AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Just a quick question. I cant find any definitive in the service books.
I am ready to replace front wheel bearing cup and oil seals on 1960 full width hub wheel. ( model 16). There is about 160 thou (4mm ) lateral movement in each bearing , photo attached. Is this excessive or within acceptable range. I know I can probably take up this play with the adjuster ring but I wonder if this amount of play is too extreme and I should replace the spindle.

Thanks

Hi

Re-assemble the hub and see if the adjuster takes up the play, if it does all well and good, if it doesn't look for a replacement spindle assembly.

Regards Mick

the club has these in stock.

I have adjusted these bearings up until able to see wear or become rusted and pitted. I have only changed front bearings once. That was after 7 years ( about 90,000 miles from when the bike was new. Probably due to riding in flood mucky waters and potholes for 7 winters. The bearings could be heard due to pitting etc.

Thanks all,
I will see if I can take up the adjustment

regards

gotoole wrote:Thanks all,
I will see if I can take up the adjustment

regards

Give them a good clean and pack with grease on re assembly. If you go by the book doing the adjusting. If you had to get an M o T, some testers may say the bearings are worn and need replacing because of the amount of play. I had to explain the bearings are tapered and adjustable. I felt the bearing play and said. I may need to take up a bit more play, now they have settled, having just been cleaned and repacked with grease. He was happy with that. But still insisted, they sounded a bit worn. I heard no worn / pitted bearing sound.

Surely the 'wear' is the normal slack resulting from the assembly method used to fit the roller cage when it was made. I have seen several of these axle/bearing units and the cage and rollers always have some play in them, it is all taken up when put in place. The slack means you can jiggle things about a bit to examine the rollers and tracks to check they are in good nick, which is what counts. Andy

Andy51 wrote:Surely the 'wear' is the normal slack resulting from the assembly method used to fit the roller cage when it was made. I have seen several of these axle/bearing units and the cage and rollers always have some play in them, it is all taken up when put in place. The slack means you can jiggle things about a bit to examine the rollers and tracks to check they are in good nick, which is what counts. Andy

Those were my thoughts as well.
If you can adjust the bearing satisfactorily and it doesn't grumble or feel gritty or notchy when turning it in the wheel it's probably fine.

Here's a NOS axle (yes it really is NOS) with a similar gap to your 4mm

Thanks Andy, Sprindler,
That's reassuring. I had originally decided to use the spindle ( they are almost £200!) but I just had no idea if the wear was excessive or ok. I will put it all back together and see if I can take up all the slack ( I am aware I need to back off the adjustment by 1/2 a turn)

thanks again