Speedo cable wrapped around axle

marshg246 said:

Smiths Speedometer Cable, Smiths Tachometer Cable, British Custom Speedo Cable

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Are you carrying the LF Harris stuff?

Swoosh, good quality pictures. My sense is that the right side axle was over tightened, possibly became over tightened by torquing the left side, which compressed the ring gear onto the drive housing, the one act play had a predictable ending. I recommend replacing bearing locking ring (with the two slots) and do radius the slots and remove any sharp edges.

I'm impressed with the approach Ashley takes with his maintenance routines,; he clearly understands the machine. I would add that when removing the rear wheel, for any reason, that during the reassemble process, you first begin applying torque to the axle while spinning the rear wheel if the wheel begins to bind or the speedo drive starts to turn, stop and figure it out before ruining the drive. The issue is is one or both of, speedo engagement dogs not freely fitting into the slots or the high hat is too short. In the event if the latter there are plenty of shim stock sources that can be used to to extend the distance of the high hat.

For me it doesn't matter who makes the drive as long as it rotates smoothly out of the box. If the wheel turns freely when fully torqued then bring it back to slightly less than snug (both sides) and check/adjust alignment, retorque while checking that the wheel turn freely, and that the speedo drive doesn't.

Best.

swooshdave said:

Are you carrying the LF Harris stuff?

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No. The companies in the UK that don't have actual dealer accounts make no business sense. I make an exception for AN but the rest don't make sense to me. For instance, I bought a lot of RGM kickstarts at a tiny discount. Once I paid for shipping and then you pay for me shipping to you, you could get it for about the same from them if I have NO markup - I'll probably never get rid of them other than on my builds. Some Harris products are available at https://www.thebonnevilleshop.com/ but they charge proper markups.

RoadScholar said:

My sense is that the right side axle was over tightened,

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In my opinion, the outcome of placing the relatively soft (zinc?) alloy drive gearbox between 'hard' steel spacers and then tightening the axle would seem to be a foregone conclusion that the drive housing will be crushed by the inner spacer causing the housing to be forced inward and not just as a result of overtightening.
The top hat spacer also does nothing to reduce the crushing.

The 850 Mk3 (with the drive gearbox on the LH/drive side) has a thick 1 1/2" O/D washer instead of the top hat (as do Triumphs etc.) which doesn't prevent the crushing (my Mk3's drive gearbox needing an internal shim to prevent it rubbing) but could help to reduce the distortion.

ashman said:

You can say what ever you want, I brought my Norton new, I do regular maintenance on everything, I have no reason to bull shit, I have always said in all the years I have been on this great forum that I may have got a freak bike from new, I don't pussy foot my Norton nor any of my motorcycles, I ride them hard and my Norton was my everyday ride for 40 years except for 2 full rebuild and one was to replace the original crank cases, I still run the original valves and cam but it has been built up to Combat specs, the Norton is semi retired now 7 years but I still ride it, it has well over 160k miles as I averaged 10k miles every year, yes it has had its time off the road for convertion to the Featherbed frame back in 1980 and rebuild, licence suspensions and 3x for knee injury (4 months each time) and a broken arm when it threw me over the handle bars, but my friends who know me will back me even the mate who got me into Norton's and sold me the Featherbed frame back in 1979 (also says I have a freak Norton), all engine and GB bolts and nuts are all original except for the allen head screws around the timing and GB case, so say what you want to think, I have a freak of a Norton that is well maintained but is showing its age in looks, but I like it like that as its been well ridden most of its 46 years of ownership. I can take pics of my speedo drive and old crimped cable but really I no need to prove anything as I am a honest person and no need to be full of shit and the most important thing I do is pat my Norton on the tank after every ride and thank it for a great day out and getting safely home, I do that with all my bikes, maybe that's the secret to a happy motorcycle (freak) and maybe you should do the same, but with that attitude maybe not.

AshleyView attachment 81314

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Ashley,

I also have a high mileage bike. I do my own maintenance as well.

Purchase with 20000 miles on it. Then did the Rebuilt on engine and transmission. Belt drive, Etc. It has over 80k on it now.

My wearing parts get replaced when it needs it. It’s on the second clutch pack and belt drive. Chain and sprocket replaced. Re-bushed Ikons and speedo cables and speedo gearbox replaced. Disk and drum replaced with new Ferodo pads and shoes. I simply find it incredible that you are still using original parts with twice the mileage.

Apologies to those who I offended. I will be more diplomatic in the future.

