TOPIC:

Hi, thanks for info. I have not had chance to much with bike yet, side panel off and battery out. Seat remains a puzzle, but can stay that way for the next few days, too much other stuff to do. I have no idea of when belt last changed, so that plus oil change and filter will be priorities once time permits. I am just trying to familiarise myself at the moment.I have been riding Ducatis for the last 45 years, though it is sixty years since my first 204 Ducati. I generally know my way around electrics, but I have never had dealings with inductive ignition (unless you think chain saws etc.).
Many thanks, Les.

Hi Les (Manxduke). I rarely visit this forum as should, but we've made contact in a roundabout fashion and shared info on these excellent bikes, of which I have 2 and 3/4 examples! I'm working up my latest, and have enquiries to make that I'll put up in a new topic.
Cheers,
Nick

Very busy last few days, but finally got chance to get the bike on a rear paddock stand. I had noticed when pushing it, the chain was far too tight, but one side was not touching the "cast right angle piece", so obviously something amiss.
When I got the nearside nut off (UK, LHS) there was a washer behind the shouldered nut. Imagine a washer for a 30mm spark plug, and you will understand the situation. The retaining nut on RHS was a simple, plain nut without a shoulder. When I tried to remove it, it slackened a little, then no more. I decided to pull the spindle out to the RHS. Only a short thread, should the nut be Loctited? After removing it in the workshop, and cleaning thread with wire brush, there was still tightness. I think the hammer man was here previously. With a fine file, I eased the thread and decided that I would fix it with Loctite.
I concluded that the holes in the "Right angle stop pieces" were a little oval, possibly wear, possibly sloppy manufacture. For the LHS, I found a suitably large, thick washer. I filed a flat, with the result that the spindle is not hald firmly not able to move about.
Having now looked in the service manual, it says "Remove both nuts", suggesting my mistake using Loctite. Of course if I had an exploded spares list view, I would know exactly what is required.
Can anybody enlighten me, should the RHS nut have a shoulder. Do the cast pieces wear (or be manufactured) oval.
Advice please.
Les.

Les,
I was a bit surprised to find a nut on both ends too. I left the OS/RHS one in place and drifted the axle out from the NS/LHS with a brass drift. I've not examined the cast chain adjusters yet, but will do when I get a new chain slider and can get on with putting the back wheel in again. I'm looking forward to riding the newer NordWest, especially since the starter sprag has gone on my original one.
Nick

I have been thinking about the cast pieces. As soon as I get chance (punctured front tyre to deal with first), I will take off one of the two cast pieces. I will then mount it in my four jaw chuck with the hole as centred as possible, then bore through to allow say 3mm diameter increase on the thread OD, (18mm I think), I will then increase my boring bar to get a concentric section of the angled part. Next I will make a new nut with a shoulder, the OD of which will fit snugly against the larger machined section. There will also be probably 3mm of the 21mm (18 + 3) so that the whole lot will be an individual fit, with no possibility of sloppy wheel alignment.
Please feel free to comment on my solution.
Les.

Les,
I eyeballed the cast chain adjusters on my Nordwest today and the holes look pretty circular to me. I can't see that it is worth bothering to make them especially tight on the axle or nut shoulder just for added precision when adjusting the chain. So long as any slack is taken up on the side that resists chain pull, they should be OK, and the axle nut clamping is the primary means of locating the wheel. I always do the final check on the chain line with a laser tool after using any graduated markings to get close to correct.
Nick