Norton girder forks

mean gene

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Got my bitza ES 2 on the road and it scared me half to death. Steers like it has a flat tire, all over the road. Have been looking for correct exploded view of a mid 30's girder. Also I suppose the serrated washers are for you to "feel" when your tight but not to tight. I assume the half nuts go opposite the square end and the full nuts lock the square end!?!?! I can fid pics but not with enough detail to be of any help. Here is pics of what I have, any info would be appreciated. The only number I found is 92459.


Norton girder forksNorton girder forks
 
Dosnt sound right . Should be friction damper discs inem .

Liberated . - >

"

Submitted by Richard Cornish on Tue, 30/07/2019

Norton girders 1932 to 1939.

Hi David,
I guess your query follows on from your Inter post, but it is a War & Peace size subject ! The Norton production year ran from October to September, which is a bit confusing when trying to reference parts to a particular year, so I tend to refer to a season rather than a definite year.
The International specification split into 2 specifications from around mid 1933, standard road spec. and to racing spec., so I will start with the standard type first.
The Inter was announced in October 1931 and the forks were the first of Norton's own design using the splayed type blades with the detachable left side brake drum in common with the rest of the range. These had the Andre steering damper and side friction dampers, but no check springs, which were not fitted as standard until the following year. For the 1934 season the blades were made parallel and copied what was being used by the works racers and these used the one-piece right hand side hub. Over this 3 year period the handlebars were clamped to the top yoke by a single 4 bolt integral clamp. For the 1935 season this clamp was replaced by the rubber mounted version with the handlebar clip bolted to the top yoke. The following year saw more mods with the brake anchor made bigger and the cable stop moved higher up the fork leg. The forks remained unchanged until WW2 stopped Inter production, and during this time the check springs stayed the same tapered profile.
As Richard T. says the works racers used the Webb type forks at the beginning of this period, but for 1932 Norton made it's own version with parallel blades, no side dampers, but check springs which were parallel in shape, but small in diameter compared to the later ones.The 2 handlebar clamps on these had 4 bolts each and were the same as used in the 1940s. By the end of 1933, these forks were available to private racers as part of the racing specification. These racing forks were changed at the same time as the standard type with rubber mounting handlebars and brake cable stop bracket. The only other change was the larger parallel check springs first used on the works in 1936 and private racers in 1937.
This is not a definitive account but if you can get some close-up photos I can identify what you have, or have a look at www.vintagenorton.com but only trust period photos. "

My thoughts are IF the fits arnt really good - Pins to bores , any slack'd get alignment issues under load . Id think you wouldnt want paint in side / end of fittings . Metal to metal where theres any action .

Pre War Cars commonly had FRICTION DAMPERS ( Like Pre Unit T 120 Steering Dampner ! ) so knowledge wouldnt be sparse .

On the Steering , You JUST nip it , then put in 1/4 turn max . If you wind it up 2 or three or four turns , on the motorway - It seems the steerings locked .
When you decelerate to the offramp , the W E A V E Starts . At about the third reversal you grab the damper knob with both hands and back it off REAL QUICK before you end up in a wall or spat off . !

So If think your ' dampers ' would be about the same , just Past nipped . ID DO the Front wheel between the Knees - And Twist the BARS Trick . If theres any real radial displacement , PAINIC .
 
The WD Norton site has the factory notes which include the assembly and adjustment of these girder forks. (Written before I saw Matt had replied).
 
Thanks for lots of useful info. The forks were together when I got the bitza, but that doesn't mean anything, nothing else was as correct. I am thinking the plain link should have a hat style bushing tho not shown that way, the bores seem oversized, maybe wrong link or modified and not completed. All I've done is make parts for this bike 50% of parts that were gathered seem incorrect!
 
What a cluster yuck! Rebound spring pins were driven in, paint was not removed. Star washer's lock washer was in backwards. It bugged me soooo I took it apart. SUPRISE no abrasive washer for the damping! And completely painted. Is there something I can replace it with something simple like cork so I don't wait 2 weeks for delivery? I'm sure I'll find something else hiding in the darkness! Remind me why we do this to ourselves?
 
What a cluster yuck! Rebound spring pins were driven in, paint was not removed. Star washer's lock washer was in backwards. It bugged me soooo I took it apart. SUPRISE no abrasive washer for the damping! And completely painted. Is there something I can replace it with something simple like cork so I don't wait 2 weeks for delivery? I'm sure I'll find something else hiding in the darkness! Remind me why we do this to ourselves?
Seems a fine line to me, between keeping us out of the pub and driving us to drink !

Truth is… we do it cos we’re addicts… if we weren’t doing this, we’d be doing something else, maybe drugs !
 
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I've had it with this girder, Made new bushings this morning, got one damping spring assembled , just can't get the other to line up. Try again tomorrow. Going for a couple Bourbons!
 
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