Hitchcocks Forum

1960 Redditch 350 Bullet:
I am rebuilding the Albion 4 speed gearbox. All internals look ok, but when tightening the mainshaft nut (the LH thread nut), I find that this has the effect of tightening up the shaft such that it will not rotate, even with only light torque applied to the nut. Probably there is a simple remedy to this but I just can't see what it is. Can anyone advise please? Many thanks.

Have you removed the clutch etc?

If not, could something have come adrift at the clutch/final drive end?

Yes, clutch all removed, main drive sprocket removed. The gearbox housing all removed from bike and sitting on my bench.
I just noticed in an article by Don Morley (pdf on Hitchcocks site: 'Albion Gearbox Rebuild part 4.pdf') that there is meant to be a large diameter shim (see attached). I don't have this, and neither do I see it on the parts list or parts manual. I wonder if this is the issue? If it is, I have to ask Hitchcocks if they have this part. Could it be anything else?

Geoff -
The large washer (H4/1) shown on the sleeve gear is used only when the mainshaft oil seal is fitted from the inside of the gearbox.
Does this apply to your gearbox ?
The other washer shown (H15A) is for the kickstart pinion on the layshaft.
What's the condition of the mainshaft oil thrower washers (H52 & H71 ). I found these were excessively worn due to the l.h. nut working loose on my 1960 Bullet.

Hope this helps,

what type of mainshaft seal you are using .. i have 1955 gearbox .. the seal you can put it from inside of gearbox
i notice indian gearbox rubber seal is thicker then english one.

Hi guys, thanks for the help. I have now found the problem: The small mainshaft bearing fitted was incorrect. Although of the correct dimensions in terms of inner and outer diameter and also bearing depth were correct, the problem was the outer diameter of the inner race which was too small. When the shaft nut was tightened, the inner oil thrower was gripping onto the oil seal and so squashing the balls (ouch). The correct sized bearing has a wider inner race which means the oil thrower now clamps onto it and so the problem is solved. Photo shows incorrect bearing on the left and correct bearing on the right, and the inner oil thrower which tightens onto the inner race.