Dave Taylor Headsteady

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No that would be the right way, bore it 1 inch. Than remove some stock from each side to get the gap that grips. you need the radius to be correct for it to work right. Some one just forgot an important step in the making of the piece. Easy fix,grind a bit of each side to get a gap.
 
My mate called yesterday with the same problem on his Mk2a. I had a great time pulling his leg about the "poor quality" Italian frame, and not being a real Norton etc. Sorry, but due to this frivolity I forgot take the frame number.

Anyhow, the hole in the clamp was bored correctly for a painted 1" tube as it fit my Mk3, perhaps its not a quality issue?

To resolve the problem he filed roughly 0.020" from the cap and it worked a treat with very little distortion of the frame tube.

Cash
 
Wrench, I suspect that the problem here may be that these revelations over differing tube sizes are fairly recent. I thought that I had my ear fairly close to the ground on Commando matters but I had never heard of it before this thread.

There have been instances for years of Norvil type headsteadies being difficult to fit and of some (generally Roadster) tanks not wanting to clear frame spines but most of us have thought that the problem lay with the ancilliary component rather than the frame itself.

It is dificult to blame an after market manufacturer who makes a component to fit an actual machine if it turns out that the factory used differing dimensions without telling anyone.

Perhaps in the future, there will have to be alternative clamps available. I don't think that we yet know if the metric frames are actually a minority. They seem to make up a good deal of the frames from at least 1973 - 75.
 
79x100 said:
I suspect that the problem here may be that these revelations over differing tube sizes are fairly recent. I thought that I had my ear fairly close to the ground on Commando matters but I had never heard of it before this thread.

This recent addition to the Dave Comeau website frame info. was most likely the result of a discussion on the BritBike forum, and the remarks from the often cantankerous but knowledgeable (about Commando clutches and belt-drives at least) 'beltdriveman' although he did have to check his facts before (eventually) outing with the difference in spine tube diameters after hinting "its a measurement".
 
L.A.B. said:
the remarks from the often cantankerous but knowledgeable (about Commando clutches and belt-drives at least) 'beltdriveman'

and Bert Hopwood's oil tray too! :roll: :lol:

Debby
 
79x100 said:
I've just bought one via RGM and fitted it this afternoon. I found the instructions generally clear and helpful but in the absence of a contact address for the manufacturer there are a couple of points that someone who has already fitted one might be able to clarify.

I found that I had to space the vertical rose-joint 3/16" from the tube clamp in order to gain a reasonable clearance between the tube clamp and the fixing screw on the vertical post on the other side if the rod were to be kept in line. Is there a specified clearance and how much fore and aft movement can I expect in use ? A low-head socket screw would help a bit but I didn't have one long enough (I try not to stock metric ! - It was good fun having to have metric and Imperial Allen keys in use on the same job too - 100% chance of picking up the wrong one!)

Is the lack of clearance trying to tell me something that I'd rather not know about my frame to engine dimensions ? (It's an Andover replacement)

I have the Mk111 spring as well and found that the only way to get the specified clearance was to use the forward lug on the coil bracket. I have now been able to achieve 1.5" spring length with .4" clearance from the trunnion. At this point, I cursed the manufacturer of the stainless bracket for fitting a shorter threaded stud than original and had to dig my old tatty one out for re-use. Is it normal to have to use the forward lug and, if not, have I done anything wrong ?

Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated before I take the plunge and take it for a test ride.

I have just bought one also, Mk3 Commando, and had the same problem re the vertical tower and tube clamp, on mine the screw that is fitted to the tube clamp has a nut on the end to give it a bit of distance from the clamp therefore push it away from the allen socket head on the vertical clamp,when fitted it has about 1/4" thread protruding out of the tube clamp so I fitted another spacer between the tube clamp screw and the tube clamp itself and this had the effect of moving the clamp forward away from the vertical tower allowing more room. What I did have difficulty with was finding what the thread was on the 2 holes for the spring attachment, after speaking to Rodger at RGM he said that the co. that made them had cut a 6mm thread with a uncommon pitch so I just re tapped with a 6mmx 10 thread pitch and used a 6mm bolt.
Can anyone tell me when it mentions in the instruction "when tightened up the rosejoints should move freely" how free is freely?because as you tighten the tube clamp up it can tighten the joints slighty no matter how careful you are to do each screw up. I get it them still free moving but slightly tighter when I tighten the bolts and they are really tight, as the instructions say they should be, when put on the centre stand. Also when sitting on the bike and leaning at different angles, there is different tautness in the rosejoints at different lean angles is this correct?
Thanks
Robert
 
Erm...what was I supposed to say Ludwig ? I'd already bought a Taylor head steady when I posted and I'm dead chuffed with it ! :) To be honest as well, your steady seemed to be working on the same principle as the Norvil item by reducing sideways movement.

