Gearbox outer cover removal

[David Tinsley]

55 A10GF
First question on the forum after a few days of looking over the bike.
I need to remove the gearbox outer cover to figure out why my kickstart is not returning.
I read service sheet 311 and thought, this will be straightforward - HA!
Access to the lower bolt on the cover is not possible without removing the footrest to swivel it out of the way and access to that looks as though I need to drop the exhaust.
Have I got this right, or am I doing something wrong? (Looking on the drive side, it seems to be same issue, to  remove the chaincase, footpeg has to be released, but probably the exhaust as well?)

[Greybeard]

I think we need to know if the machine is a plunger frame or swing-arm.

Here are snaps of my '55 Plungie.
To take the gearbox outer cover off just requires the footrest to be loosened.
Primary cover off needs the footrest to be loosened on its taper, rotated and retightened to hold the, (released at the hub) foot brake pedal down.

[David Tinsley]

My bike is a swinging arm model. A10 55 GF

Your set up looks more like I would expect. If you look at mine you can see how the exhaust restricts access to the right hand footrest and the lower case bolt on the clutch cover. I am going to be removing the exhaust anyway, but was wondering if my setup is normal or whether someone previous owner has fitted non standard exhausts? Same issue with the drive side, access to the lower case screws is restricted by the exhaust.

The more I look into this bike the more small issues I am finding, no shocks there.

[scotty]

Pretty much the same as GBs on my 56 swing arm.
Get the foot rests out of the way.
No exhaust  removal necessary for gearbox outer cover removal or primary cover.

David, your exhaust looks like it has a different bend to mine based on your pics

S

[David Tinsley]

I think that is the issue Scotty, my header pipe runs a bit high and restricts access to what I need to get at!
The exhaust is coming off anyway, but it would be nice i the future if I did not have to remove it for access.

[Greybeard]

You may need to know that on my bike the drive side footrest has a left-hand thread. I don't know if the SA models use the same method.

[scotty]

Here’s my 56 header pipe bend in relation to gear box

[David Tinsley]

You may need to know that on my bike the drive side footrest has a left-hand thread. I don't know if the SA models use the same method.

Thank you , I was assuming that one would be left hand, that is the same as on the unit twins. The timing side is right hand though?

I am having trouble removing the timing side foot rest. One of the flats of the bolt locates on the peg meaning I cannot get a socket on there. It also seems to me that it could not turn anyway as the peg would want to turn? Trying to get a spanner on and it foules on the frame. Do you have any tips?

This should have been such a simple first job, and is turning into an epic !

[RogerSB]

Here's what it looks like inside.

1959-62 outer cover is my 1960 GF outer cover.

The other 1954-58 cover is what yours is like (different gear change set up).

The kick start quadrants and springs are the same. The spring hooks over the quadrant on one end and is secured by a screw through the cover on other end, (from the inside and secured outside by a special nut).
The spring is under very strong tension when fitted and to stop it unwinding when removing and refitting the cover use the clutch arm to jam it (see where circled). If your spring has broken you probably won't need to do that to remove the cover but you will to fit it.

Another thing is that on swing arm the front footrest has a long bolt through it from the right side, then a distance tube, through the frame bits, through another distance tube with a locator peg and then through the left footrest, where it is all secured by a washer and nut (it's a fiddly job).

To make it easy I always remove the exhaust and silencer to remove either the gearbox outer cover or primary chaincase. I don't separate exhaust and silencer but remove them as one piece. Only takes a about 5 - 10 minutes a side.

Have fun!
Rog.

[David Tinsley]

Here's what it looks like inside.

1959-62 outer cover is my 1960 GF outer cover.

The other 1954-58 cover is what yours is like (different gear change set up).

The kick start quadrants and springs are the same. The spring hooks over the quadrant on one end and is secured by a screw through the cover on other end, (from the inside and secured outside by a special nut).
The spring is under very strong tension when fitted and to stop it unwinding when removing and refitting the cover use the clutch arm to jam it (see where circled). If your spring has broken you probably won't need to do that to remove the cover but you will to fit it.

Another thing is that on swing arm the front footrest has a long bolt through it from the right side, then a distance tube, through the frame bits, through another distance tube with locator peg and then through the left footrest, where it is all secured by a washer and nut (it's a fiddly job).

To make it easy I always remove the exhaust and silencer to remove either the gearbox outer cover or primary chaincase. I don't separate exhaust and silencer but remove them as one piece. Only takes a about 5 - 10 minutes a side.

Rog.

Ah, I was just out having a smoke of my pipe and wondered if I have to remove the drive side peg to drive the through bolt out to release the timing side peg so thanks for confirming that.
Looks like the kickstart spring is similar to the A65 I had and that needed strong gloves and hands to get the tension right. I have to not be led into thinking this machine is anything like the A65 though. 

[scotty]

On mine the footrest stud/bolt is a long one that crosses the frame to anchor LH & RH foot rest.
Mine is RH thread on both ends.

Remove the primary side foot rest nut
Tap,hammer,bodge, the stud towards the timing side
This should push the timing side bolt away from the frame for easier access to cajole the nut off

S

[David Tinsley]

On mine the footrest stud/bolt is a long one that crosses the frame to anchor LH & RH foot rest.
Mine is RH thread on both ends.

Remove the primary side foot rest nut
Tap,hammer,bodge, the stud towards the timing side
This should push the timing side bolt away from the frame for easier access to cajole the nut off

S

Yes, just been out and done that and the peg is now handing down so I can access the gearbox outer fasteners. What a strange set up for the pegs though.
Thanks for the tips, much appreciated. Onwards and possibly even upwards!

[David Tinsley]

You may need to know that on my bike the drive side footrest has a left-hand thread. I don't know if the SA models use the same method.

Thank you , I was assuming that one would be left hand, that is the same as on the unit twins. The timing side is right hand though?

I am having trouble removing the timing side foot rest. One of the flats of the bolt locates on the peg meaning I cannot get a socket on there. It also seems to me that it could not turn anyway as the peg would want to turn? Trying to get a spanner on and it foules on the frame. Do you have any tips?

This should have been such a simple first job, and is turning into an epic !

Turns out that drive side footpeg nut is Right Hand! would have thought it would be left hand to stop it loosening under the weight of the foot.

[David Tinsley]

Here’s my 56 header pipe bend in relation to gear box

That is what I would expect. I wonder what is fitted to my bike!

[RogerSB]

The locating peg is there to prevent it turning . The distance tubes are splined.
Rog.

(Edit: right footrest with distance tube attached is from my GF after I painted it.
(I photograph everything ).