Hello

Hi all, just joined forum after having bought yet another Commando, (1977 Interstate), my 4th in all. After months of hunting I got one which I was promised was terrific and did not need anything doing….. wrong!!!!! Shouldn’t have bought it, I restore older bikes as a hobby so you’d have thought I’d have known better, but… you know how it is? Got it home and went through with a fine tooth comb, loads of things wrong , just let’s say RGM are going to get a lot of business, already I have a 12” brake disc kit , carbs, Taylor type headsteady, etc, etc, etc, you get the idea… oh and the tank and side panels are away for paint……I have a question maybe someone can help me with, I felt the clutch wasn’t right so I took it apart only to find there were only 3 plain plates and 4 sureflex and the pressure plate below the spring in the basket, I checked the manuals and net and decided to try the 4 sureflex and 5 plain and press plate, but when I came to adjust the screw I found that I was only left with a couple of threads left at the end where the adjuster goes through the diaphragm, if I loosened it , it wouldn’t actuate, Norvil’s solution was to cut the clutch adjuster rod in half and insert a ¼” ball bearing between the halves, which would give me a decent amount of thread left in the adjuster to fit the nut, it seems a bit drastic, so I’ve gone 4 & 4 on the plates and it seems ok with quite a light lift, does anyone know of a way to do the 5 & 4 maybe using another slightly longer rod from another bike?

Just get a piece of oil hardening (O-1) rod stock the right size and make your own rod. It would be nice if you could call out the right lengh to someone with a lathe so as to get good squared up ends before you harden the ends. To do this just get them red with a Oxy- torch and quench in used oil.

Welcome rbt11548,

As the clutch had the 4 friction, 3 plain plates when you stripped it, I'd guess that it has the thicker 750 pressure plate? If you wanted to fit 5 friction and 4 plain plates then you would probably need the thinner 850 pressure plate?

Here's some useful clutch info:
http://www.oldbritts.com/ob_clutch_info.html
http://atlanticgreen.com/ndnsclutch.htm

Thanks guys ... much appreciated!

In the UK the oil hardening steel is know as Silversteel, avaialble in 13" lenghts in std metric and imperial dimater rods. The tools place in the Barra's may stock them.

kommando said:

In the UK the oil hardening steel is know as Silversteel, avaialble in 13" lenghts in std metric and imperial dimater rods. The tools place in the Barra's may stock them.

Click to expand...

Bills Tool Store, will probably go with the 4&4 just now as it seems good, and if a suitable rod comes up or I get a chance of the correct type of steel will then try the 5&4.
Thanks