AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hi all
I have removed both frount and back wheels to replace the tyres. On reassemble I have noticed the frount axel has a very slight bend in it. I have attached a very blurry picture that shows the bend,

Question is can I straitened it? If so any suggestions on how I should do this would be appreciated.
Or any other suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Hi

I'd straighten it in a hydraulic press and confirm accuracy with a DTI whilst the spindle is mounted and rotated on vee blocks - if you don't have this tooling any good engineering workshop will have. Easy task, should take no more than half an hour so not expensive.

Regards Mick

I would be less keen to do this as the part under the bearing is significantly reduced in diameter. Straightening it may cause stress cracks. The bend is very minor and i doubt you would notice the minor tweak that would be needed on steering.

Thx both Mike and Clive
I really appreciate both of your suggestions on how to deal with this problem.

From what you indicate Clive using the axel will have very little effect on the front end, so I will try this first and if it doesn't work I can look for a second hand one even new if available.

Again thx both
Steve

Hi

I'm not sure I fully understand Clive's reply - I don't think the shaft diameter is reduced under the taper rollers.

I do know that with the shaft bent the taper rollers are no longer parallel to each other, this will result in more rapid wear, inefficient bearing adjustment and possibly overheating. It can also upset the relationship of the fork sliders to the stanchions, cause wear to the bushes, and effect the clamp up of the spindle / fork caps.

Regards Mick

May well be i am wrong Mick but if there is no change in diameter why can you not get the caged rollers off the shaft. And why can someone not simply remove the rollers and replace the bearings with new tapered rollers instead of paying £160 for the new one shaft and all from Vintage Bearings?

clive wrote:May well be i am wrong Mick but if there is no change in diameter why can you not get the caged rollers off the shaft. And why can someone not simply remove the rollers and replace the bearings with new tapered rollers instead of paying £160 for the new one shaft and all from Vintage Bearings?

There is no inner race on the original axle. The axle is heat treated and ground. The rollers bear directly on the axle. The replacement from Vintage Bearings has a reduced diameter and seperate, replaceable taper roller bearing are fitted.

As far as I know, the rollers and outer race are not a standard size, so if you remove the rollers and cage, you cannot get replacements. Andy