Ariel rocker box

[johnmack]

Can any members on the forum advise the best method of fitting the rocker return springs on a 1937 VH Ariel with the clam shell type semi enclosed rocker box.Is there a special tool to assist with the installation of it? Thanks in adVance for any information.
John Mackintosh
New Zealand.

[paul.jameson]

There is no special tool to the best of my knowledge but, from experience, an extensive repertoire of bad language is a great help.

[robert.clark]

Hi John,

Been down this path a few times on mine and I am building another at the moment.
My method is to loosely assemble the valve rocker gear without the clam shells. The trick is to ensure the spring tangs are located in the small holes in the angle bracket whilst ensuring you get the correct rotation of tension in the spring. Its not straightforward and a number of attempts will be required. Best to support the timing side bracket in a vice for this to keep stable and have hands free.
Hard to describe but get to this stage without the angle bracket fitted but use it to locate one tang of the spring and rotate to get spring rotation and loosely assemble with one nut giving enough clearance to get over the other spindle. Then by magic use a screwdriver to push down the tang to locate the hole and try to locate.
Offer up the lower clam shell and at the same time rotate the rocker arms to imitate their final operation. If you have a helper available do it. This allows you rotate the rocker arms and put tension on the springs and allow fitting of the upper clam shell. A loose fit of the end nuts is required to get the clam shells inside the assembly. If you can't locate the tang at that stage the cutout in the upper clam shell will allow you to locate the tang (with screwdriver assistance), Do this when you have screws loosely fastened in the upper clam shell. If your OK at this stage fully tighten the screws. The angle plate can be removed of fitted with the tangs in the correct position.
I have one at first fix at the moment which will be dismantled shortly for final clean and reassembly and grease.
The collars must have generous chamfers on their mating surfaces with the spindles. I'll dig out my notes on rocker arm clearance / movement to expect from memory its around 0.125 inch average but I'll check.

[robert.clark]

After checking records.

The average clearance measurements over 4 rocker sets I've assembled is as follows.

Inside the collars at the angle bracket end (so engine drive side) it is common to find a 0.006 inch shim just to prevent face to face contact. The thrust of the spring should allow the rocker arm to move towards the timing side bracket. The clearance ranges I have measured are between 0.053 inch and 0.072 inch.
All depending on wear obviously but there must be this generous clearance.

Also looking at the angle bracket (from external viewing position) choose the RHS rocker spring tang first to locate the with the bracket by rotating. Follow with the LHS with the brackets and clam shell and the fiddling about. Just double check you have the correct rotation of the springs. RHS is fairly obvious LHS not so.

Good idea to pump plenty of grease through the rocker gear and spindle to see its getting through during the process. Happy days, hope you understand any of this. Cheers Rob.

[johnmack]

Thanks Robert for your very useful information on installig the return springs on the Ariel rocker gear in hind sight i guess i could not see the wood for the trees ,should have thought of the method myself however onward and at it! This site can be a great source of valuable information on restoring Ariels.
Regards John Mackintosh.
New Zealand.