Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild

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Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Pulled the clutch down again tonight and am not happy.

There are 4 bronze friction plates (3.56mm thick) and 3 plain plates (2.01mm thick).
The "shim" is 1.6mm thick and has no holes in it to accept drive pins or any other method to stop it slipping against the clutch basket.
So the whole thing's a bit of a cock-up - there are meant to be 5 bronze friction and 4 pressure plates as I see it.

The basket does appear to be the later one though. It has a shim of approx 5mm thick riveted to the basket by 3 sturdy rivets.
The pressure plate is 6mm thick.

So...
for 5 friction and 4 plain plates the total thickness would be just on 26mm.
Current arrangement of 4 and 3 plus the bogus shim is very close to 22mm.
Meaning the pressure plate would have to be reduced in thickness by 4mm leaving it only 2mm thick.
This can't be right. Or maybe the whole arrangement can result in a thicker 'stack'????

Can anyone please tell me if the new plain plates are thinner than the old ones? Or what the thickness of the pressure plate should be?
Or whether I should just give up to preserve what's left of my rapidly vanishing sanity? Maybe origami would be a better pastime.
Or do some more watercolours. Hey, now there's a thought.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

The basket on my norvil belt drive has the shim plate screwed in with countersunk screws. I dont see a problem with that way of doing it. You could use a dab of locktite on the screws to stop them loosening. If you are worried about them not taking the shear, put a couple more in. :wink:
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Thanks chaps,

you're right Seeley, that makes everything perfectly clear. The later (850) pressure plate is a lot thinner - 0.102" (2.6mm) vs 0.225" (5.7mm) for the earlier (750) one.
So if I ditch the bogus shim and get another plain and friction plate pair and either have my pressure plate machined down or buy a new one I should be right.
Better get a quote.

Damn, and I was so looking forward to getting back to watercolours. Or flower arranging. Or ...
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

davamb:

You want to get the complete group of plates in the basket to a finished height just shy the retaining circlip's groove. Old Britt's site 9link 1 or 2 posts back) explains what this results in - an easier lever pull. Worry not whether you have the correct part number plates of any of the assembly, just that they come to the correct total installed height.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Thanks GrandPaul,

I'm 100% with you there - I understand completely now.

(Now there's a first! :p)
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Don't worry davamb, if you think Coke is the best cola, I'll pick Pepsi.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Just started reading your posts ... am just begining to rebuild an 850 Mk. III. The bile started life in 1975 as a full blown Dunstall cafe racer ... hoping to go back to near stock Intersate specs due to having lost many of the bits & pieces over the years; and my back would never tolerate the original Dunstall clip-on bars and rearsets these days.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

grandpaul said:
Don't worry davamb, if you think Coke is the best cola, I'll pick Pepsi.
Click to expand...

You're not related to Ms Davamb by any chance are you GrandPaul?

Brit303 said:
... am just begining to rebuild an 850 Mk. III. ... my back would never tolerate the original Dunstall clip-on bars and rearsets these days.
Click to expand...

Best of luck Brit303, you've come to the right place. So many knowledgeable people here willing to share. Start up your own thread and give us some pics please!
Know what you mean about the back. It got to the point a year ago when I could no longer ride my much-beloved Pantah for any great distance and had to retire it. I now do most of my riding on a TRX850 and find that a bit tough. Thinking about a BMW ...
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Bought replacement clutch plates and fitted them Thursday night. Friday night I replaced the alternator lead seal in the transmission case (requires the connectors to be removed and replaced after feeding the lead through) and the Pantah donated its as-new battery to the cause (don't worry old girl, you're turn is next). Finished about 11:30pm.

This morning (Saturday) at 10:00 am - my first ride! Only up and down the drive at this point...
cool or what
Pity the rain's pi55ing down now. Well maybe just as well, I'd be too tempted to get the helmet on and go round the block.
Don't think the carb balance is too good, needed a bit of clutch slip to launch, gotta be careful don't want to fry all my new work!

BTW, I am chuffed, really, completely and utterly stoked.
I've spent the whole day since with that silly grin on my face - you know the one?
I'll check the balance tomorrow morning and just have to run up and down the drive a couple of times.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Carby balance? What balance? There was 3mm free slack on the RHS carb cable. And I thought I'd set this up properly way back. Anyway, nipped it up - ah! Running much much better - ooh! Actually has a fair bit of speed - if only the driveway was longer! Then found that my drive chain was really loose. Huh? what's going on here? Hullo, the primary's really tight. How can this be? I set this up the other night perfectly. Don't understand, the gearbox is as far forward as it can go. Has the motor moved? Or maybe the cradle? Will have to investigate after work during the week.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Hello Dave, Was your cradle powder coated? You said your gearbox was all the way forward, Was the tension OK when you set it up. Sometimes the engine and trans can move in the cradle if there is powdercoating or heavy paint under the bolts that hold them. Also remember when the engine and trans get hot the chain will get tighter. What you are experiencing is what happens when they do move. Chuck.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Hi Chuck,

Grabbed an hour last night at 10 o'clock and had a quick look. In a moment of stupidity, I'd wound the adjuster the wrong way yesterday (I get things like thread directions ar5e-about all the time - is that mild lexdysia?) and tightened up the primary even further. What an eedjut. The real problem was twofold, the bottom gearbox mount bolt was not fully tight, meaning the gearbox moved and secondly, I don't have the adjuster bolt thingies #19 and #20 and the rear axle moved from the torque.

Should get it sorted during the week and then I'll have to see what the options are for a registration cover note so I can continue debugging it on the road.

Hmm... is it ok to ask for new tyres for fathers' day?
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

davamb said:
Hmm... is it ok to ask for new tyres for fathers' day?
Click to expand...

Around here Father's Day is long gone. Better to ask for Christmas at this point.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

swooshdave said:
Around here Father's Day is long gone. Better to ask for Christmas at this point.
Click to expand...

First Sunday in September here in Aussie Dave, so almost perfect timing for me!
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

davamb said:
swooshdave said:
Around here Father's Day is long gone. Better to ask for Christmas at this point.
Click to expand...

First Sunday in September here in Aussie Dave, so almost perfect timing for me!
Click to expand...

Work it!
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Glad to hear you have it sorted out, Asking for tires is a safety issue and one should never hesitate for the chance to get new shoes for the girl. LOL LOL.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Got a fair bit more done on the old girl during the week and some more runs up and down the drive today as shake-down.
My my it does have some serious grunt. Seems like more than the TRX. Smooths out after it warms up a bit too.
Idle is very consistent now and pickup off idle very good too.
Hard to select first though. Don't think there is any adjustment for that. Lowered the shift lever a notch but it doesn't help.
Those final few percent are going to be slow progress.
Need tyres now. Those old horrors have to go before I'm game to tackle a single corner. Not going to happen for fathers' day though. Damn.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

davamb said:
Hard to select first though. Don't think there is any adjustment for that. Lowered the shift lever a notch but it doesn't help.
Click to expand...

That's the clutch. Adjust it correctly and you won't have that problem.
 
Re: Commando Cafe Racer Rebuild 5th August 2009

Good to hear your making it safe to ride, Some may just take a chance on tires. I think you should always have nice shoes on your ride. Chuck.
 
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