it´s the small things

What can I use as a replacement for the two little pins holding the additional plate in the
clutch basket?
Nos 2 and 4 on the pic. For plate No 3
They are missing.
https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-drawing/265/clutch

Drill three small holes in the plate equal distance from one another, then open them up with 1/2" drill bit to create a kind of well, leaving a 1/4 to 5/16 hole on the underside. Clean up any burrs on the underside, center the plate in the drum using the pin holes, then weld the plate to the drum using the three holes.
I have this several times, no problems.
Mike

Sorry, I have 'done' this several times. And it is a good idea to clamp the pieces tightly before welding.
MIKE

Reason for the question is bad clutch behaviour of a friend´s 69 Fastback
Can´t get the gears in.
When adjusting the clutch the adjustment screw has to be screwed almot entirely in.
I opened the primary drive and clutch basket.
The stack looks like this: It´s the thicker early pressure plate.

These are the clutch plates:
Correct for an early clutch

The additional back plate is missing.
and you can see the sheared off pins.


My friend sends me more friction plates togehter with the blank plate.
I don´t want to tear apart again the whole primary drive for welding the plate.
I guess carefully drilling out the pins and fitting new ones is easier?

Try silver soldering the pins into the plate, and it looks like you need to stack the plates with one extra steel plate fitted all the way towards the back.
Mike

I'm surprised at those small pins too, I wouldn't think they would take any shear, but I've never had a problem with them unless I didn't get them lined up with the matching plate while installing. But I don't have an answer for you other than replacing them.

What you see on the last pic is the clutch basket WITH the additional plate!
I started to drill out the pins and the plate came loose.
I could not drill out the rest of the pins from the clutch basket, so we ended up
welding the plate back to the basket.
I should have left it as it was and should have looked twice!

After all was together the problem was still there. I can screw in the adjuster screw
almost all in until it touches the clutch rod. Almost no room for the securing nut.
And no, the operating lever did not fall down. There is still a lot of play at the hand lever.
The clutch cable is new from Andover Norton.

I have a very easy clutch pull but cannot shift into first gear and it is very hard to find neutral.
When trying to shift into first the gearlever stays up. We installed new springs for the lever.
Shifting into second is possible.
I guess the operating lever is worn ?
Or is there possibly an issue inside the gearbox?

On my own Commando the adjuster screw is half in when correctly adjusted and the clutch pull is harder.
I have easy gear shift and no problem to find neutral.

Is it possible that the wrong lever is installed in the gearbox? The Atlas has a shorter lift but looks similar.

My early S type is real critical with the clutch adjustment. I end up with only 1/8 to 3/16 turn off the clutch rod to make it work right. I've got the original plates and all in the clutch pack and the original cable. I did try adding plates to make the pull lighter, but all it did was make the clutch slip, I couldn't find one thin enough to keep it from slipping. I played with it quite a while and did check and all the plates and stack height are to spec. I never could get it any lighter, it's about a 3-4 finger pull, but when I feel the diaphragm break over, I can hold the clutch in forever because the pressure is gone, kind of like a compound bow.

Sounds to me like you've messed up the plates in your clutch, but maybe I shouldn't say that, I really don't know. I'd try to go back to original configuration as best as possible. Welding on it was probably not a good idea.

Good luck.

Welding the back plate into the basket was the only option other to buy a new clutch basket.
http://atlanticgreen.com/images/clutcharms-2.jpg
If the PO has fitted no. 2 or No.3 it would be a conclusion to the problems with the adjusting screw.
Will have a look soon. Workshop closed for Sunday

You might try the THINNER pressure plate with another friction plate, maybe an original bronze one, to arrive at the thicker stack height...

Small pieces of a slightly oversize broken allen wrench (which is hardened steel), can be driven into the holes in the plate with a ball peen hammer. Make sure to grind any proud parts flush on the back. This fix worked for me about 25 years and many thousands of miles ago.

grandpaul said:

You might try the THINNER pressure plate with another friction plate, maybe an original bronze one, to arrive at the thicker stack height...

Click to expand...

We go back to the original friction plates from Andover. Also a new clutch actuating lever is ordered. The PO had installed solid Surflex Plates.

mike provence said:

Small pieces of a slightly oversize broken allen wrench (which is hardened steel), can be driven into the holes in the plate with a ball peen hammer. Make sure to grind any proud parts flush on the back. This fix worked for me about 25 years and many thousands of miles ago.

Click to expand...

The plate is now welded into the basket. We could not drill out the pieces of the pins stuck in the rear plate of the basket.

Check the nut on the other side of the mainshaft (and get the right tool for it). When it loosens the whole clutch and mainshaft can move outwards until you run out of clutch adjustment. This happened to my bike when it was brand new.

Here you see the reason why I could not adjust the clutch properly:



Any questions?
Don´t know if the PO did this or if the adjuster screw is from another model. But why?
Anyway, with the longer screw the thing works!
Well, works better. The gearlever is often stuck when I shift into first and it is still hard to find neutral.
All other gears work fine.

rivera said:

Don´t know if the PO did this or if the adjuster screw is from another model.

Click to expand...

The short one could be an Atlas/Dominator adjuster as both types are 1/2" x 20 (20 tpi Cycle and 1/2" UNF)! :wink: