<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Special tools. I had to replace my layshaft bearing in a parking lot of a motel in 1989 during bike week Daytona. Luckily I was staying in a motel with a lot of vintage racers. Most of the tools were in my bikes tool bag. All I had to borrow was a torch and a ride to the local bearing shop. <br><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Apr 5, 2021, at 6:49 PM, Frank Mohr <SgtNorton@comcast.net> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><br><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Apr 5, 2021, at 3:59 PM, ducdude via DVNR <dvnr@casano.com> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial'; COLOR: #000000">
<div>Thanks Brian,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Can you or anyone direct me to a supplier of the needed specialty tools I
will need to service the gear box?. Always room for more tools!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thanks ,</div>
<div>Eric</div>
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<div style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<div style="font-color: black"><b>From:</b> <a title="bsafr@aol.com">bsafr@aol.com</a> </div>
<div><b>Sent:</b> Monday, April 05, 2021 03:02 PM</div>
<div><b>To:</b> <a title="ducdude@verizon.net">ducdude@verizon.net</a> </div>
<div><b>Cc:</b> <a title="dvnr@casano.com">dvnr@casano.com</a> </div>
<div><b>Subject:</b> Re: Commando Lay Shaft bearing</div></div></div>
<div> </div></div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: small; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri"; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline">
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black">
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;">Hey
Eric,</div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;">Since
David mentioned my ordeal, I will reply. I originally wasnt going to weigh in
because I know others who are more experienced probably would and I am often
teased that Im a "Level Three" mechanic.</div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;">I
have a '74 Mk2a Interstate home model - Im the second owner (only had 15,000
mi.), so I know it hadnt had too much work done on it. My layshaft bearing
failed (catastrophically) while riding it around 20 - 25 mph through a
turn. As David mentioned, I didnt even know about that issue, so I thought
something was wrong with my kickstart return. Bike stopped suddenly in the turn,
but I didnt drop it. Started up and tried to continue but realized something
more severe was going on. Dan Sellers Recovery Service came and fetched me home.
Did some research and decided to take a stab at it - uring the Old Britts
article and also the one Russ references (Old Britts link is in that one). I
also consulted the service manual. I did the job with the gearbox in-situ.</div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;">I
debated using the ball bearing (Mick Hemmings does) and Steve Collins from
Collins Cycle said it would be OK, but everyone else suggested the roller
bearing upgrade. I bought both, but installed the roller bearing. I made my own
bearing puller (using a gear puller jaw) and you also need a slotted tool (like
a 55 drum cap remover) to remove the shaft lockring so you can get the inner
case off (I made that out of a piece of matching diameter pipe and cut the two
bayonets). It is also helpful to have a thin wall Whitworth socket to get the
one lower left inner case nut off easily. I did the heat and freeze stuff
to remove the outer race of the disintegrated bearing and install the new
bearing. I also replaced the outer bush and kickstart pawl - all the gears
looked fine and I didnt remove the main shaft.</div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;">I
did find a small crack between the main sleeve gear and lay bearing aperatures,
which may now be weeping a tad. I bought a used outer gearbox case in came I
ever have to fix that - but was convinced to go ahead as is - I did use some
Loctite bearing retainer when I installed the roller bearing to try to mitigate
the problem. No difficulty reassembling. And other than the weeping its fine -
the gears are indexed fine (I didnt remove the camplate) and I consider it a
successful repair. </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;">Here
is a pic of what I found when I opened mine, then a pic of the small crack in an
inverted mirror, and a pic of the tools I used - real tools would be better Im
sure!! </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;">Good
luck - Im sure youll have no trouble - I wouldnt do it unless I had to.</div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;">Brian</div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"> </div>
<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; COLOR: black" data-mce-style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; color: black;"><br><br><br>-----Original
Message-----<br>From: Russ Hunt WQ3X <wq3x@epix.net><br>To: ducdude
<ducdude@verizon.net>; David Behnken
<davidebehnken@gmail.com><br>Cc: MYTY <mjtt110@icloud.com>; DVNR
Norton <dvnr@casano.com><br>Sent: Mon, Apr 5, 2021 11:35 am<br>Subject:
Re: Commando Lay Shaft bearing<br><br></div>
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<div></div>
<div dir="ltr">I did mine with the gearbox in the bike following this
article:</div>
<div dir="ltr"> </div>
<div dir="ltr"><a class="yiv0192131563enhancr_card_8391961608" href="http://doov.com/apps/nortoncompanion/index.php/upgrades-modifications/25-layshaft-bearing-upgrade" shape="rect" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Layshaft Bearing
Upgrade</a></div>
<div> </div>
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<h2 class="yiv0192131563ydp6e0bafacard-title" style="FONT-SIZE: 14px; MAX-WIDTH: 314px; FONT-FAMILY: yahoosans, helvetica neue, segoe ui, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; COLOR: #26282a; MARGIN: 0px 0px 6px; LINE-HEIGHT: 19px" data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px 0px 6px; font-family: YahooSans, Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; color: #26282a; max-width: 314px;">Layshaft
Bearing Upgrade</h2>
<p class="yiv0192131563ydp6e0bafacard-richinfo-primary" style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; COLOR: #979ba7; MARGIN: 0px 0px 4px; LINE-HEIGHT: 16px" data-mce-style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0 0 4px 0; color: #979ba7;">David</p>
<p class="yiv0192131563ydp6e0bafacard-description" style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; COLOR: #979ba7; MARGIN: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 16px" data-mce-style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; color: #979ba7;">Of
and for Norton
Motorcycles</p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">The article has you heat the case then use the layshaft itself to
remove the bearing. It worked out for me, but sometimes the inner race will come
off the layshaft and then you will need the puller. I used the fancy ball
bearing recommended by Mick Hemmings and ended up replacing a bunch of other
things in the gearbox too, like all the bushings and bearings and the
mainshaft.</div>
<div dir="ltr">Good luck,</div>
<div dir="ltr">Russ in UBE<br clear="none"></div>
<div dir="ltr"> </div>
<div dir="ltr"> </div>
<div> </div></div></div></div></div>
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<div id="yiv0192131563yqtfd48476" class="yiv0192131563yqt8812267486">
<div>On Monday, April 5, 2021, 10:36:54 AM EDT, David Behnken
<davidebehnken@gmail.com> wrote: </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
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<div id="yiv0192131563ydp28cc5912yiv0557595783ydp91323951yiv2765911313">
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<div dir="ltr">
<div>Morning Eric.</div>
<div> </div>I believe Brian Safer's lay shaft bearing in his '74 Mark2a was
starting to go last summer and he replaced it. If I recall correctly, his
kickstart lever started to show the telltale signs of upcoming bearing failure
and Dan Sellers gave him a heads up that it needed attention sooner rather than
later. The good news is, as Frank said, it's relatively easy to get to and
not like you need to take half the bike apart to make the repair. If I
remember correctly, people often replace the ratchet spring and/or gear change
return spring and check the kick starter pawl when they're in there but I could
be wrong. (?) Maybe someone who knows for sure can chime in. I have
yet to tear into a gearbox myself so I have no first hand
knowledge.
<div> </div>
<div>David B<br clear="none">
<div> </div>
<div> </div></div></div>
<div> </div>
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<div class="yiv0192131563ydp28cc5912yiv0557595783ydp91323951yiv2765911313gmail_quote"> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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