Hitchcocks Forum

I am thinking of fitting Mr. H's alloy engine plates and gearbox top plates. I am assuming that this can be done without major surgery such as removing the engine. Does anyone know whether I am correct please? Comments welcome.

No engine removal but you may well find the frame springs apart if you remove the bolts from the engine plates. It can require some jacking/levering/fiddling/swearing to get it back together and lined up again. If I was doing the job (I've fitted an engine, not swapped plates), I'd remove all the relevant nuts from the right side and swap out the right hand plate. Then I'd remove the crankcase nuts on the left side (might be simpler to flip the crankcase studs one at a time than try to undo the oposite nut) and podger the large bolt through with a simlar diameter piece of bar (1/2" drive socket extension bar?). I'd leave the bar in place while I swapped the left plate then drive/wiggle/screw the extension bar back through using the bolt.



Similar thing with the gearbox plates, the nuts can be a bit of a sod to get at, and you may find you have to remove other bits to get them out. Pulling the top bolt can, again, allow the frame to spring apart a bit.



Not insurmountable issues, just something to have an awareness of. The LOWER frame plates however are a sod if you want to swap them because both stands and the footpegs need to be removed to get them off.

Thanks very much Stinkwheel. Blood, sweat, tears and skinned knuckles here I come!