Zap no, roller no

Went out again on the Norton last Thursday night, but way too many bugs just after sunset. Visor gets caked with the fuggers in no time at all severely limiting vision.

Was also experiencing a lot of symptoms associated with low battery voltage. Quite yellow lighting and slow indicators. Also cutting out occasionally. Then I started to notice flashes from down on the left side of the bike. Had thought it was just bugs being caught in the side-spill of the headlight, but soon determined this wasn't the case - something was arcing down there!

Barely made it back to base, engine coughing and spluttering. Had a look at the alternator feed and that seemed ok. Pulled the transfer case off and all looked ok there. Finally traced the alternator wiring back to under the oil tank to find that one wire had been sawn through by rubbing on the chain! Will be pretty easy to sort.

Bad news found in the bottom of the transfer case though - two halves of a broken link roller case from the primary chain. Chain had been damaged way back when the DPO seized the bike and punched one of the rods through the crankcase. No rollers broken though so was deemed still serviceable. Guess it's finally come home to roost though. A trip out to Bendigo Saturday morning was had on the TRX where I grabbed a new chain from Road and Race.

Question is, think I've always removed the front (crank-end) sprocket to get the chain off, but it occurred to me to ask those in the know if there's enough adjustment in the gearbox positioner to free the chain without taking the sprocket off. Not so easy to borrow a puller any more from out in the sticks where I now live. What say you experts?

I don't think any modern bikers get the scope of sensations and investigation Commandos provide. All of us have had your same thoughts but the triplex chain even shedding links rollers don't have enough slack to work off teeth so nothing for it but pull both ends off at once. You did get the full service life out of the chain so what's ya moaning about. Don't knock something else skrewy while fixing the current one. Btw my eyes reflexly widened on the night part then squinted on the dim part.

Not moanin' here Steve, just haven't got ready access to a mate who had the right tool now I've moved out of the big smoke. Might see if I can fabricate something. Can anyone tell me what thread is cut into the two holes in the crank-end sprocket?

The thread size is 5/16 X 24.

Looks like 5/16 UNF. I remember someone has fashioned a puller out of one of the foot pegs?

Dave

The standard cheap Y shaped steering wheel puller kits come with bolts that worked for me but I've been through two of those broken and one robust factory puller too that cracked while I was just thinking its about time to try a rap on it. To get mine on/off I had to keep both pulleys pretty darn square to each other with chain on or no go. HI heat is the main element that eases the task for me. Sometimes just puller and heat it suddenly pops free w/o a rap on the puller but most time a good Rap needed after hi tension on puller and heat to smoking. The hooks on end of the bolts below have never been needed by me.

The hooks an short bolts take the cam sprocket off. Long bolts fit drive sprocket if it won't move heat the sprocket with the puller tightened on it an off it pops. I took the clutch off once an managed to get chain off with it at the same time but it was very close. As your old chain is no good you could cut it off first to give better access to sprocket

Chain replaced and sprocket alignment verified in the process. Quite amazed how much the old chain had stretched! Just back from a fang in them thar hills and quite pleased. Even managed to scrape the sidestand on one corner - that's a first for me. Still got an occasional annoying "choof" as I part open the throttle coming out of corners. Will check carb synch and all electricals and then retest. Slowly getting to be a pretty sorted machine. Time to do some long distance runs on it I think, the confidence is on the up.