AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hi All

Trying to remove the front engine sprocket so I can remove the inner chain bath housing , nut spring etc removed just the sprocket itself. I can get it about three quarters along the shaft then basically it locks tight , iv even tried turning the sprocket small amounts each time before trying again.
Any ideas or have I missed something. picture attached of the problem , I have cleaned the shaft of all old oil so its nice and clean but wondering if its a case of 45 years of not being used and grim in-between the shaft and sprocket Regards Phil

Crud and burrs are all that's stopping the sprocket being removed. It's not keyed so file down the worn shaft area and it should eventually slide right off.

Hi Comboman
Thanks , I was thinking off this procedure but thought people might say are you made.

Hi , I would drive it all the way back on and then use some 400 wet and dry on the shaft and get it cleaned right up, paying attention to the splined grooves. Then get a sprocket puller on it and soak it in WD40 or similar, the shaft and sprocket that is, not the puller. As you tighten the sprocket puller tap the sprocket with a hammer and a brass drift or some other soft metal , a piece of solid copper bar is ideal. This will shock the sprocket and it should come off. Parts like this that have been together for many years often don't want to be separated. Judging by the corrosion on the face of the shock absorber cam I suspect that there will be similar inside the sprocket and that is what is making it reluctant to come off.

Hi , have managed to remove it now lots of cleaning and duck oil , I also noted some very small burs to the end of the shaft so I very carefully filed them away leaving all clean and smooth and sprocket removed. First matchless I have worked on but it is proving very interesting
.

The spline in the axle looks tired but I think Clive would have a view on that, I seem to recall that he had an incident with worn splines?

Johnny B

You are right Johnny the splines do look pretty worn. Towards the end of life in my view if they are over 50% worn. The splines i snapped were well worn and it was on a bike pulling a Busmar double adult sidecar. Interesting experience, bike was running well but suddenly let the clutch out and no drive then a graunching sound from the bits that had broken off.

Clive is right the splines are shot unfourtunately to replace it is a complete engine strip and seperate the fly wheels
to replace the shaft. the club should have one in stock
Tony

Ahem, ..........agreed it is very worn and ideally it *should* be replaced but if it has only worn that much in 67 years and the bike is used solo (i.e. not with a sidecar) to save a great deal of work and significant cost I'd give it a go and carry on using it, especially if on releasing the clutch to pull away the bike wasn't feeling rough or snatching. (And let's be honest, you'll never be far from home on Guernsey )

In fact I did re-use this one.......

By comparison Spriddler I would call yours just used. If you enlarge the other photo you will see the wear on Phil's splines is much worse although perhaps not 50% worn yet. I imagine the wear on the sliding cam is similar. Replacement I guess does depend on how the bike is to be used and whether other work such as a replacement big end is being carried out. (why is the ptimsry chaincase coming off ?). If it is doing short journeys as a solo then there could be some life left in it. However I think a new ( or less worn second hand ) sliding cam will be needed to reduce the hammering effect on the splines and they will need to be cleaned up as they currently seem to be worn in a stepped pattern.