that the 'thrust washers' may be for aligning the primary....and I've never even seen a drip tray, so back to the battery stuff- which should be just fine and dandy...
Started building in about 1977/8 a on average '52 A10 -built from bits 'n pieces never resto intended -maybe 'personalised'
Have a '74 850T Moto Guzzi since '92-best thing I ever bought doesn't need a kickstart 'cos it bump starts sooooooooo(mostly) easy
Australia

Online JulianS

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Re: Rocket Gold Star battery carrier
« Reply #11 on: 27.06. 2019 20:06 »
The old Lucas MLZ9E plastic cased battery was introduce in 1960 and needed a new battery carrier - the wire clip type. The first photo is the parts bulletin from August 1960. Sorry it is a poor copy.

Second photo from Lucas Equipment and spares 1958-1962 shows the MLZ9E.

Third photo from same source gives all the old Lucas battery dimensions.

I use a Yuasa YTX7L-BS 12 volt on my A10 wire wire clip, itvfits quite well.