Sorry. Don't know why that came up twice.
Hugo
Hugo
Comet gear lever
- Thread starter Tom Gaynor
- Start date
Ron Kemp (now retired) used to sell a burman gear change lever . It was a heat treated high silicon alloy casting. I bought one of these, and pushing it partially on the splines i then hit it with the palm of my hand and broke it. So I sent it back and got my old one welded up. Originally they were forgings
and very robust. So there may be such items floating about. Ken
and very robust. So there may be such items floating about. Ken
I had three of those! I was throwing some light on the gearbox (my first time) with Mr. Griffin and used this new lever. While putting it in gear by hand it broke. Sent it back and got a new one. Broke also by hand. Got again a new one and broke it by two hands without installing it. The fourth one is the current one (since 1996), no idea where it came from, but I was happy again. Used this one even for sidecar racing one season, so it proofed to be strong.
I have two others, one on the spare engine and one as a spare, but those two do not have the correct shape.
I have two others, one on the spare engine and one as a spare, but those two do not have the correct shape.
These are broken even BEFORE I got to them... I'm pretty sure it wasn't heavy-footedness that broke them, but contact with tarmac. Note me not being outraged at the suggestion that I'm heavy footed, me with ballet-dancer size nine (UK) feet...
When one looks into the box one can see that Rudi Shaffleitner had no part in its design. No wonder the lever breaks: the double gear must have an inertia measured in foot-tons. (The Shaffleitner six-speed has a steel lever that appears not to move. When the needle hits 7200, or whatever, one presses the lever, apparently fixed solidly to the box, and the revs drop by 800. I know it DOES move, it just doesn't move much. On the other hand it's the kind of box wonderfully described as having six gears: a starting gear and five tops.)
Incidentally, the least buggered gear lever has a perfect spline. Unfortunately it is smaller than the Vincent spline...
When one looks into the box one can see that Rudi Shaffleitner had no part in its design. No wonder the lever breaks: the double gear must have an inertia measured in foot-tons. (The Shaffleitner six-speed has a steel lever that appears not to move. When the needle hits 7200, or whatever, one presses the lever, apparently fixed solidly to the box, and the revs drop by 800. I know it DOES move, it just doesn't move much. On the other hand it's the kind of box wonderfully described as having six gears: a starting gear and five tops.)
Incidentally, the least buggered gear lever has a perfect spline. Unfortunately it is smaller than the Vincent spline...
Presumably the Ariel one was not alloy?
All together now-----Oh yes it is-----..
..Sorry about that Len..
By gently heating the alloy you can just about get it to bend to nearly the right profile. If I had known about rubbing soap on it and then heating till the soap blackens the job may have been a bit easier.
I have a couple of 350 size levers and at some time I will see if I can resize the splining..John
So...
Chaps,
So did anyone ever track down a source for a gear pedal. Mine broke off on it's last ride before Winter and I'm rustling around in the garage to find a solution but not having much luck.
If anyone know where I could get one from that would be brilliant, if not then I'll just have to ride around with a set of mole grips clamped on!!!!
Regards,
FC.
Chaps,
So did anyone ever track down a source for a gear pedal. Mine broke off on it's last ride before Winter and I'm rustling around in the garage to find a solution but not having much luck.
If anyone know where I could get one from that would be brilliant, if not then I'll just have to ride around with a set of mole grips clamped on!!!!
Regards,
FC.
Try Draganfly, it will be the wrong shape but it will get you back on the road. It may be possible to get the old one welded up, Tig would do.
If it has broken on the shaft and not at the splined end , or through the spline. The cast ones are very unsatisfactory and break at the least provocation.
Like when you hit them with your hand to move them down the spline. what is required is someone to make a steel splined bit and then it could be welded to some bar bent to the correct shape
If it has broken on the shaft and not at the splined end , or through the spline. The cast ones are very unsatisfactory and break at the least provocation.
Like when you hit them with your hand to move them down the spline. what is required is someone to make a steel splined bit and then it could be welded to some bar bent to the correct shape
I have a steel one,bought yonks ago at a swap meet and bent to the right curlicue with BFI (Brute Force and Ignorance) then chromed.It would be better if the Spares Co.could be persuaded to manufacture them thus because Comets get ridden and are more likely to suffer accidental damage.(That should wind up a few clockwork toys!)