AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Can anyone help me, my clutch is either in or out. I’ve just finished a complete rebuild on my 1963 m31.But I’m having clutch problems. I select first gear ok but when I start releasing the clutch lever nothing happens until it’s nearly completely out, this is about 1/4 inch of the last movement which makes for a very severe clutch. It’s got all new plates the cable is new and the gear box pivot is all good. The lever is new with 7/8 pivot. The clutch releases and functions fine except for this issue. Are there any tricks to overcome the problem or is it normal.

Not normal, sounds like the clutch plates are sticking on the drum, is the clutch drum grooved?

I had the same problem overcame it by increasing the spring tension. then making sure the cable had no
tight bends in it.you may have to give the adjustment on the springs several goes.I found that the adjuster
nuts on the springs were almost flush with the pressure plate.Good luck.

Thanks guys, the drum is in good condition with no grooves, I will pull things apart again but I suspect it’s something to do with the actuator lever in the gearbox.

Hi, I’ve been doing some research on the actuating lever, there appears to be a couple with different angled ramps for the Norton Atlas and Commando in the AMC gearbox ?

Yes, the operating lever ramps for pre-Commando and Commando clutches are different. If you suspect the clutch operating lever to be of the wrong type, there are good images of both types at the Andover Norton parts database.
It's part no. 33 in this view:
https://www.nortonownersclub.org/sites/ ... C5EDA9.png

- Knut