New carbs needed - Chrome or Chromed brass slides?

After 22000 miles my 2002 Spanish? Amals are noticeably worn as usual and other than poor idling I have to take care on opening the throttle from idle when hot. Choking off the intakes by hand gives a clean pickup and elsewhere in the range they work fine (plug colour is good) I suppose I could try 2.5 slides but that would be cheap! and wouldn't sort the idle. So my question is....with RGM offering a chromed std slide at a reasonable price and Surrey cycles an expensive chromed brass item at near twice the cost does anyone have experience of either? Recommendations? Thanks.

The chromed brass slides cost more and are worth it IMO. The weight of them is useful in how the carb works. Also if the chrome cuts you still have dissimilar metal to the body not so on the cheaper slides. For the money I would just send them to Triton and get the old slides re-covered with brass. They last a long time done this way.

I bought the regular chromed slides (not brass ones) directly from Burlen Fuel Systems. I just looked on thier website; I couldn't find them listed as a part just now, but that's where I got mine. You could call them for more info (01722 412 500). I find them cheaper for Amal parts than other sources and they are the current Amal manufacturer.

The chromed slides I have in my carbs, which were new, are working OK. So far, so good.

I think Hitchcocks also sells chromed brass slides if you want to compare prices.

Norbsa recommended Triton for resleeving. I had some carbs (came with the bike) that were previously re-worked by AMR and they were nothing but trouble, hence the new carbs with chromed slides that I've got now.

I am sure there is a reputable re-sleever in the uK without sending your carbs to the US or Canada to get the work done.

Thanks guys, I'll probaby go with the std chromed slides. I know there is a re-sleever not far from me but can't find the thread with their details. however it's riding weather, well it was last w/end and the last thing I want is to be off the road. Cheers.

hi keith, kirby rowbotham resleeves slides

Thanks Chris. FWIW I searched the Burlen site and found (not easy to find on their site) not only std plain zinc slides but anodised, chromed and the chromed brass though for a No 928/3 it shows a price 50% higher than the smaller cutaways and I thought a 3 was pretty normal. Never knew they did an anodised version, would be harder than the plain zinc.

Hi, Kevin Traill in Gosport bored & sleeved my concentrics with bronze sleeves a few years ago. Quick service, reasonable price and no problems since. Don't know if this is still a good address, but try
KJTRAILL (at) qinetiq dot com. PM me if no luck with that, as I have his home address.

Cheers, Alan

Thanks Alan, I just shelled out on new bodies and chromed brass slides from Surrey Cycles (50 mile round trip). Will keep KT in mind but if the truth is fact this set will be everlasting!! Cheers.

Can't rate Kevin highly enough

Kevin Traill
Alverstoke Restorations
5 Hazelworth Drive
Gosport
Hants
England
PO12 2UH
After 16:30 best time to get him at home 02392 580708


Email: KJTRAILL(at)qinetiq.com

Just an update really. Have 350 miles on new bodies and chromed brass slides. Other than sticky floats where the body needed relieving and 25 thou less 'stickout' (richer) from the needle jets these newly tooled castings are lots nicer than the old. A side benefit which I didn't believe is the mileage gain. With the old carbs, even when new, I never got more than 62mpg (Imp gallons), usually 55 run hard. Now after 2 tankfuls (steel roadster) it's looking like 70+/- with an 11 litre fill and 170 showing on the trip during a hard and fast 200 miler yesterday. I have never hit more than 150 before. I talked to Surrey Cycles who developed the UK chromed brass slide and they say the slide will help mileage. Still amazing.