Forum

[PO51UHD]

Hello All

My bitsa ‘54-ish 250 Pre-Unit Trials Clipper is finally in the road. That’s the good news...

The more depressing news is that I think the swingarm bearings are shot... ominous clanking from the back end over bumps and about 0.5mm radial play on the drive side. Wasn’t evident when everything was in bits but of course now it’s all together it’s happened! So I’ve christened him ‘Tribulation’ (as in Trials and.....)

My questions are these: I know I have to stretch the frame apart to clear the spigots on the thrust washers, but how much do I need to strip down. Can I leave the engine and gearbox in and just back off the nuts on the appropriate studs or does it all have to come out? By how much does the frame need to be ‘opened’?

Thanks

Stephen

[Sticksy]

Hello Stephen,
I've never had to use the spreader tool on my Clippers, or even a Bullet,but the engine and g/box were out at the time however.

[PO51UHD]

Problem solved.
On further investigation I discovered that the BBN (bl00dy big nut) on the drive side, which felt tight, was in fact binding on the thread of the through-stud and not clamping the frame to the thrust washers. As a result, the tube/thrust-washers were rattling in the main frame.
I solved it by replacing the offending BBN with a spare I had and the play has disappeared.
Maybe that makes me a BBN...?