Tom

Tom I have had my share of parts failing and replace things that need replacing, my bike is not amune to worn parts, chains, sprocket etc. I keep my maintenance up when needed to make things last longer than not doing any maintenance, I am still running the original clutch plates but the inner hub has been replaced as well the pressure plate and clutch bearing, I am still running the standard slipper bearing size on my rods but they get replaced when inside my motor, its been rebored to 40 oversized, valve spring been replace etc, but my Norton is not original with the Featherbed frame, but run Commando rear wheel and front end with upgrades Grimcia full front brake system, I also was running PWK carbs but and now replacing them with my old Amals that are still in good condition the original Amals were replace way back in the 80s when they wore out, well I should say flogged out, the replacement Amals have not suffered the worn slides and are back on the bike just need to fire it up and tune them, as well the dreaded lay shaft bearing blew and was replace way back in 79 and the original kick start shaft broke and kick start lever replaced as well the KS gear and 4 KS pawls been replaced over time, but its all part of maintenance and long life of my Norton, do the maintenance, replace or fix things that need it, but one thing it has always been a reliable bike to me and the only time I didn't get home was blown black boyar box and 2 broken chains, one from doing burn out when young and silly and the other time when it decided to throw the retaining clip, so after 46 years of ownership I have had my share of work as well lots of improvement from stock Commando, but it will be with me till the day I die, I have had a lot of good offers for it but no thanks its my hotrod Norton and I know every nut and bolt on it, have hand made a lot of things for it and done a lot of improvements to make it my bike, with the Joe Hunt maggie it always fires up first kick every time without failure, but I also have a lot of original parts that have lasted the time.

My 2016 Triumph Thruxton 1200S is now my full time ride and my Norton is semi retired just like me but I still get a big smile on my dial every time I take it out, I have a few bikes in my collection but the Norton will always be number one.

Ashley

Ashley,
So you do replace your parts.
quote "and the only time I didn't get home was blown black boyar box."

Same here, happened to me. That and a Maney belt that lost all the teeth. only twice, Knock on wood.
Apologies again for my rant. I was grumpy at the time and an a$$hole. No excuse
Cheers,
Tom

swooshdave,
the crimp that failed on me was the repro copy. it just pulled apart at the speedo gearbox and it was quite new. Pissed me right off!
FYI
Back on topic
cheers,
Tom

CanukNortonNut said:

Ashley,
So you do replace your parts.
quote "and the only time I didn't get home was blown black boyar box."

Same here, happened to me. That and a Maney belt that lost all the teeth. only twice, Knock on wood.
Apologies again for my rant. I was grumpy at the time and an a$$hole. No excuse
Cheers,
Tom

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Tom no need for apologies as I have thick skin, we all have our rants its part of life, of course parts get replaced from wear and tear, its how you look after your bike to get long life out of those parts, my Boyar black box only shit itself a week after the major fire back in the early 80s running no air filters just V stacks, back fire and small leak in one of my fuel taps, you get the picture, I got over 32 years out of the replacement Boyar EI and was still going when I replaced it with the Joe Hunt maggie, I have spent a lot of money for improvements and my own time making my Norton my bike, its the best way to learn about your own bike, if I break it I fix it, when I converted my Commando to Featherbed I was young and was my first bike build ever, I must have done something right as its still going strong.
I might not be a expert but I do know my own bike and have done things where some ask WTF are you doing, well way back in the 80s when my Norton was still near new and changing it completely and if I had my time over again would I have changed from Commando to Featherbed, hell yeah.

Ashley

I got the speedo drive and treated myself to another tee shirt and they threw in a nice sticker. I think this is the first time I've bought anything from them.

swooshdave said:

I got the speedo drive and treated myself to another tee shirt and they threw in a nice sticker. I think this is the first time I've bought anything from them.

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Dave,
I have bought several items from them with no problem.Plus they will talk with you on any questions you might have
Mike

I bought a set of their mushroom headed tappet adjusters way back when... Well before AN started listing them...

swooshdave said:

I got the speedo drive and treated myself to another tee shirt and they threw in a nice sticker. I think this is the first time I've bought anything from them.

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Swoosh,
Did you get your speedo cable from the source you linked to above? From Post #60/61?

CanukNortonNut said:

Swoosh,
Did you get your speedo cable from the source you linked to above? From Post #60/61?

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Cable came from @marshg246

I wanted the LF Harris speedo drive and he doesn't carry them.

which way was it crimped?

CanukNortonNut said:

which way was it crimped?

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What do you mean? The cable? However Andover does theirs.

OK going back to #60 aka vintage British cables website. two types of crimps.
one original smith press and dies the other re-pro.
what did you get.

CanukNortonNut said:

OK going back to #60 aka vintage British cables website. two types of crimps.
one original smith press and dies the other re-pro.
what did you get.

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I will say it again, I got an Andover cable. I don't know what you mean about the crimps. Can you be more specific?

scroll down to half page where the two types of crimping is explained.
Cheers,
Tom

Swoosh....now which do you have?
Still waiting. I will say it again just like you two posts up.