Help with Rear Wheel?

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highdesert

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Jun 17, 2009
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Hi all, hope you can help with this.
I have a 73 850.
I have removed the speedo drive unit because well, I just prefer seeing the tach only.
Upon reassembly of the wheel into the swing arm, I am not able to fully tighten the right side main Axel without almost locking the wheel in place.
If I back off considerably on the Axel tightening, then the wheel turns freely.
I suspect that by removing the speedo drive that I have lessened the amount of space and the right side swing arm must be non parallel and thus binding.
Am I seeing the problem correctly? And, is there some size of jury rigged spacer washer that I can install perhaps next to the large spacer to make up for this so I can fully tighten my Axel without it restricting the wheel's freedom?
I suppose I could put the speedo drive sans cable back on, but I think that I am missing a thin washer that goes inside the drive unit. Is there one, or can someone tell me how thick of a spacer washer to source that can take the place of both the speedo and it's thin washer?
Appreciate any thoughts!
 
0.154", but...

I thought that I could reach into my coffee can full of dead speedo drives and take a quick measurent, but te space between the gear retaining ring and the shoulder on the top hat spacer was too tight for my micrometer. I used a little block to get the measurement and then subtracted the thickness of the block. If someone can make a direct measurement that should be more accurate. I'm guessing that a few thousandths won't make any difference.

Greg
 
I usually take the speedo drive wire out of the cable leaving the bike looking stock, but you could have a spacer made with the extra thickness of the speedo drive and eliminate the drive. I can't get caliper in close enough to get a 100% accurate measurement, but eying it with digital calipers it looks like it's about 2.25" for the total space from wheel to inside of swing arm if you want a spacer. I am sure there are a lot of others here that will measure with 100% accuracy.
 
Thanks guys!

I went to Lowes and got a washer about the size for the axel to go through and will give it a try.

Interesting how just that very small amount of space if not filled will prevent fully torqing the Axel.
 
So that is two people who have the speedo on the bike but prefer not to have it work?? Okaaaaay.
 
NO batrider, both my commando speedo's work fine, but in the past I have done that on other bikes where the speedo is actually not working and since I would like to maintain the stock look it is an alternative though obviously doesn't meet your satisfaction. :roll: Just for giggles what's the big deal about having a speedo anyway. :?:
 
Speedo is very useful to me on Ms Peel, especially with a big wind screen on to be able to set corner entry speeds w/o sense of wind blast going into decreasing radius blinds. Also better than tach to keep from being police bait. 3rd reason on Peel is so make sure I'm above crashing speed needing to transition into further phases of handling. 4 th reason it to watch speedo go way up on THE Gravel but not actual ground speed. 5th reason is helps to hold axle tight. 6th reason is the better looks with at a fake speedo drive in place. I"ve read that old Smith speedo's in good state are more accurate than later factory speedos in cars or bikes.

7th reason is implies on first impression a lack of competence or resources to have a good working one. Similar to replacing tires when about bald and about as often.
 
Shouldn't be so judgmental about such a small personal choice, it's just a speedo, besides I thought it was possible to tell speed by tach, am I wrong? :)
 
Antique bike insurance more affordable than standard insurance policies, but have yearly mileage limits! :wink:
 
Highdesert keep your progress posted. I'd like to see what you come up wirh. Bob can't imagine paying an insurance company to restrict my riding! :shock:
 
I suspect that by removing the speedo drive that I have lessened the amount of space and the right side swing arm must be non parallel and thus binding.
Click to expand...

You could press the "tophat" spacer (P/N NM13270) from the speedo gearbox and install it without the gearbox. It is this spacer which is in tension when you torque the axle, and not the gearbox.
 
Ron L said:
I suspect that by removing the speedo drive that I have lessened the amount of space and the right side swing arm must be non parallel and thus binding.
Click to expand...

You could press the "tophat" spacer (P/N NM13270) from the speedo gearbox and install it without the gearbox. It is this spacer which is in tension when you torque the axle, and not the gearbox.
Click to expand...

You still have to take into account the thickness of the gear box, the top hat is a locator, as the piece sticking through should locate in the rear wheel spacer.
Personally I would turn up a spacer that located the same way and of the correct thickness so that it didn't damage the rear wheel spacer, but I can't understand why you want to ride on public roads without a speedo.
 
Well, since the early sixties i have been riding numerous motorcycles with no speedos.

Honestly, i know what gear I am in and my tach tell me the rpms, and from that I can tell from memory within five MPH what my probable speed is.

Frankly I prefer this simplicity. And I also don't have or care for turn signals or headlamp shell idiot lights.

One up three down on the right!

Ok, I know, I am a dinosaur.
 
You still have to take into account the thickness of the gear box, the top hat is a locator, as the piece sticking through should locate in the rear wheel spacer.
Click to expand...

I don't believe so. The tophat spacer fits into the gearbox from the outside and abuts the axle spacer (p/n 060324) and the rear wheel spacer (p/n NM18234). It's purpose is to keep the gearbox from being crushed into the wheel cover. A function it does only modestly well as can be seen by the wear marks on many wheel covers.

There should be no tension on gearbox from tightening the axle.
 
Ron L said:
You still have to take into account the thickness of the gear box, the top hat is a locator, as the piece sticking through should locate in the rear wheel spacer.
Click to expand...

I don't believe so. The tophat spacer fits into the gearbox from the outside and abuts the axle spacer (p/n 060324) and the rear wheel spacer (p/n NM18234). It's purpose is to keep the gearbox from being crushed into the wheel cover. A function it does only modestly well as can be seen by the wear marks on many wheel covers.

There should be no tension on gearbox from tightening the axle.
Click to expand...

If you have a good look at the rear wheel spacer attached to the wheel it is larger than the axle on the outer end, the stupid little top hat spacer pokes through the speedo drive and sits inside the spacer, the speedo drive housing is then sandwiched between the two wheel spacers and fixed up tight, if it wasn't it would always be trying to wrap the speedo cable around itself, only the outside edge of the spacer is under any load, unless you bolt it up crooked and squash it.
 
Splatt is right, it IS a stupid little top hat crushable stupid thing.

My Lowes washer idea did not work, wrong size.

On my last Commando many years ago, I just backed off the axle torque enough so the wheel spun freely and left it not fully tightened for some 15,000 miles to no ill effect. Just lucky, and young enough to not know better.

Back to trying to source a better fitting washer.
 
highdesert said:
it IS a stupid little top hat crushable stupid thing.
Click to expand...

I can't help but laugh at the way you responded :lol: . What is your goal here? Do you want to really eliminate the speedo drive? If so just have one big spacer made at a machine shop that fits the space from the wheel to the swing arm or if you want to use a bad drive and just not hook up a cable I'll send you a bad drive and I may even have a speedo cable housing w/o the inner wire, but if you want it to work stock just order the top hat washer it is like 5 bucks or something at old britts, but necessary so as not to ruin the drive.
 
why not get an old broken speedo drive, I think most of us have 2or3, hack the center out of it tidy up and bolt up, although you shoud be able to get the same results with 5/8 + 1/8'' thick washer opened up to fit over the axle.
 
Problem solved, can now tighten rear axle fully and spin wheel with no binding.

5/8 inch hole by 1/8 inch thick washer perfectly did the trick located between big ass stock spacer and inside of swing arm leg.

Unwanted speedo drive unit still safely hanging on garage peg.

Thank you everyone for the helpful ideas!
 
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