Getting a saddle of approximately the correct size is no problem. If you want a saddle that is close to the original, that's something else. There are countless variations. For instance, on most reproductions the L-profile faces upwards, so you have a small lip at the rear, while Ariel often used th...

Hi John, As to (2), to my knowledge your LF has already the standard set up. The oil pressure is created by a valve in the timing chest. This can be adjusted, but its only purpose is to create pressure to give a reading on the gauge. You only have to do something if there is no reading or the readin...

Thanks to all. I thought about making a washer from thick gasket paper, but thought that paper gaskets are not a good idea for surface moving relative to each other. I'll cut a washer from a Viton. I am not keen on the ritual of boiling or soaking cork and got already rid of the cork in the fuel taps.

Thanks, Roger. Yes,it's for the large 1930-55 type. It looks like an increase of 0.1" might be needed; but I haven't tried whether that's too large. Trimming down a washer isn't a problem, of course.

What kind of material can I use to make a new washer for the petrol tank cap that doesn't shrink? So far I have used a washer cut from cork. This works well except that the cork dries out over the winter when I store the bike with an empty tank. Every spring I find myself cutting a new washer. I ord...

I had the same symptoms. In my case the pin in the control quadrant 3526-33 had come loose and was moving back and forth. Sometimes it did stop the gear lever, sometimes it didn't. To check you need to take off the outer cover of the gearbox. If it's another problem, I would still expect the problem...

I have sent another PM.

Hi Pete, I have the NOS piston rings from the club with the oblique gap in my NH. I don't know how to measure the gap accurately, but I remember that it looked to be rather big, about 0.025" with the gauge 45 degrees to the (used) bore (I think the chamfer is 45 degrees). Since we are intereste...

The main difference to later brakes is that later hubs from 1938 on are 1/8" wider. I have adapted later brake shoes without problems (and then got the linings bonded *and* riveted). The spindle for the brake cam has the separate bearing 4130-38 from 38, but to my knowledge that doesn't make an...

Strange. In my 1937 parts book it's called "Hallite washer under cup". That's under the cup that hides the valve springs on the open cylinder head. No idea of it's purpose on later closed heads.