Crooked tranny!

Can anyone tell me why my tranny is off? Looking down at the primary chain, you can see how the chain bends to the left? The drive sprocket does not line up with the rear sprocket. I don't see how this bike was ever riden with the chain being off by so much!

here's another pic. Sorry it wasn't in last post, still getting used to uploading pics.

It's a bit hard to tell, but it looks like you're missing the 1/8" washer between the gearbox and the left side cradle, on the GB side.



Chains will run like that, at least that's what hobot tells me. If the rest of the bike looks like that you may want to inspect the washers under the crank sprocket and the clutch sprocket too. I'm not being critical, mind you.

Dave
69S

yep, I'm definitely missing that little washer on the primary side! Are there any other washers that go between tranny and cradel?

No, but there are shims under the clutch basket that will mess with that line up too. You need to check that your inner primary is not bent also. You need to put the gasket on the crank, install the inner primary without any shims on the stud from the cradle, measure the clearance and get a shim/washer that will fit in there so when you tighten down the nut on the central stud the inner primary doesn't bend, but you also need to line up the clutch basket with the drive sprocket. Have you seen the information on Old Britts? It's all there. It's also in the workshop manual. Then you should check that your left side swing arm end is not hitting the inner primary, as it probably is now.

Read about the clutch circlip and torquing the clutch hub nut also. Don't over do it and use blue locktite. Go to the Old Britts site and read up on it. Better than me explaining it, plus you can print it out.

It usually takes 3 times to get these things right, and that's when you know what you're doing.

Dave
69S

That missing washer is often a case with abused barn-finders. You need it in there but now that it was tightened up without , you need to check the cradle plate(s) for bending .

This was a true barn find, and yes, the cradle does seem to be bent. Found one on eBay, seller said its straight. I'll check it out when I get it. Thanks for the good advice! Tom

Looks like the inner case riped off and remains linger behind the front sprocket. Cradle definitely bent, likely to make up for missing spacer. Chains and sprockets aren't supposed to be out of line, just they can still function a fairly long time when not as this one seems to prove and also a recent post showing the DS of counter sprocket and inner case rubbed raw. Also appears the clutch basket is cockeyed which implies bad juju in gearbox, especially the sleeve bushes and I'd bet a tire the shafts too. A single over tight primary chain event can cause a good bit of this. I'd bet another tire the DPO got er all nice and snug before the ensuing thermal tension destruction began. I'm floored again that someone can see any future for this case. I sure don't want to be that competent a restorer, ugh.

Finally got the cradle, it's straight as an arrow, even has the isolastics on it. I will definitely remember the 1/8 inch washer on the top! Thanks for the pics and advice! Tom