Crankshaft shock absober.

[Mark.Ogden]

Chaps

Regarding the shock absorber/pulsation damper assembly for the crankshaft drive sprocket...How far does one wind in the locknuts?

All the way so the spring cover plate meets the shoulder of the spline?

Bike is a 51 engined VB600, but similar applies across many other Ariels I believe.

Thanks in anticipation

Mark

[Keith.owen]

I tighten up the first one all of the way, but not overly tight. I then fit the tab washer and tighten up the second.

Using two spanners, one to hold the first, the other the second, I scrunch them up so that I can both get them really tight as well as get the tabs to align. I then peen over the tabs, one onto each nut.

Don't know if this is the official way but it works fro me!

Keith

[Mark.Ogden]

Keith

Thanks for this. In other words, the spring cover plate does butt up against the spline? Your method is indeed the one outlined in the book.

[Keith.owen]

Hi Mark,
Yes it does, but it is not as it were tightened up against the spline its self, rather it is locked onto the shelf.

It needs to be done up pretty tightly as well. If it comes off you could end up with a hole through the chain case outer cover.

Also, I believe that another important function of the oil bath is that oil is splashed onto the shock absorber.

Keith

[Keith.owen]

Sorry,
Shaft not Shelf!

[Mark.Ogden]

Keith

Understood and thanks again. I can fully understand it bursting a hole in the cover. I cannot even begin - as yet - to compress the spring enough to get one nut on!

[pete.collings]

I have used a socket with a crank arm drive, put some spacers under the nut until it is just about level with the top of the socket, and then push the end of the crank drive hard inwards whilst turning it, to get the nut started on the thread.

Take care not to get things cross threaded, it may take a few attempts to get the nut started. Remember, it is easy to replace the nut,less so the mainshaft!

[ian.scott]

I usually bind the spring with stainless wire while it is compressed in a vice, then you can thread the nut on without pressure, then release the wire and extract it.
Ian

[roger.fellows]

Not familiar with the VB, and probably a silly question, but have you satisfied yourself that the sliding bits are fully home and washers fitted as appropriate? When I took apart a Mk11 last year there was something odd about the assembly. The primary case had silver cream in it - inner cover grindings!

Roger

[Mark.Ogden]

Chaps

All sorted...managed to compress the spring with my two hands while the Mrs O. put the nut on. Roger - Yes, I take your point, but all appears fine at the shock absorber ned. However, the metal on the inner primary chain case has been ground out by a PO at the clutch end - presumably as the drive plate was picking up there......