G: Gearbox (Other - Albion, AMC, Norton etc.) Norton Box: Q- Final Drive Ratio's Comet?

[Jez Nemeth]

Right gentlemen...you'll like this, as it adds to the legend and myth that Vincent's are shrouded in.

Not only the fastest production bike of its era, but some of them can Wheelie in 4th from standstill !!!

Makes complete sense as to why it's been next to impossible to change gear when the rear is on the deck and there's some counter force. Change from 1st (which by deduction is actually 4th now), to Neutral is easy enough between those two. Any drive force and it won't select 2nd/3rd/4th unless on the move, or on rear stand.

So what we have is a backwards upside down gearbox,

At the gear lever from bottom 4th/N/3rd/2nd/1st to top... absolutely lovely. Might be useful for someone? Can't think how, but you never know.

Problem identified -Standard cam plate is wrong way round, and not the right reverse one for the job -Thank you David.

I did have a really good laugh at my own Muppetry...how we learn...ahhh.

Your time on this has been appreciated, bit of box diving methinks...thx

 

[Chris Launders]

Does anyone know what the round hole in the cam is for, this was a question on another forum as nobody knew and not all have them.

 

[Jez Nemeth]

Hi Chris, Just guessing, and my guesses have been way out lately -orientation hole during manufacture?

 

[vibrac]

Its not that hard to work out the speeds in the gears I did it last winter for a bike just count the number of engine revolutions for a turn of turn of the rear wheel I found 10 rear wheel revs got in almost to the second decimal point. measure the circumference of the wheel with a flat surface a chalk mark and tape dont trust the estimates on the web.
Use of an Excell spread sheet that makes it easy and to ring the theoretical changes. When I think of the time it took years ago with a pencil and paper! I was always happy with maths but never good at arithmetic Excel is to sums what spell checker is to English. (UK)

 

[Chris Launders]

Jez
That was most people's guess. there's certainly nothing in any of the boxes that need it.

 

[Jez Nemeth]

Jez
That was most people's guess. there's certainly nothing in any of the boxes that need it.

Seen a few drilled on Vincents, lightened, but this doesn't seem to be a commitment to doing that with it.

 

[Jez Nemeth]

Update info...definitely not a reverse gear cam plate.

It is worth knowing it is entirely possible to strip a complete Norton gearbox in situ -taking a few hours, rather than a full day's work, without disturbing Primary and Final drive.

Clutch will need adjusting again of course, and cam plate is challenging to get in/out without disturbing drive gear and main shaft, but you can press it in/out with washers and bolts easily enough.

 

[Chris Launders]

The big problem to me would be to get it back on true.

 

[Jez Nemeth]

Takes some fiddling to get that cam plate back on straight, have to take time and 'guide' it gently with screw drivers or whatever to hand, constantly stopping and checking the rotation and distance off the quadrant for accuracy -just to be sure it's being pulled back on perpendicular. Can only get a thin bolt in there to compress the cam plate back onto its shaft, so wobble is an issue initially, mine started a bit like that -addressed, and it went on square after that -trick is to take time.

Find Norton/AMC gears a pleasure -they each have their place and only go on one way to make the clusters...

Alignment was a consideration certainly with the other parts being sideways, luckily the Lay shaft end bushing into the bearing is a snug fit, and it all aligns with the inner cover nicely, slight nudge to align cover of course to sit mainshaft into bearing, but all looks good and straight.

Test will be running through gears. It selects through range and is the standard way round now thankfully.

 

[Chris Launders]

Now that has got me wondering if you could cut away part of the camplate where the indent plunger doesn't run like a BSA one so you could get the camplate out with the sleeve gear in.

Like this.

Investigation required.