Author Topic: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing  (Read 1908 times)

Offline Swarfcut

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Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« on: 16.10. 2018 11:08 »
  Just had delivery of a Contact Breaker End Housing for a manual advance Maggy. Offered for sale as K2F

  Sadly, it does not fit my existing body. My maggy body curves out, this is straight. Mounting holes are further apart on the new housing. Reckon it could be K2F, but a K2F C  competition maggy.  Casting number 455777, Bearing location. 37.5mm  OD.  Any ideas appreciated

 Thanks in anticipation, a sadly well p***ed off Swarfy.

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #1 on: 16.10. 2018 17:52 »
This part is a bit more complicated than it seems  . . .
You need the standard rectangular housing for manual advance and retard, slack advance if you want the cable gubbins on the left (engine side) on an ACW drive mag. They are attached by 3 x 2BA screws as opposed to 1/4BSF on the square jobs.
That one is fine for K2FC but won't go on a std K series. It also takes the larger 'N3048' 15mm bearing, rather than the bog standard E15, which has a smaller outer race diameter but same inner race dimensions and balls/cage.
The standard ones come in more than one version as far as the details go - the casting may have 'thick ears' or thinner ones at bottom left and top right, with always a thin one at bottom right if the AR bits are on the left. It may be designed for a clip-on cb cover in plastic, for a handsome ali dome with steel push-button for engine stop for early '50s machines, or for the big ali screw-on job with bakelite (call it plastic on replicas) middle bit, seen mostly on our machines and Trihards and Notruns etc from about 1960. Deep ears need long fasteners, be they screws or slightly complicated 2BA studs with small hex sections at mid-point and nuts or pretty bits on the outer ends, depending on the exact version.
If you are in the sh** knee-deep I have a couple of very nice brand new manual ones that take the large screw-on end cover (std version or Comp version with breather), made in Sweden I think they were - but I'm not going to be a pernicious vendor on here, so by all means send me a PM if you're that p**sed off!
Bill

Offline Swarfcut

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #2 on: 16.10. 2018 18:16 »
 Thanks groily.  So have I actually ended up with a K2FC contact breaker housing?    The mounting holes are  1/4" countersunk, at 47mm centres. Casting is  a basic square 61mm wide/high. Are competition Mags this wide? Competition mags all seem to have a screw on cap,  this looks like it takes a clip on bakelite  style. So is it from something else?

 I bought a standard  K2F manual advance body, (3 Tapped Holes) so was just looking for an end cap to suit. Seemed a good idea at the time. This one fits nothing I've got !!

  Swarfy.

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #3 on: 16.10. 2018 20:51 »
Darn good Q Swarfy. Hadn't blown pic up to spot lack of threads for big cb cover, just assumed it had that feature  . . . Hmm. Part number is a later one than I'm up to speed on, but as far as I know, no Comp mag didn't have a screw on cover, with breather. Someone here will recognise the number though, I'm sure, and throw more light on things.

There is a large number of part numbers for the cb end housing, different versions, different years. The e-bay seller triumphbsaparts was listing what you have as 455777 C, and also selling 459279. Lucas parts lists (from the earlier years up to '57) list at least another 4 versions (I gave up looking after a bit as you go cross-eyed) with different numbers, for manual, fixed, different end covers, opposite handed AR cable entry, etc etc. Later, there were other variants too, such as the fixed camring Competiton end housing, with the AR entry lug cast but not drilled and finished. Nightmare!

Were some standard mags 'square' with the bigger threaded holes in the body and clip-on cb covers? Maybe, but haven't seen one. If so, then maybe it's 'right'. It would go on a C or R version of K1, 2, VF - or some of the other single cyl mags like N1 (C and R  versions with ringcams). But it would look wrong, and one fastener would have to be a pillar and clip obviously, not one of those handsome double-cross-drilled deep-hex screws for wire-locking.
Or are there replicas being made which don't have the details right . . . I'd say probably, yes.

My own most 'modern' standard K2F mag is 1966 stamped, on a '66 Notrun, and that has a rectangular end housing and 2BA screws, with the normal later big screw-on cover and baffle.
Others on my own magneto bikes are standard rectangular with clip-on end cover, std with ali dome, std with home-made ali cover - all 2BA threads -  and one 'normal' K2FC - square end, 1/4BSF threads.

Said it was a complicated area, with loads of potential pitfalls for the unwary. It is.
Bill

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #4 on: 16.10. 2018 22:59 »
I did go to the pub but not today, mmmmmmm my K2FC has screw on end cap and vent I might find time to have a butchers at it and see what I can find, the only thing I can remember is the larger bearings. I will investigate further

Offline a

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #5 on: 17.10. 2018 01:33 »
We have a box of various types of these here, but I'm too afraid to list any as there is so many variations and don't want to send anyone the wrong ones!

