AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hello,

Can anybody identify the front forks on my 1954 AJS Model 20B? They are very similar to what is pictured in my parts book, except for the top of the fork slider is about half the width of the other model 20 fork sliders I have seen. They do seem to be made for an AJS though. When I got the bike a week ago, there were rubber gators over the fork tubes, which I have removed to examine closer. I am doing a full restoration and want to restore the bike to original conditions. I can't figure out if these were stock for a 20B US import version. Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks

Hopefully the pictures come through, if not I will try again.....new to the forum.

Hi

I'd hazard a guess that those slider extensions have been custom made to permit the installation of gaitors after damage to the slider threads - where are the fork springs? shouldn't they be on the outside of the stanchions? Wonder if the fork seals are fitted?

Regards Mick

I agree with Mick - they look very much like custom-made items, certainly unlike any factory products I have seen. Andy

Thanks you for the reply's. Just wanted to verify that they were altered at some point, and not factory correct for my bike. The hunt begins for new or second hand fork sliders and fork parts.

Thanks Joe

Your stanchions look chromed, non standard. I have seen new sliders on e-bay. The club can supply any other bits.

Thanks for all the info. I have been researching the best that I can. My stanchions are 1 1/4" outside to outside. Please correct me if I am wrong, but the stanchions were 1 1/8" in 1954, and changed to 1 1/4" in 1955. So, I am thinking that they are from a '55 are newer model. Also, I did not know that they wern't chrome finished from the factory, so they must be a different brand/aftermarket all together. The bike seems to sit a little high in the front. I figured that was due to the 21" front rim/19"rear. But maybe the stanchions are to long. I am trying to keep it as a roller for the next few weeks, so won't be able to pull the forks apart for a bit. I found reproduction fork sliders for 1 1/4" forks on Ebay, thanks for the lead. They look like they are set up for the alloy fenders that I have. I am thinking that I will need new stanchions, springs, fork extensions, covers, etc. to rebuild them properly. I looked on the clubs parts department, but the stanchions they have are for road models only, not competition. Not sure what the difference is, but sounds like I will have to keep looking. I am attaching a few pics of the the head set/tripletree. They seem to match my parts book, but thinking they should be for 1 1/8'' forks and not 1 1/4". Still a little lost, but learning lots, thanks to everyones input!

Thanks!!

Hi

AMC forks of that era would have had the seal fitted into the top of the slider, the springs would have been external around the stanchions between the slider extensions and the bottom cover tubes, (which you do not have fitted).
You may have later 1 1/4" yokes fitted which you could retain as you don't see the stanchions when assembled, ie the bike would look 'original' to most onlookers.

Regards Mick

Is that shimstock creeping out the bottom yoke (last photo)?

Rob C