Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

I was looking at my rear spindle and can't work out how the end with the flat on it takes the lock washer. Basically, the flat on the spindle does not run far enough along for the lock washer to butt up against the bearing dust cover.

I am wondering whether my spindle is actually a 4330-38?

Is anyone able to measure one please.

This is for a 1944 bike.

Thanks in advance

Steve

The part shown in the parts list 4046-26 (I think) isn't a lock washer at all.
It goes against the inner of the bearing and then the two bearing adjuster nuts
go on, then the sleeve over the flats on the spindle. The wheel nut and its washer
go on the spindle last to clamp the wheel into the frame.

Any sort of lockwasher on that side of the wheel will prevent the wheel bearings
being adjusted.

This is taken from Drags web site, maybe its wrong Will?
I think we are talking about the same washer, 4046-27 with the flats. On my bike, that washer goes to the end of the spindle flats, then stops, but that is shy of the inner part of the bearing. I can't move the spindle into the hub anymore, no more adjustment left.

Steve, do you have the brake plate off too to try and adjust the other nut? I have just built my rear wheel, I had to buy bearings which came with an additional sleeve to make the ID correct which is not shown in that picture. The wheel came with no bearing race abutment washers which would not allow me to adjust the bearings fully. I have now fitted them and can now adjust them properly.

Adam

My spindle is 9"3/4 long overall with the flat extending 1"7/8 and
approximately 1/8" beyond the end of the thread.

Thanks Gents
I will have another look in the morning - getting a bit chilly in an unheated workshop tonight.

A quick rummage in the old spindle box revealed 2 spindles, 9 9/16" long and 9 7/8" long. The short one is threaded and has the 2 flats for 1 13/16" at one end and is threaded for 2 1/4" at the other end. The long one is threaded and has the 2 flats for 1 15/16" at one end as is threaded for 2 1/8" at the other end. The change in 1938 was to accommodate a brake drum 1/8" wider than previously. I have no idea which of my Ariels these spindles came from so have no idea what the part number would be for either of them.

Assuming that you have your spindle and bearing inners removed from the hub, stick your finger round the back of the bearing outer to see if you can feel the thick washer which should be behind the bearing outer. If a previous owner has omitted this, your bearings will be too far inside the hub tube and would cause the difficulty you have described.

Update:
I have attached some pictures which show the inner part of the hub from both sides. The drive side bearing came out with the shell. I don't think there are any abutment washers fitted on either side?
Should the top edge of the shell bearing be flush with the outer edge of the hub?

My spindle is also shown. It doesn't appear to share any of the measurements shared by Simon and Will.
Overall length 10"
Drive side threaded 2 1/2" of which the last 1 1/2" is flattened
Non drive side threaded 2 3/16"

So, abutment washers missing Y/N?
Correct spindle Y/N?

Thoughts?

Thanks Guys

Your spindle looks nothing like the one I have.

All being well I'll get some photos this evening so you've got some
idea if what it should look like. I'll also see if I can find a wheel with
bearings still in to measure how they fit.

Hard to tell but in the picture with the outer race missing that could be an abutment washer. Fairly sure in my hub the diameter of the middle only had a single step reducing to where the abutment washer sat so you could be OK there.

As Will has said the spindle looks different to mine too as the flat was machined all the way down the thread on that side. If I get a chance I will take the rear wheel off and have a measure Monday evening. Looks like you could machine the flat further towards where it needs to be if it is made from a decent material and everything else measures correctly.

Adam