Offline Swarfcut

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #6 on: 17.10. 2018 08:58 »
 
 Thanks groiley. Like you I have searched the published parts lists. Still draw a blank. So it appears to be a K2FC housing, but with no thread for the cap.  Bearing size and mounting holes what we would expect, but mounting holes countersunk when they should be plain. It remains a mystery.

  Thanks mike...I can understand your dilemma....maybe time for "mike's novelty paperweights"

  Keep Spannering,,,Swarfy

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #7 on: 17.10. 2018 18:01 »
swarfy it looks like as you said a k2fc without the screw cap and with countersunk holes???? maybe they didn't have long enough screws ;) the hole centres on mine are same as yours but not countersunk and are 1/4 bsw, the bearing hole same as well, as is the cable entry. mine is screw on cap with the vent and I just looked at a site ,[o damn forgot the name will edit] and they have pics you can blow up but all pics of k2fc have screw cap, so to conclude this was a waste of time and it remains a mystery, leave it to captain scarlet and his mysterons. just to confuse even more mine doesn't have any numbers on it anywhere so back to the shed to refit it...... SITE is called THE MAGNETO GUYS and you can click on magnetos and get really nice piccies

Offline Swarfcut

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #8 on: 17.10. 2018 19:40 »
 
  Hi berger. Big thanks for having a look to compare with a known authentic item.  So, a mystery for the time being. You deserve to go to the pub. 

  No need for you to Keep Spannering

    Swarfy.

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #9 on: 18.10. 2018 00:24 »
swarfy I plan on getting spannerd on Friday *beer* *countdown*, with looking at the mag site it made me do some looking on the brit bike forum to find some answers about mags I have seen on that site *computer*. I have never ever ever ever heard of a lucas WADER mag [but I've heard of the Tottenham fc] but apparently it works under water provided the vent is in an upward position *good3* . a K2FTT is also mentioned and a K2FC that has a bearing housing the same but without a drilled and tapped hole where the advance /retard cable usually fits so this one works with auto unit, all these have bolt on pick ups, well you live and learn, and it all started with your maggy bearing housing thingy pics *beer* *yeah*

Offline duTch

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #10 on: 18.10. 2018 03:52 »

 
Quote
......I have never ever ever ever heard of a lucas WADER mag [but I've heard of the Tottenham fc] but apparently it works under water provided the vent is in an upward position *good3* ........

 *bright idea* ideal for submar.. *bash*....*countdown*.s
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Offline kiwipom

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #11 on: 18.10. 2018 05:27 »
Hi guys, had a similar problem with changing my ATD mag to a manual one so as to get the ability of fine timing adjusting, I will keep the ATD. 
So bought a job-lot of magneto parts with the hope of finding a manual end cover which luckily happened. I had no idea that the end cover would not fit my mag so had to search for another mag and luckily again found one for $25.
So i now have what i need to do the change over at a later date and also have many mag parts which i do not need, if anyone recognizes end covers that may be useful you are welcome to them pics may help, cheers   
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Offline kiwipom

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #12 on: 18.10. 2018 05:32 »
hi guys, some more parts, cheers
A10.G.Flash(cafe racer)Honda 250 vtr. Yamaha Virago XV920.

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #13 on: 18.10. 2018 07:18 »
I have seen that end fitting on stationary engine magnetos.
2 twins, 2 singles, lots of sheep

Offline Swarfcut

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Re: Lucas K2F Magneto Contact Breaker Housing
« Reply #14 on: 18.10. 2018 09:29 »
 Big thanks to all who have shone the light on the Prince of Darkness.

  I thought I had bad luck, looks like Kiwi got the short straw. Now we know where they have all ended up. I feel a bookend or paperweight marketing business on the way.

     Like Kiwi, I was planning a finer adjustment arrangement for easily altering the timing without the hassle of continually having to break the taper on the ATD.   Didn't fancy slotting the magneto flange holes. So keep the ATD, but also have a  cam ring easily moved by a few degrees.

  So, it looks to be a variant of the K2FC type, but more likely as Blacksheep observes off a stationary engine maggy.

  Thanks to the small print of the wonderful world of online auction sites, I am promised a refund.  So its in the post today,  look out for it next week, and maybe someone else will be asking the same questions.

   Keep Spannering has taken on a slightly different meaning...check out berger.


  Swarfy.