Replying to my own post it may help others who have oil getting into the clutch to check the fit of the big PD21 seal that runs on the back of the clutch sprocket. Despite fitting a new seal I was still getting oil through after not too many miles. I eventually found that the seal was a poor fit in the primary case and once everything had warmed up the seal was just loose in the case and gradually letting oil through. The cure was to bore the hole a little oversize and press in an alloy sleeve that could then be machined to give the correct fit for the seal.
C: Clutch Norton clutch conversion adjustment to stop slipping under load
- Thread starter gibbin82
- Start date
When I got my D, it was all there but very rough and could only be started on rollers because the clutch was shot. It had over 120k miles. I needed to ride it to find out what needed doing, the answer was everything!
Being a complete Vincent novice, I joined the club for advice and read everything I could about cluches. On stripping clutch, it had the original type friction plate with most of the segments missing and was oily. The shoes were washed in petrol, a new friction plate, bushes and seals fitted. The shoe plungers were a liitle sloppy but I left them alone for the time being. The clutch worked perfectly and was much lighter than my Ducati sportbike. Riding the bike and subsequent stripdown indicated that the engine needed a complete rebuild with the exception of the gearbox/ clutch. So the bits went off to Maughans.
I weighed the pros and cons of fitting a multiplate. In reading everything I could, it seemed to me that issues with the original clutch affected a small proportion of bikes whereas the multiplate conversions seemed to have a higher incidence of issues ie drag,to run dry or wet, regular stripdowns to clean etc.
In the end, I stayed with the original, had the shoes reconditioned and relined for these reasons. 1, it works well. 2, future spares avaiability. 3 the bike is a fast tourer and dosent need a lightning fast change. 4 originality, it's part of the bikes character. 5 I fixed once so I can do it again. Beginners luck maybe but it's worked well fo more than 10 yrs now with little adjustment reqired except for bedding in
There is so much more Info' now, Thanks to Roy Cross/Big Ed/Big Sid etc, If you have the time and money,
Things should be good, But to find a Cheap Standard clutch, to start with, might be hard ?.
Gibbins said he has BM levers, But it's the long abutment on the cable, That limits the movement,
That's why I used a valve lifter type, But if the clutch arm is too tight to the cover ?, When not pulled,
It will Slip !. Cheers Bill.
Things should be good, But to find a Cheap Standard clutch, to start with, might be hard ?.
Gibbins said he has BM levers, But it's the long abutment on the cable, That limits the movement,
That's why I used a valve lifter type, But if the clutch arm is too tight to the cover ?, When not pulled,
It will Slip !. Cheers Bill.
or MOTUL 10-30 Transoilallthough bit a curse, (not that the system here blocks it) Maybe use H.D. primary chaincase oil...
wash it all before it goes in, as it doesnt mix with any vincent Oil and v.v.
