Welch plugs lube

[kommando]

If you have a universal spindle, which has both the slots for the MK3 cotter pins and the hole for the top locating hole, then you if you are careful you can drill your MK3 cradle tube for the locating bolt to use as an oil feed and use the cotter pins for proper location. My 72 came with a MK3 type cradle with gearbox position adjustment slots for primary chain tension, cotter pins and no locating holes and I drilled the hole. The non universal spindle is too hard to drill and tap so use another method to get the oil in.

 

[Torontonian]

If you have a universal spindle, which has both the slots for the MK3 cotter pins and the hole for the top locating hole, then you if you are careful you can drill your MK3 cradle tube for the locating bolt to use as an oil feed and use the cotter pins for proper location. My 72 came with a MK3 type cradle with gearbox position adjustment slots for primary chain tension, cotter pins and no locating holes and I drilled the hole. The non universal spindle is too hard to drill and tap so use another method to get the oil in.

It's a non universal MK111 pivot spindle arrangement , with the 2 cotter pins . No top locator bolt and hole in spindle to allow the 140 swingarm oil to enter. ( 06-4699 ) . Looks like I'll have to drill/tap into the R/H Welch plug end to get any fresh oil into there.

 

[Tornado]

It's a non universal MK111 pivot spindle arrangement , with the 2 cotter pins . No top locator bolt and hole in spindle to allow the 140 swingarm oil to enter. ( 06-4699 ) . Looks like I'll have to drill/tap into the R/H Welch plug end to get any fresh oil into there.

Or just put a fill port in the end cap instead? The spindle should be hollow with two small oil ports in the areas covered by the porous bushings. I have seen some folks using the stock mkII Zerk fitting, presumably drilled through, with a hose connected, filled with oil and capped off. Easy to see/reach when more is needed.

 

[Torontonian]

Or just put a fill port in the end cap instead? The spindle should be hollow with two small oil ports in the areas covered by the porous bushings. I have seen some folks using the stock mkII Zerk fitting, presumably drilled through, with a hose connected, filled with oil and capped off. Easy to see/reach when more is needed.

Noted. Why not simply drill a hole into the R/H welch plug upper center , fill with 140 with the bike slightly leaned to the left side , then push in a rubber plug to seal up the drill hole ? Any drilling schwarf would be inconsequential seeing as the old welch plug is so thin. Another idea , I have a new Welch plug. Pull out the old one somehow and fill up and tap in the new end plug with some silicone to the edges.

 

[L.A.B.]

Why not simply drill a hole into the R/H welch plug upper center , fill with 140 with the bike slightly leaned to the left side , then push in a rubber plug to seal up the drill hole ?

It would take some time to fill as there are (should be?) two felts directly behind the Welch plug and the air needs to escape to allow the oil in. High pressure from an oil gun could potentially blow a Welch plug out. A minor inconvenience if it happened to be the RH plug but more of a problem if the L/H.

Any drilling schwarf would be inconsequential seeing as the old welch plug is so thin.

Any swarf should be contained by the felt disc as long as you don't go too far with the drill bit as the bush and spindle are almost directly behind the Welch plug.

Another idea , I have a new Welch plug. Pull out the old one somehow and fill up and tap in the new end plug with some silicone to the edges.

Yes, you could extract the Welch plug and two felts and with the bike on the side stand, fill the spindle, allowing time for the oil to saturate the two left-hand felts, saturate and refit the two R/H felts and Welch plug and forget about it for as long as it has been since the assembly was opened the last time or if you must, engineer some way to relubricate the assembly although that's not entirely necessary in my opinion.

 

[L.A.B.]

Or just put a fill port in the end cap instead? The spindle should be hollow with two small oil ports in the areas covered by the porous bushings.

Whether 'sealed' late Mk2/2A, Mk3 or pre-Mk3, if oil is pumped in through the R/H end cap oil nipple or modified Welch plug then the oil is being supplied directly to the end of the R/H bush as the oil isn't pumped directly into the spindle cavity from the oil nipple as often thought.

If the spindle fills with oil then it will reach the outer end of the L/H bush where it will also be absorbed so the system doesn't rely entirely on the two small spindle holes to feed oil to the bushes.