I've seen this lock rings for the exausts nuts. http://www.oldbritts.com/16_062412.html

Does anyone know how they're placed on the exhausts and how do they work?

Cheers!

They fit between the exhaust gasket and the exhaust nut. once you've got the nut down tight, after a short ride, retighten nut, then you bend down the tabs in the gaps of the fins of the nut. helps hold the nut from UNdoing
They work for me and will add to any of these beasts that fall into my possession..

hope this explains it. regards Chris

Thanks for your help!

Rattle rings. Most Norton owners have dicovered that anything that lets the nut come loose but not spin off is bad. That's how all the people doing thead repairs stay busy. If that nut comes loose during a ride you need to know so you can tighten it. I carry a little lazer cut wrench with me and I have loaned it out on every group Norton ride. These heads are getting harder to find.

To keep the exhaust nuts tight: Drill a hole in a head fin, and one in a fin of the nut. Use safety wire to keep it pulled tight. You can also get an exhaust spring from a dirt bike exhaust system in place of the safety wire. If you're paranoid, do both

Don't drill holes...she's not a Punk rocker.

Fins break too.

Just do the safety wire around the fins on the nut, and up to the bottom bolt head on the exhaust rocker cover , around the bolt head one time and back to the other end of the wire and twist tightly together with a pair of plyers. Been doing that for thirty years.

I ditched the lock wires years ago and switched to the bronze type from Norvil,once tightened they DO NOT loosen,paint them alum. / silver if you wish. Ride safely, James

I've done it already and looks strong and tight. Hope this lasts. I finally got them from BSA Regal.

Which solution did you use, and why? I will be doing mine up new, with new exhaust parts before the weekend, and I would be happy for any new insight. Just because I have always safety wired them, doesn't mean it is the best solution...

Well, I've used the lockrings following the instructions that Chris "Captain" explained. I've used them because it's the original thing, which doesn't mean it's the best. I've put two gaskets (washers) in every exhaust (one of them thin copper made and the other conical which is thicker). As Chris said, before bending the tabs I went for a 10 min ride and retightened. That was all. I've also noticed theres less engine noise (this could be more psycological...).

Maybe you can help with this: My exhausts are not balanced on my 850. Could anything happen?

Cheers!

Don't see how this would be a problem, but.....I'm not an 850 guy. Wait for their answers...

I just had both exhaust ports redone to original look on my 1973 850. No inserts, just rewelded in aluminium & I have chosen to drill two holes inside/underneath the head while it was still off the bike. I refitted the exhaust with new exhaust nuts & went for a ride to heat the head up.

When I got back I retightened the exhaust nuts using the norton tool & then marked where I thought the hole should be drilled in the exhaust nut. This was positioned to keep tension on the wire once inserted.

Most people over the years just drilled a hole in the top of the head, which can look ugly. Now that it is underneath, it is difficult to see & is not really noticable. Hopefully this will keep the exhaust nuts tight for many years to come.

My bike was off the road for 6 weeks while the head work was done & it was great to jump back on & go for a blast yesterday. My wife & I will be heading off to Cairns in nth qld shortly, a round trip of some 3500 klms. There is a bloke on this forum that rides a norton in Cairns ?? It would be good to visit you & say gday while we are up your way

I do have the perfect solution for loosening lockrings which solves the fundamental problem that the exhaust fixing in the head takes all the stress from the movement of the engine. The solution is to make an extra support for the header pipes under the power unit fixed to the engine/gearbox cradle. This takes all the stress off the exhaust nuts which on mine did not work loose in 10 years right up to recent head overhaul. 2 lugs are bolted to g/box cradle & welded to 3/8 inch diameter bar, which has T pieces welded on to ends under exhaust pipes to allow clamping to popes with jubilee clips. Forget all other solutions, they dont solve the cause of the problem, only the symptoms!

pictures please, maybe you've found the solution the bedevils so many of us.

I don't hold out much hope for this fix. The motor is isoed so is the exhast system fixing it to the frame will be asking for problems.