C: Clutch Refreshing Vincent Twin Clutch seals and pieces

Bill Thomas

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I went in the Club Shop, On my Computer, A few hours ago and it said X 1" ??.
Ron and me did a Twin a few months ago, And had a hell of a job getting the screws to start, New screws and new Primary plate, The new plates are much thicker now, So I had to push against the spring to start the screws, Ron looked in, I think it was the new type parts book, And I think it gave 2 types, I think Ron has ordered the long ones, To help the fitting. Cheers Bill.
 

craig

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
So I unwrapped all 9 of the the new C14 and checked the bore/thread depth with old and new 406 screws.
Interestingly, one new C14 had a very short 406 already installed and screwed down as needed.
Two of the C14 have a blackened section indicating some heat treat , I would guess.
One of the new C14 will not accept a 406 but just a couple threads as shown, forcing the screw further simply ruins the 406 screw threads.

So the short 406 is 0.650" long and the new/old 406 are 0.900" long.....about a ¼ inch shorter.

Am I the only one in the world to have this issue with new C14?

I understand about alerting the supplier, believe me.

25875
 

greg brillus

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Craig there are a few issues with these parts, yes it is possible the 2 ba threads in the C14's are not deep enough and difficult to cut if the pins have been hardened. The replacement 2 ba screws are usually made of stainless now verses the originals in steel, so that can create thread binding issues right there. Try running a good 2 ba tap down the holes to clean up, and use some anti seize on the threads or else they will grab. The threads don't actually need to be as long as they are, but to assemble the outer ring plate and get the lot to start compressing the 6 springs is the reason they are so long. I try not to replace any of these parts unless it is absolutely necessary for these reasons, the C14 pins generally are pretty good except the fragile end where the C 35 wire clip passes through all 9 pins and the two where the C 11/1 plungers bare against, causing "flat spots" on the sides of the pins. This adds to the back lash of the C 13 plate carrier assembly once assembled, the plungers against these two C 14 pins, and this back lash should be delt with and minimized as much as you can. On most clutch rebuilds I also find the Links C 10 and the shoe pivot pins C 9 tend to get quite worn and become very sloppy, so I replace all of these, and they too require some "Fettling" to get a good and "Free" fit without binding or loss of movement, especially the Link C 10, the end where it fits the C 13 can be too tight and binds up, so some metal needs to be removed on the inner end of the squared section. There is a hell of a lot to setting up one of these clutches, and have it all work well. Cheers..........Greg.
 

craig

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
These new C14 will not accept 2BA taps, starter or bottom. The new C14 seem too hard from heat treat.
The old C14 are cracking bits of metal at the delicate wire hole and would flake bits off into the shoes.

Since one of the new C14 came with a short 406 (and the short 406 do screw down all the way), is this a hint that all future C14 will require 0.650" length 406 screws?
Can you assemble the clutch plates with ¼ shorter 406 screws?

Am I the only one to order new C14 and have this issue?
Has someone ordered new C14 and not had this issue?
Craig
 

timetraveller

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Craig, I realise that it is not easy to return stuff to the UK with all the problems with customs etc. but I urge you to return these items. The Spares Company does its best to check quality control but occasionally it gets it wrong. From the experience of several people I know it seems that occasionally no one checks the fit of various items and instead they pay the manufacturers for these and then put them on the shelf until some unfortunate customer trips up over the lack of fit. I'm sure that this is not common practice and I have no idea how items get through what should be a checking exercise. There is no point getting at any one individual as I expect that every one is doing their best. Most of us are share holders in the Spares Company and at some stage whoever signs off substandard parts should be held responsible. The situation is now much better than it was about fifteen to twenty years ago when I offered to check parts at no cost against many of the old, original items I have lying about. The offer was never taken up. The advantage of doing what you are, which is to publicise a problem, is to let others who might be in the same situation know that it is not just them. Nevertheless, the Spares Company needs to be given the chance to put things right and, if necessary, to apologise.
 

craig

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I am not trying to jam these C14 up the ass of any supplier or fabricator.
I want to ride my Rapide and am looking for recent Vincent twin clutch rebuilds requiring C14 and what is to be found, modified, considered, thought about, experienced around this C14 part.

I can easily plan action around this issue. I am a fabricator, restorer, repairman working with Vincent everyday. This is only one part out of a Jillion that I have purchased or will purchase for Vincent repairs.
My new C14 were not supplied thru VOC Spares company.........but fabricated in UK.
So have you recently purchased C14 thru Spares?
and what did you receive?

I love the Spares company, I love the Vincent owners, I love the Vincent fabricators.........but if you are not dealing with a C14 right now or in the recent past, please don't response to my issue at hand.

Someone live near Spares and can check fit of a new VOC Spares 406/C14?

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highbury731

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I was given some 1" long countersunk allen screws to use as clutch spring screws, and was told that I needed to shorten them to 7/8". I tried them in my C14, and find that they screw in all the way, and that there is no need to shorten them at all. In fact, being longer makes it easier to start the assembly of the primary clutch.
 

Bill Thomas

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
I've just checked 3 C20s that were threaded onto a g3 shaft which was set
between centers. Using a dial indicator, one oscillated / wobbled .035, one .020 and the last one .005. With that much run out of the first two, you can imagine how this would cause the C3 to wobble.
Is your G3 bent ?, Mine is on my Special, So my clutch will never be spot on, Too much Sprinting ?. Cheers Bill.
 
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