Front Hub Bearing Dust Cover G15CSR

Information relating to the Matchless G15 or AJS Model 33 750cc twin. This also includes the G15 Mk II and the G15/45
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Gerard Harrison
Posts: 72
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:45 am
Location: Nassau USA

Front Hub Bearing Dust Cover G15CSR

Post by Gerard Harrison »

OK so I went to put the front wheel on the bike.

Bearings all re-packed w/grease

Brand new shiny front spindle and nut

Brand new left-side bearing dust cover

Wheel Up and mounted

Spindle nut fitted loosely

Spins nicely no rumbling or crunching

Slider Pinch Bolt loose

I tighten down the right side spindle nut

Wheel is now not turning,

seems the spindle's shoulder is pulling the dust cover up snug against the hub and locking everything up

Am I missing some sort of spacer under the dust cover?? one that will make it stand off the hub and only make contact with the stationary center/inner race of the hub bearing???

Or am I using yet one more repop piece of shite approximation of a properly made dust cover since this bike didn't have one when I took it on?

Do I need the dust cover...should it even have a dust cover?

or can/should I just run the spindle shoulder up against the bearing's center/inner race?

I am assuming that if properly installed the dust cover would not be intended to revolve with the hub as the wheel turns...is that assumption correct?

Have I properly described this dilemma or is the above incoherent jabbering?

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John Donne
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Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2003 12:00 am
Location: SURREY UK

Front Hub Bearing Dust Cover G15CSR

Post by John Donne »

The front wheel should fit the front forks perfectly. The manual explains that the forks should be pumped up and down a few times with all the nuts and bolts loose. The front brake should be held on to centralize the front brake. You could have inadvertantly fitted a Commando front wheel dust cover, as this would explain the front wheel locking. The Commando dust cover has a spacer welded to the inside of it, the standard Atlas, G15/N15/33 would not have this spacer. A small thing if you did not know. Have you made sure that the screw in covers are all the way in on the hub?
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John Donne
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Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2003 12:00 am
Location: SURREY UK

Front Hub Bearing Dust Cover G15CSR

Post by John Donne »

Have you got the correct front forks, or have you fitted the 7 inch top and bottom yokes, and not the 7 3/8 ones? The lower sliders were made wider to take up the 3/8 inch extra width, rather than fit a spacer.
Gerard Harrison
Posts: 72
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:45 am
Location: Nassau USA

Front Hub Bearing Dust Cover G15CSR

Post by Gerard Harrison »

John the issue is clearly one in which the dust cover is lacking some sort of inside shim or spacer, or is stamped incorrectly, or is the wrong one.

The lock ring is fully installed and flush with the hub's face

The conical spacer behind the lock ring is not standing sufficiently proud of the lock ring, that is to say it is not protruding outside of the lock ring to abut against the Dust Cover to keep said cover standing off from the hub itself


So when I pull the spindle up snug, the spindle's shoulder pulls the Dust Cover against the hub

I dont think it is anything to do with the fork yokes or lower sliders as the assembly is binding before any centering or tightening of the slider pinch bolt.


The whole issue really boils down to the proper relationship (or lack of one) between the dust cover and the conical spacer behind the lock ring...

I need either a shim or a different dust cover to fill about a 1/8th inch gap between the spacer face and the inside center of the dust cover...or maybe a different (longer) conical spacer

I know the part number for the cover was 18551 which was "superseded" to an 06- 3918 Norton number...the cover I have is an 06-3918 and it lacks a spacer or anything welded inside it...which is exactly what I DO need
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John Donne
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Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2003 12:00 am
Location: SURREY UK

Front Hub Bearing Dust Cover G15CSR

Post by John Donne »

All the part numbers you list are correct, so you just may have a duff dust cover. I have never had this problem, only with an incorrectly made stainless steel item, as it had a small lip added to the inside of the dust cover. Some of the pattern parts are not as good as an OEM part, as the factory parts will fit perfectly. Well most of the time, as i have bought a rear wheel Speedo drive ring from Domiracer, and it was a proper factory part, but the thread on it was wrong. Try to obtain an OEM dust cover, or borrow one from some one with an Atlas or 650ss, and see if by swapping them over your problem goes away. Have you assembled the wheel bearing correctly? as you may have some spacer protruding through the hub that should not do so. Try Russell Motors, in London, British Only in Detriot, Rabers in California, or Walridge Motors in Canada, as they may have the original of 18551.
Gerard Harrison
Posts: 72
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:45 am
Location: Nassau USA

Front Hub Bearing Dust Cover G15CSR

Post by Gerard Harrison »

Thanks John...I think I just got a clunker of a cover from Domi.

I put in my final parts order w/Walridge for this project and added in a dust cover and conical spacer in the off-chance that Mike's parts are more accurate than what I got from Domi

Worst case I rummaged around and found a washer that fit perfectly over the spindle and its outside diameter stays within the inside diameter of the lock ring thus forming a solid contact with the face of the conical spacer

which will effectively give me the stand-off from the hub that the dust cover requires....just will need to silver-solder the washer to the dust cover

We are closing in on the finish line on this bike....I am picking up the tanks and panels today and will post up some photos anon
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