AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hi all, G3LS 1953 Burman B52 gearbox. Bike running great now except for gears. Had the chaincase off and when pulling in clutch does not disengage. Noticed one side was hardly moving so took plates out to clean rough edges and there are only 4 plain plates. The book says 5 plain and 4 of the friction plates. Is there an easy method to remove the clutch centre wheel? Tried jamming outer drum but the nut's on really tight, won't budge. Please confirm the correct amount for clutch plates. Thanks, Paul J

to undo the clutch centre nut select top gear hold the rear brake on and undo the nut
Tony

You say the plates were hardly opening one side. This is probably due to springs being tighter. Clutch plates also need to move freely in the basket. So that is the first check. Then even it you have all new springs, tighten as recommend, The observe if the plates are opening evenly. Slacken off a bit until all plates open evenly. Having got that right you may get clutch slip, so you may have to tighten all by the same amount. Assuming clutch plates have had a good clean, after which I usually give them a dusting of Fullers Earth.

I use an impact gun to take the centre nut off

Hello, so now I have got the centre drum off I think I have a few foreign parts in here. For the G3LS it says I should have 1 thick plain plate, 4 thin plain plates and 4 friction plates. I only have 3 thin plates. The centre drum is not deep enough to accept 4 thin plates. It is a 4 spring clutch. The clutch centre drum measures 1" deep and the 4 bolts that come through measure 1 1/2" from under the head. I think the clutch centre drum, pressure plate and possibly springs and cups are from another machine. Can anybody tell me if they have a 4 spring clutch fitted to their G3LS, 1953. Thanks for previous advice, Paul J

It sounds like you have an earlier CP clutch. You probabely won't have an adjuster in the thrust plate, as the CP is adjusted at the gearbox end. I think I would look for a complete B52 clutch if I was you. It's nearly all different I'm afraid. More plates, 5 springs, and an alloy thrust plate with adjuster.
Dave.

Thinking again about this..... If you could modify the thrust plate to take an adjuster you could make it work. If it's in good condition it may be worth trying, or at least until you find a good B52 clutch. If you could fit some kind of boss to fit the plate, threaded to take the B52 adjuster, you could then adjust the clutch to make it work.
Dave

[quote="dave16mct"]It sounds like you have an earlier CP clutch. You probabely won't have an adjuster in the thrust plate
Dave, does a CP clutch only have 4 springs? There is no adjuster in the thrust plate, as you say. I have taken out one of the friction plates so that now there is one plate of each missing. Don't think it was disengaging before because the last plate was a friction plate going directly onto the pressure plate. The clutch now disengages but when putting into first it's only going half in, when pulling away you can hear the gear lightly grinding and when I try to take it out of gear from 1st I have to use a lot of force. Goes into other gears ok and pulls away in 2nd fine. Is this a gearbox problem?

Yes the (early) CP clutch had 4 springs with a steel thrust plate. It sounds like clutch drag. You must get it freeing properly, then you'll know if the gearbox is OK. Is the gearbox a B52?
Dave.

Yes B52