Space on Top Yoke fork 1 1/4"

[rudelan_LAPSED]

Matchless G3LS 1955 / Fork 1 1/4"

I still have the problem with the top of the fork.
When I bought the bike, it did not have the original springs. Now, I mounted them. The bottom is good.
At the top, at the level of the top bracket I still have a space of 5 mm, everything is well mounted and tight.
What is the problem? The bracket alone measures 13.2 mm high.
Thanks Ruddy

[spookefoote1956]

The top collar is missing. When I had the original forks on mine I had the same issue. A friend of mine turned me some out of phosphor bronze (I think) to match the bottom ones but I'm sure aluminium would also do.

Cheers, Chris

[rudelan_LAPSED]

I do not think everything is as the layout assembly

[G15 Roy]

Not seen a top collar, chrome ring at the top and bottom alloy cup make sure you have the rubber spacer under the bottom cup.

[rudelan_LAPSED]

Yes, have rubber spacer under the bottom cup.
have the good Top yoke? Because mine has no holes to let the cables left and right

[LynP]

Hi, I have a similar issue with the 1 1/4" forks on a duplex frame, but my gap is only a 1 or 2mm. The factory trick to cure headlight brackets that becoming loose as the rubbers under the bottom alloy collar compress, was to place a leather washer of the sort used on top of the springs between them and the lower fork shrouds. By doing this factory fix my gap is just taken up; ( I would still like my brackets to be a little tighter). Having used genuine rubbers and a leather washer under both my lower alloy covers they are now held up much higher from the bottom yolk than yours appear to be. So my thought are do you need thicker rubbers under your alloy collars in order to close the gap? Also if you have replaced the top and bottom races in the yolks it is possible they are not fully home. Just a few thoughts that may help.

[Mick D]

Hi

It may be a trick of the camera, but your headlamp bracket looks closer to the top of the shroud than mine - has your shroud been shortened in the past? I've just measured mine, (61 G3), and the visible portion is 130mm high.

H Lamp Shroud.png

If all is per the book all I can offer is per LynP - are the steering head bearings correctly installed?

Regards Mick

[rudelan_LAPSED]

Thank you all for the information.
Mick, I have the same 132 mm read reading on the disassembled piece.
I received from a friend a picture of a fork with a '43' washer.
It is not present in the catalog of the parts of 1955 ???



Spares_list_g3ls 1955:

[Mick D]

Hi

Try looking at the instruction manuals as opposed to the spares lists.
Washer 43 has a note in the 57 instruction manual that it is deleted from assembly - this is the first time I see this note so assume it may have been fitted to a 55 bike, (not sure whether the parts list or instruction manual takes priority). Unfortunately it won't make any difference to the yoke spacing.

Regards Mick

[56G80S]

"on the disassembled piece"

The 130mm measurement quoted was with the bracket inserted into the alloy "cup". Is the recess 2mm? I can't recall. It does look like the top has been cut, the take off point for the bracket looks too close to the top of the shroud.

I had a much smaller gap and not wanting to dissaemble got some copper wire and twisted it into the gap at the top; this tightened things up nicely and a tap with the edge of a knife hid the ends of the wire.

Johnny B