camplate question

hi,
how do you undo the gearbox camplate bolt without damaging the teeth or outer shell by wedging the quadrant on a 73 gearbox. checked the old brit link but cant see any mention. .is there a method . dont want to force it and regret it.

If you just need to re-index the quadrant, try this:

revove-camplate-with-mainshaft-sleeve-gear-place-t4688.html

You'll have to remove the layshaft and the main gears; a few hours at most.

If you really want to remove the camplate, you're looking at a big job, as the sleeve gear has to come out, which means the sprocket has to be removed, which means both primary covers have to come off and the drive train disassembled. Took me the better part of two days, and the camplate, in the end, was fine and really didn't have to come out. Duh.

Rick, but didn't you feel so much better when you were done? Plus you got do see all those gears. That's the Norton adventure.

Dave
69S

Dave,

The fact is, it's what I live for. I love the discovery of what engineers had to do in the 70's (recession years) to make a product that excites us 40 years later. I love the ride, but I really love the journey.

Rick

thanks for replies , i think i over complicated the question. i want to retime the quadrant and camplate .with a stripped gearbox with just the camplate and quadrant in place i guess its just a matter of undoing the camplate bolt lifting the camplate and resetting in correct position. but trying to undo the bolt puts pressure on the meshed teeth,as ive seen a few broken camplate teeth on here i just thought there might be some dodge to save damaging the teeth or just go for it. iam practicing on a spare box i got with my bike as you can see it hasnt been set right in the 4th gear position . thanks

Billy,

The camshaft spindle normally sees quite a bit of oil splash in operation, so I'd be quite surprised if the bolt is difficult to loosen. If the gearbox has been dry for some time, I suppose the bolt could be corroded in place. You might try the usual penetrating fluids to loosen things up (50/50 acetone and ATF seems to work well, and well as the usual commercial products), then apply heat. Since the bolt lies inside the spindle, it would be more useful to heat the spindle itself, which mean you would want to remove the layshaft and main gears to get a clear shot at it. My bolt came off easily, but the gearbox was oil-filled and had been recently in use when I disassembled it.

Three years later. A 1971 Commando with a kick start problem that has turned into a complete gearbox overhaul because..... Why not. It was time to see all those gears. It is the journey.

Hehe one thing always leads to another in C'do-doom. Main trick i learned to index the camplate, is set the shifter 'knuckle- so its as close to edge of shell that just allows shell to mate w/o fouling it. Hope shoe eve's didn't diddle with pawl spring during the down time like they have mine, more than once.

billyfish said:

hi,
how do you undo the gearbox camplate bolt without damaging the teeth or outer shell by wedging the quadrant on a 73 gearbox. checked the old brit link but cant see any mention. .is there a method . dont want to force it and regret it.

Click to expand...

Old thread that has been bumped but...

There is a hole in the cam plate.
If you rotate it anti clockwise looking at it a 5/16 allen key can be inserted in the hole and it will come up against the quadrant arm itself when you rotate clockwise.
If you hold the other end of the allen key so it stays square in the hole the bolt underneath will crack fairly easily without any pressure being put on the teeth.

Time Warp said:

If you hold the other end of the allen key so it stays square in the hole the bolt underneath will crack fairly easily without any pressure being put on the teeth.

Click to expand...

Should read "...will crack LOOSE fairly easily..."

grandpaul said:

Time Warp said:

If you hold the other end of the allen key so it stays square in the hole the bolt underneath will crack fairly easily without any pressure being put on the teeth.

Click to expand...

Should read "...will crack LOOSE fairly easily..."

Click to expand...

Should read .. only a !@#$wit would use the teeth to stop it rotating when it is easy to lock.
The spindle can rotate as the one on mine did,I guess a mechanic like you was there before me.