The Norvil that I had led to a vibration-induced handlebar flutter and I wouldn't want to go down that route again. I am of course a light-weight, both physically and psychologically. A braver and tougher man would probably just get on with it :)

In answer to Robert's query, when the joints are 'free' they should be moveable with the lightest finger pressure. Absolutely no resistance beyond the oil in the joint. I found it quite easy to identify the sweet spot but as you say, tightening it up has to be done quite carefully. It might be easier with a helper. I had one arm wrapped round the bench vice and tightened the clamp with the other.
 
As I posted in the other head steady topic ,I made one similar to the one in `captain nortons notes'. I made the mistake of setting the rod ends on the main stand,buzzy foot pegs, I was surprised how much the top of the engine moves, different stand leg lenghts seem to twist the motor about. I also noticed more or less wieght on the bike tightened the joints as well,which must also be twsting the motor about,may be Ludwig is correct and his idea is superior, any ideas on the spring and an alterative mount,I have seen Ludwigs post but couldn't see how you tensioned the spring.
 
I found it quite easy to identify the sweet spot but as you say, tightening it up has to be done quite carefully. It might be easier with a helper. I had one arm wrapped round the bench vice and tightened the clamp with the other.
Yes I know the scenario, balancing like an acrobat :lol: , what I did was I made up a piece of 4x2, on one end I screwed a piece at right angles then screwed another piece at right angles just over the width of the frame rail away from the first, to give the shape of an F, glued an old bit of inner tube in so not to damage the frame, I then hooked one end onto the frame rail near the battery cover then attached the other end to my bench, the bike stays vertical off stand with some up and down movement so I can sit on the bike off stand and adjust the joints without trying to balance. The piece can also be used to hold the bike whilst checking the isos.
 
Ludwig can you please tell me which post your own head steady design is in. Thank you
Robert
 
I have a Taylor headsteady fitted, I set the isos before I had removed the Norton headsteady, as the Taylor headsteady is meant to reduce side to side movement do you adjust the isos in the same way with a Taylor headsteady fitted?
 
I didn't touch my front and rear isos. To get the Dave Taylor rod adjustment perfectly right your best bet is to use plumb bobs (sewing thread and a large nut for weight) on the front and rear tire edges and adjust the rod length until both wheels are vertical => parallel.
 
Although that is possible in theory and practice,all you are doing is twisting your iso's so that they aren't able to work as well, meaning alot more vibration.
 
There was no twisting up of the isos on mine. The rod was free enough to rotate slightly on the joints like it is supposed to.
 
batrider said:
There was no twisting up of the isos on mine. The rod was free enough to rotate slightly on the joints like it is supposed to.

The rod link on mine swings about on the rose joints with the lightest of touches when off stand and me sitting on it, I can virtually flick it up and down; and when it's on the stand it tightens considerably, which according to the instructions it should do. It's a matter of perserverance just to hit the sweet spot, the first number of times when I thought I got it bang on, then when I went to tighten the screws in the frame bracket up the rose joints went stiff. The isos would need to have clearance even with the Taylor fitted to allow it to move up and down, as I mentioned I set them before I took the old headsteady off, but is there a different way of stting them with the Taylor in place?
 
My feeling is that with the Taylor steady the clearance on the lower isos becomes a little less critical as the vertical alignment is guaranteed.

You might find yourself setting them a little more for comfort than handling.

I can think of no reason why Procedure should be different.
 
Nicely explained Ludwig, thanks! The reason I asked is that I made a Taylor type head steady myself. I don't have a spring at the moment, so I will have to find a spring of the right rate and devise a way of fitting it that is adjustable.

Dave
 
Would someone who has fitted a spring to their Taylor head steady be kind enough to post a picture, please? I've seen the Taylor head steady in kit form but I can't find any photos with the spring fitted in situ.
 
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