AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hello, one question:

Location of the Gearbox adjust..

On a G3LS 1955, the gear position adjuster is on the chaincase side or right?
On my bike, it is on the chaincase side (left) and on many photos it is also on the right. The good side is where?
First picture, position on my bike



Second photo on many others

IKBA but generally the top mounting is a bolt, not a stud and the bolt head is on the chancase side. That way if anything comes loose, it doesn't foul the chain with potentially unpleasant consequences.

I have to say that, on my own machine it's not the case because I was in a rush last time and didn't want to strip out the drive side stuff. There is a bracket on the rear of my chaincase which exactly lines up with the nut on the end of the bolt with only 1/8" clearance so the nut can't unwind easily into the chain. I have slotted in an AMC box where the adjuster is between the engine plates. This will all change when I put the Burman back in over winter so I can renovate the AMC box.

Mine's not all shiny like yours - are those braided oil pipes?

Johnny B

These are reinforced pipes.. but it's not my bike!
Mine is the photo above

The gearbox adjuster is on the right, where you can get to it easily. Perhaps that is the wrong name, as it is there to adjust the primary chain. The bracket on the back of your chain case does not appear to have had anything fitted on it. It should have a bracket that fits on the bottom of the battery carrier. You may notice the carrier has a countersunk hole in the base. So don't forget to use a counter sunk head screw. Hex head may make a hole in the battery.

The bottom photo is my bike. It's a '55 M18S, not a G3 though. Interesting that 56G80S says that generally the bolt head is on the chain case side. I put mine in the other way because that's the way round it was when I bought the bike but having found out that one (or more) of the previous keepers had been something less than sympathetic to the old girl's needs, I'm not going out on a limb and stating categorically that it should be one way or the other. I put new adjusters on when I had to take the engine out to repair the oil pump. The old ones were rusty and the nut and bolt head were a bit 'rounded off'.

Yes, the oil pipes are braided stainless steel over nitrile rubber. Partly for cosmetic reasons, partly for abrasion resistance.

If anyone is interested, there's more about my bike here :- http://www.whatfunnyhat.com/Frame_Stuff ... 2018S.html

Rob Harknett wrote:The gearbox adjuster is on the right, where you can get to it easily. Perhaps that is the wrong name, as it is there to adjust the primary chain. The bracket on the back of your chain case does not appear to have had anything fitted on it. It should have a bracket that fits on the bottom of the battery carrier. You may notice the carrier has a countersunk hole in the base. So don't forget to use a counter sunk head screw. Hex head may make a hole in the battery.

Thanks for your precisions. Do you have a drawing, picture or reference for this bracket?

Pharisee wrote:The bottom photo is my bike. It's a '55 M18S, not a G3 though. Interesting that 56G80S says that generally the bolt head is on the chain case side. I put mine in the other way because that's the way round it was when I bought the bike but having found out that one (or more) of the previous keepers had been something less than sympathetic to the old girl's needs, I'm not going out on a limb and stating categorically that it should be one way or the other. I put new adjusters on when I had to take the engine out to repair the oil pump. The old ones were rusty and the nut and bolt head were a bit 'rounded off'.

Yes, the oil pipes are braided stainless steel over nitrile rubber. Partly for cosmetic reasons, partly for abrasion resistance.

If anyone is interested, there's more about my bike here :- http://www.whatfunnyhat.com/Frame_Stuff ... 2018S.html

Hello Pharisee,

Very nice website !! It is a source of information for those who wish to restore this type of motorcycle. Congratulations and thank you ..

The parts list picture of the strap should be good enough, if not better that the one fitted on my bike. It should be easy enough to make from approx. 3mm thick x 18 mm flat steel. Make the bottom bend to give approx. 25 mm flat part to go on the chain case bracket. Drill a couple of holes in this same dia as in the chain case bracket , file out the middle so you have approx. 15 mm slot. ( slot is important not a hole. ) guess where the top bend should come to meet up under the battery carrier. Bolt the strap on the chain case, mid way in the slot ( important ) mark up where the hole need's to be in the bracket, via the counter sunk hole in the battery carrier base. Drill and finish off your bracket. So why was that slot important? It gives tolerance between the chain case bracket hole, and that in the battery carrier, centres of which can easily vary.

I wouldn't like having to try to adjust the primary chain if the adjuster was on the left/near side, spanner access would be very limited to say the least.

Are your engine plates the right way round?

Peter Morris wrote:
Are your engine plates the right way round?

The engine plates can only be fitted one way. The left and right plates are identical.

Spare parts list... 016876 - Engine plate , rear - 2 off