Commando '75 fasteners and Whitworth wrenches

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powerdoc

powerdoc

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I'm just starting to disassemble the '75 commando and my Whitworth wrenches just don't seem to fit correctly, too slack or loose; do I have bad tools or is the bike a jumble of different standard connectors? I'm having trouble just removing the hinge to remove the saddle; I'm in for trouble me thinks. Did someone have a few-too-many pints while designing this thing? Brits must have really small hands.
 
I needed 3 set of wrench on my Combats, Whitworth SAE and metric. 14mm and 9/16" and 5/8" fit more nuts than the factory tool kit that's for sure. I give up at times and grab an adjustable, like for spokes. Also Norton tool kit don't have big enough spanners for the tranny sprocket so I use a long 1.5" spanner there. Some nuts are booggered then I've had to use a Metwrench socket that grips the flats and each socket covers both SAE/Metric nut range. Vise grips may be needed too. One nut case Michale Taglieri in NYC, filed all his nuts to fit his wrenches on hand at the time.
 
Oh yeah one of the most handy spanners not in factory kit is the bent 1/4" W on one end smaller on the other to reach under behind clyinder head nut and others. No part number I know of but all vendors carry this gem.
 
The engine and transmission fasteners are British sizes, but the remainder of the fasteners on a Commando are SAE sized.
 
Ron L said:
The engine and transmission fasteners are British sizes, but the remainder of the fasteners on a Commando are SAE sized.
Click to expand...

Part of why the British Bike industry died.
 
Plumbers supplies for B.S.P. stuff , probly differant again .

Coustomiseing open enders with a disc grinder , finishing to size with a stone gets a tight fitting set.

Paitiance , a vice , a long thin stone and a good eye would let you open out metrics or whatever in ring spanners .
A virneer would be fairly usefull, though possible to swing Ea flat to same lean , and count even stokes at even pressure
and get to a thou tolerance , without measureing measureing .

Best bet is a garage sale of a retired pommy engineer or mechanic who looked after his tools . :P :wink:
Some second hand tool shops have bins of the stuff for a few dollars a piece .
 
I'm having a similar problem with mine, on some fasteners both inches and Whitworth don't seem to fit right.
Here's a question, are SAE and AF the same thing?

And while we're on the subject, what're the correct sizes for the sump oil tank filters?
 
If it's the small hinge nuts they might be BA or even metric. If you're trying to get the seat off the bike; remove the two nuts holding the hinge to the frame, I think they're 7/16" AF and are easier to get at.

Cash
 
I think youll fit you need ' cycle ' spanners :P Just Kidding. Pre Unit Triumphs require them .V fine ' cycle ' thread form .

I think youll find from 72 there pretty much all A.F. ( American Fred) as the N.O.C. book says . Bar the Head .
Theres two Studs for the 750 Barrel Flange , ones stepped . So beware of indiscrinately changeing fasteners
between machines .

I recall changeing them , the Crank case barrel mouth to cylinder flange studs .
Think the later ones have down sized nuts for better spanner fit.

earlier were ' an assortment ' . :P :lol:

7/16 & 1/4 Whit. are pretty much the same spanner.
And theres spanners and spanners.
They arnt all created equal.

Being realy snotty , you keep the best set for reassembly only.

No belting them etc undoing bits. A shap jar with a nylon mallet
which on automobiles at least creats wear & stretch over time .
 
L.A.B. said:
Cowboy Don said:
Here's a question, are SAE and AF the same thing?
Click to expand...

"AF" (or A/F) simply means Across Flats and refers to the hexagon/spanner jaw size, AF isn't a thread type.

http://www.motorera.com/dictionary/AF.HTM
Click to expand...

What I meant was, when referring to spanners being "AF" or "SAE", are they the same? Quite often you'll hear people say you need a set of "AF spanners" or "SAE spanners".
 
Matt Spencer said:
7/16 & 1/4 Whit. are pretty much the same spanner.
And theres spanners and spanners.
They arnt all created equal.
Click to expand...

7/16" and 3/16W are very close. The 1/4W head bolts can be done with 14mm but it's a bit loose.

On my '74 there's alot of 1/2" SAE (13mm works too), some 9/16 and 5/8. Haven't found a metric size yet.
 
I've collected a few tools with a few losses so this year working on factory C'do and a custom I bought a carpenter type self supporting too bag and put every tool I used in it so now don't have to hunt far for the best fitting tool. I'll hunt pawn shops to fill in gap in normal lawnmower to car and tractor tools. BTW a good torch is also as needed to help a good spanner to its job. The can be times nothing but a hammer and drift can get em turning.
 
17/32 6 point sockets are available here in US, Proto makes one, they should be a real close fit to the 1/4WW. I have a 17/32 tappet wrench, but it's so long it's not much use. Otherwise, order a 1/4WW if you get stuff from Hemmings, RGM or Norvil, or even AN. I get by with 2 double open ends, 1/8-3/16WW and 1/4-5/16WW. They are about 5 and 6" long and it takes care of nearly everything WW for me. Get a good open end/box end 1/4WW and a 3/8 drive socket though. Metric and SAE will take care of everything else.

Dave
69S
 
Flo said:
May I politely ask, what is metric on a Commando?
Click to expand...



The only metric threads on (up to 74) commando are the BA british association ...yet they use BA wrenches, not conventional metric sizes.
For 1975 the only unique modern metric thread and wrench is the throttle cable elbow and locknut.

Othewise there are NO metric wrenches or threads on 68-74 commando that were not DPO mods.

I forgot that a few mirror stems (71-74) were metric, but it was not consistant....

OK Steve...for a period of time the "factory" NA temporarily supplied a metric head for the head bolts, but still had cycle threads and they stamped the metric size on them...but definitely not original.
 
Ha spark plugs for one item and some of the head fasteners - metric fits as good or better than Whitworth. When ya get to big stuff like forks tops it don't matter much. I have ground down the rim thickness on 14 mm for head and 1 5/16" socket for fork top bolts, which technically ain't nuts as neither are the exhaust ring fasteners. Fork range and fluid levels use metric measures too.
 
dynodave said:
Flo said:
May I politely ask, what is metric on a Commando?
Click to expand...



The only metric threads on (up to 74) commando are the BA british association ...yet they use BA wrenches, not conventional metric sizes.
For 1975 the only unique modern metric thread and wrench is the throttle cable elbow and locknut.

Othewise there are NO metric wrenches or threads on 68-74 commando that were not DPO mods.

I forgot that a few mirror stems (71-74) were metric, but it was not consistant....
Click to expand...

...and the thread on the deux-cheveaux oil filter ? :D
 
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