Dear Andover Norton Customer,
About to say "Spring is here!“ I look out of my home office window
and see snowflakes drifting past. Here near the Alps, we have a
long winter with short spells of early summer thrown in. The salt on
the roads forbid motorcycle riding even on the warm, pleasant
days. I did it as a university student and saw the Commando age
visibly within the few months of winter!
With the ongoing chaos in EU freights, I still wait for parcels sent
out to me from Andover on 25th January (I write this on 21st
March!), though some later despatches have come in single parcels
from various 3-7 parcel despatches delivered in stops and starts
over periods of up to three weeks.
Thankfully not all freighters are as bad as DHL on the German end
so other countries get their stuff as fast as before. All this costs me
lots of time I had planned to spend on private projects in the
workshop. Very frustrating!
That said, I made minimal progress on my pre-war Inter Racer and
encountered a problem I have been familiar with ever since the
BMW agency I was a partner in in the years 1985-89 rebuilt wheels
for private and trade customers.
Lacing up wheels
Whenever people brought a wheel in to be fitted with new spokes
and/or rims we asked them if they knew if the rim was offset
against the hub and/or had measured it. Most did not know,
automatically assuming rims are always central to the hub.
This is true for some wheels, but not for all. The Norton full-width
hubs are basically central, and yours truly naively fell for the idea
that was also the case for the rear “spool” hub of the pre-war Inter
because the spacers, spindles etc are very similar to the full-width
hubs.
Very wrong, as I then found, my only excuse being that the wheel
taken out of the crashed bike did not lend itself to measure offset!
After straightening the rear hub spoke flange on one side, re-
painting the hub and fitting it with new bearings, getting new
spokes, a rim, and having the centres painted and lined I gave all
components to Irma Kronester, the lady who organizes the “Grab
the Flag” racing series and who runs a motorcycle workshop, and
asked her to lace the wheel up central to the hub.
Keen to progress with the rebuild I fitted a new racing tire and put
the wheel into the (now straightened) frame. My mistake was
instantly obvious:
Only then did I ask Otto Ziegler, who specializes in pre-war racers if
he had a drawing how to lace the wheel up and he came up with
one instantly!
The front wheel is a different but then similar story. I got a new
front hub because mine was totally distorted by the bike
somersaulting at full speed. This new hub is an “update”, replica of
the early post-war Manx brakes manufactured by a German
racer/engineer that can be retrofitted to pre-war racers which had
practically no brakes.
I got the rim and spokes laced up to rough dimensions from CWC
and, fitting it with all the spacers that had meanwhile been made
and adapted for it I found the wheel slightly out in relation to the
steering head.
After test-fitting and taking the dimensions I had to get it apart to
get the rim centre painted and lined so the offset can be corrected
when the wheel is laced up again.
Taking the rim as a given dimension I normally use a straight metal
square tube and then measure from a defined plane of the hub
down to the outer edge of the rim.
If, as in this case, that dimension is currently wrong I measure
where to go with the offset in the bike and re-calculate the distance
tube/edge of rim.
Not as nice and/or scientific as the drawing I got off Otto, but in the
past this has always done the trick for myself and our customers.
So how can you proceed if all you have is a basket case and no
information about the wheels?
Basically the front wheel has to run true to the steering head. The
rear wheel has to run true to the frame backbone starting with the
centre of the steering head.
Easy on pre-war “bicycle frame” bikes, or on bikes sporting a
central spine tube like a Commando. More difficult on twin top tube
frames like featherbeds etc.
By the way: One of the most off-set spoked wheels I encountered is
the disc front wheel of Commandos. The spokes on the disc side run
virtually straight down to the hub, thus the other side is the more
tilted over.
Workshop Information on the web
With Andover Norton now being the biggest active player in the
classic Norton field by far and with our team consisting of two
active Commando riders, Simon and Ashley, as well as myself, rider
of everything Norton built between 1937 and 1998, we have a
constant demand for our technical knowledge and support.
This is getting a bit too much for us considering we have by
definition quite different functions in the company. Simon and
Ashley are our buyers and I run one of the biggest distributorships
of Norton parts worldwide single-handedly.
After the retirement of Ella and Fred of Old Britts, deservedly hailed
for Fred’s technical section in their homepage, this will, with kind
permission from Fred, be integrated in our homepage. Add various
features we other three wrote for the “Source”. The “Technical
Support” section of the Andover Norton homepage will be starting
from mid-April onwards.
So as soon as that is up can we please ask all customers looking for
information on how to do a certain job to first have a look into that
new section before you stop us from looking after parts
requirements from all over the globe?
We plan to put up pages on all aspects from how to fit a new rear
chain to how to modify a 1972/73 crankcase so it actually works,
i.e. all levels from easy amateur to specialist stuff.
And, yes, some lacing information will also be included!
Out Of Stock Request
Just a quick reminder, should we be out of stock of an item you
require, either Norton or Triumph parts, you can request an email
notification when the item becomes available.
You will need to make sure you are logged in on our Website for this
to appear.
When an item is advised as “out of stock” click on the description
content to enlarge the image and information. At the foot of this
image is an icon with the message:
“Accept Data Privacy and receive an email, when the item is back in
stock”
By clicking on the circle you should receive the message.
"Ok! You will receive an email, when the product is back in stock."
This means that the request is now been set and you will be
emailed when the product is available again.
Commando Service - Simon
One dry and sunny weekend I am preparing my 1972 Commando
Combat for Spring riding. Engine oil and filter are to be renewed, as
well as primary chaincase oil. Chain tension can be checked at the
same time.
Engine oil is changed annually - irrespective of mileage. The
engine sump plug and oil tank drain plug are removed. As
usual I spill oil on the drive!
The hose clip securing the filter is corroded and can’t be
removed with a screwdriver
Shop
Clip is cut with a grinder
& removed.
Shop
Filter tool loosens the
filter.
Shop
The area around the filter housing is cleaned & a new filter
fitted. I refill with 5 pints of Comma 20w50 mineral oil.
A wooden block under the centre stand leg leans the bike to
help drain the oil tank. Left side footrest and brake pedal
are removed to access the primary drive cover.
With the cover
off & oil
drained, I
check tension
is an easy
3/8”, also the
condition of
the chain.
Avoid an
overtight
chain.
Shop
Oil is added
until it drips
from the level
hole. I use
20w fork oil
which is
lighter than
20w50
Featured Products
"Meriden-
Historical
Summary"
1972-74, 37
pages
Please note:
Limited Stock
Available
Shop
OIL FILTER
TOOL
Shop
CAM CHAIN
TENSIONER
(RUBBER-
FACED)
Shop
Calendar Pictures
We are still on the look out for pictures for next years
Andover Norton Calender.
So please send in your best quality pictures of your bike
along with a brief history to newsletter@andover-
[Link]
That's all for now, until next time!
The Team at Andover Norton
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