Recommendation needed for big end repair/replacement.

[Nick_Edgley]

I have was hoping that the engine of my 1960 Arrow did not need much work other than a replacement cylinder head and a few other minor bits and pieces but I have discovered around a millimetre of up and down movement in the offside big end. I feel relatively confident in removing and refitting the crankshaft halves as described in the manual but do not have the equipment nor expertise to replace the big end bearings. It is also possible, of course, that the big end journal is worn.

Can anybody recommend an engineering firm able to carry out the necessary work please?

Draganfly offer an exchange service but the price quoted for each half of the crankshaft is £234.90 which struck me as a little on the high side.

[Simon.Gardiner]

Nick:
I'm not the person to make any definitive recommendations but I had a long discussion with John Ellis (Club 2-stroke spares) a couple of months ago and his advice was that although Drags seem expensive, by the time you've sourced new big-ends and paid for someone to split/reassemble cranks you may well find that you're paying more than that.
However, I believe Alpha Bearings might be able to do the work (maybe for a similar price, maybe slightly cheaper) and there's a mention in a thread from a few years back that Nametab Engineering might also be able to do the work. (Nametab do get several recommendations for various work on the forum.)

HTH

SG

[Nick_Edgley]

Thank you for that. I will give Alpha and nametab a call tomorrow. The one advantage of having my own parts repaired is the reassembly should not present any alignment issues whereas exchange units might.

I will post the result of my enquiries tomorrow.

[Nick_Edgley]

Two interesting conversations this morning.

Both companies very helpful and able to do the job.

On price obviously it is a variable feast depending on the amount of work. Nametab said about £90 - £100 per side if the big end was fine. If the big end needed sleeving then around £140 per side. Centre journal often gets 'grroved' by the oil seal and that would be another £40. All plus VAT.

Alpha quoted £200 - £300.

Both companies quoted similar amounts, both sounded friendly and competent. Clearly a more economical course than buying exchange cranks.

[Simon.Gardiner]

Nick
Thanks for putting up your findings.
I'm assuming that Alpha quote is per side in which case they seem to be in the same ball-park as Drags, for a crank with a complete new big-end - which I think is probably where John Ellis was coming from when I was discussing the bottom ends with him.

SG