Reducing the boss and thinning the teeth (they were a little too wide as supplied) was simple enough, however cutting the taper to suit the dynamo shaft took a little more trouble. Cutting an internal taper in it’s self is easy enough by settling over the lathe’s top slide, but getting it wrong is j...

The 14 tooth sprocket has arrived, before it can be fitted it will need a fair bit of machining. That is the teeth "thinned" to suit the drive chain. the boss reduced in size and length and finally taper board to suit the dynamo input shaft. IMG_20240507_145134772.jpg However trying to hol...

The "Smart Diode" has arrived, it's not very large, could possibly be fitted inside the dynamo end cover. However I have placed inside the headlight shell fixed to the original "cut-out" bracket. IMG_20240503_174626621.jpg Still not much in the way of voltage coming out of the dy...

I have removed the third brush and wired the dynamo field coil directly across the it's output, it is now operating as a simple unregulated generator. As to the cut-out I have ordered a "smart diode" which will prevent any "back current" flowing into the dynamo. This device is sa...

I am beginning to wonder how any of the electrics ever worked. IMG_20240429_142122171.jpg Looking at the the cut-out (bottom left), some past "electrician" had " butchered" the cut-out in order to keep it's contacts permanently closed. IMG_20240429_140058723.jpg The dynamo brush ...

With the dynamo off of the machine and on the bench it was possible to have a better look at it. It was found that the third brush was still present although it was disconnected from it's terminal post. As I understand it a resistor would have been switched in or out of the field windings to give a ...

Decided to make a start looking into the lack of charge from the dynamo, which meant removing the offside exhaust pipe and it's drive sprocket. This led to a number of discoveries. IMG_20240427_124403492.jpg The cable from the dynamo seemed to be joined to the rest of machine's wiring via a ball of ...

Had two Ariels on our stand, a KH and a LF along with 6 other machines. The Ariel Owners Club it would seem was not present.

Today fitted a replacement (longer) rear brake rod.
The idea being to reposition the rear brake peddle as I felt the original position to be somewhat awkward, too high, as it involved taking the foot of the rest and raising it several inches to operate the brake.

It is the Stafford Motorcycle Shoe this weekend, is anyone going? I am taking my little LF 250 for it's first public outing. On the British Motorcycle Riders Club (Oxford) in the Prestwood Hall, next to Bonhams. Call and say hello if passing.