Standard grease fitting for speedo drive

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MarshalNorton

MarshalNorton

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Has anybody found a standard grease fitting that screws into the speedo drive w/o retapping the threads?
I'd like to use a standard USA grease gun on the speedo drive. It is a replacement from Baxters.
They are getting quite expensive so I don't want this one to let loose.
Thanks in advance,
Marshal
 
Its actually an oil nipple not grease which is taboo to put inside the spindle and expect to lube w/o modifications. Ask Baxter's as they would know it that is being done and what to use. Otherwise likely have to tap and/or epoxy your own in, but to what end?
 
Hey Hobot,
Thanks for the reply. i'm good on the spindle. I used SAE 140 lube a slow ardurous process filling from top via indexing bolt.
I was looking for a short cut for the speedo drive. I purchased a Brit grease gun from a forum contributor. It looks like a piece of art work, solid brass, unchanged since the Boar wars. I had to manually and sloppily pack it with grease and give the orifice a grease injection. Not too sure how much went in but got allot of it all over me. I looked like that poster from the 70's with the kid who had the bowl of spaggetti on his head. :shock:
If I could find a metric or standard grease zerk , I could swap em an just use a plain ole grease gun. Like the one Barney carried around on the Andy Griffith show. :lol:
Some one out there must have made this conversion already. Man we got a fuel injected Norton on this site for Pete's sake.
Marshal
 
I have many trashed speedo drives, so I had a spare standard grease fitting. I cut most of the nipple off, and brazed a standard nut on. The nut allowed me to fit a standard grease fitting. It's fugly, so I just fit it when I need to grease the drive, and leave the stock one in the rest of the time.
 
Be very careful if you put a modern nipple on as the pressure from an HP grease gun will distort the drive unit - At least I think that's what happens. I can't think of any other explanation for what I did to mine. :oops: I don't think that the drive units (and certainly not the recent ones) are designed to cope with 600 bar.
 
Hey Marshall, have you taken the fitting to your local hardware store and looked around for a standard one with similar threads? I've thought about doing that but never got around to it.
 
Waldridge Motors has them. Problem I had was I didn't know whether the fitting threads were BSF or BA. I've just been removing the fitting and using the grease nipple. If any one knows what thread the speedo boxes are I'd like to know.

GREASE NIPPLES
BriCsh made threads but designed to work with modern grease
guns
1/4” BSF Straight L145A $2.65
1/4” BSF Angled L145B $2.81
2BA Straight L145C $2.59
 
For the smallest standard nipple go to your parts store and get a big 90 degree nipple. Then use a 1/4 inch wrench and remove the small nipple from the side. It will have 1/4 28 threads on it and is very short. You need to drill and tap the housing to screw it in. Take the driven gear out before you do this or the drill bit will take a chunk out of the gear when it goes through.

What I do on my bike is just unscrew the fitting and use the caulking gun tube of Amber oil that I keep for swingarm bushings. With just the tip cut off it fits right in there and works very well. Use it sparingly or you will have a mess the first time you ride it.... Jim
 
Jim,
You have mentioned Amber oil before. When I did a search for it all I find are massage oils! I assume that it isn't the same stuff. Could you provide more details?
Thanks
Russ
 
rvich said:
Jim,
You have mentioned Amber oil before. When I did a search for it all I find are massage oils! I assume that it isn't the same stuff. Could you provide more details?
Thanks
Russ
Click to expand...

Right here, It is extremely thick oil made for lubing old airplane motor rocker boxes. Great for swingarms and speedo and tach drives and cables. Just make sure you use a bit of silicone around the felt seal holder in the speedo drive gearbox. It has definitely extended the life of speedo drives I have used it on. I get the caulking gun tubes. Jim

http://www.jewellamberoil.com/
 
Thank for all the responses
My next step was to get the fitting out and try and match it up at the local fastnall or suppy house.
Knowing the pitch makes matching it up allot easier.
Jim: where did you ever find radial engine grease I didn't know such an animal existed?
Do you play with vintage air planes as well?
I may try the suggested grease gun adapter first.
I'll let you know how I make out for others who have been considering the same.
Marshal
 
I think the basic problem is that the grease is longer lasting than the speedo drive.
 
No I have never played with old airplanes but I know a guy who does. If you use grease to lube an old radial rocker box- then you need to rebuild the top end every time you fly.

Grease is actually a very poor lubricant . It is good for sealing out moisture and for cushioning hammer type blows if there is enough clearance for a thick coat. It is good for roller element bearings which need very little lubrication- just protection from the elements.

Oil operates on an entirely different principle and is what is required to lubricate sliding parts like gears and bushings. The speedo drive guys knew what they were doing when they specified oil for the gearbox. To bad they didn't come up with a better way of keeping it where it belongs. You might be surprised how long a speedo drive lasts with oil as the lube. Jim
 
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