My VB Restoration Blog

[Steven.Carter]

That's one way of getting it out

[dave.owen]

Paul , what size bore is it/was it,,or have you already a replacement piston.

I can ask at the side valve Rally this weekend

Dave

[Bob.Murphy]

Paul,

As a matter of interest, did you try pressing the piston out ??

I'd have cut a thick wooden disk to go on top of the piston and then put it under my 30-ton press, with my largest bearing press steel disk on top of the wood.

I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but I don't think that would have damaged the bore or the barrel if done with care.

Bob.

[paul.wirdnam]

Paul,

As a matter of interest, did you try pressing the piston out ??

I'd have cut a thick wooden disk to go on top of the piston and then put it under my 30-ton press, with my largest bearing press steel disk on top of the wood.

I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but I don't think that would have damaged the bore or the barrel if done with care.

Bob.

Bob,

Don't have a press. The engine was still assembled and my main concern was for the crankcases, barrel and con rod. I'm relieved that the rings have not marked the bore. I've yet to remove the remains of the piston and gudgeon pin from the con rod, but that ought to be straight forward (famous last words!)

[nevhunter]

Paul, where did you get the repro steel sheet parts for the front engine plates? I need 3 sets. Project coming along nicely. You do nice work. When it all starts coming together is a good feeling. Nev

[paul.wirdnam]

Paul, where did you get the repro steel sheet parts for the front engine plates? I need 3 sets. Project coming along nicely. You do nice work. When it all starts coming together is a good feeling. Nev

Nev, they came from Draganfly. Paul.

[paul.wirdnam]

BA gearbox coming along nicely but here is a warning to others if you ever need to replace the steel top hat kick start bush in the outer cover....

Mine looked worn and the shaft felt quite sloppy in it, so I decided to turn up a new one and replace it. I've always heated up aluminium cases to remove steel bearings and bushes etc and they then usually fall out on their own accord. But this one wouldn't shift. Finally dawned on me that, over time, the top of the bush had become flared and there was no way this bush was ever going to come out in the usual direction.

I ended up grinding off the top hat and knocking it out the front from the inside. I assume Ariel didn't flare these once fitted.....

[nevhunter]

I'm not so sure about that. There is a flare (lead in) on at least some of them to assist assembly with the rollers. the military bikes do without the rollers and make the bush of decent bronze just leaving the rollers out. I've ridden many miles on the military set up and it seems to work fine with the gear changes being unaffected. I've found the original steel bush is sometimes soft and wears a lot. IF you are running rollers it should be hardened and have a precision finish. Nev

[nevhunter]

IF you would consider using the bronze bush it's a neat running fit on the shaft, Not on the roller diameter. I understand the main reason was for working on the box in the field where you would probably lose some or all of the rollers as you need tacky grease to hold them in place when installing. If one falls into the box it will probably wreck it if it ends up in the gears. Nev

[paul.wirdnam]

Despite my rather embarrassing faux pas the other day (fully assembling the clutch on the bench), it did mean I get to check out all the new AOMCC clutch parts and try out the finished BA gearbox.

The new clutch centre was a very tight fit on the mainshaft, so checking this out on the bench while I had the gearbox in bits was a bonus:







Gearbox was in good shape just requiring new main bearing, new sprocket and new kickstart spring. Few cosmetic things to do; it could do with some new dome nuts and re-chroming on foot change lever:



Doing the gearbox was a welcome diversion from tacking the cycle parts, so it's now back to those ( ). Need to to build some wheels and get them into the frame so I can start "adjusting" these Indian mudguards...