AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hi all, Trying to remove the front muguard [full depth type] to repaint it, looks easy as pie, but turns out not to be.
There is a bracket[stay] at the bottom which bolts to the lower part of the mudguard and fixes to the forks at the bottom with a bolt going throught the fork and threading directly into the stay [90 degrees to the axle]. The bolts came out easily but the bracket will not budge. Is there something else holding it in that is hidden?. Also the mudguard is wider then the fork legs, I had to bend the mudguard in some to clear the legs, scratching more paint off the mudguard. This will surely wreck my newly painted guard on re-assembly. Is there a certain proceedure to remove and refit the front guard?. Any advice appreciated as a simple job is becoming a right pain.
Regards,Dave R

Remove the front wheel and simply slide the guard down to remove, reverse procedure to replace!

Paul

Thanks Paul, that sorts out the mudguard but how does the bottom stay bracket come off?

Yep, once the wheel is off it releases the tension on the bracket/forks and also now enough room to whack it with a big hammer and it came off .
Cheers, Daveski

Only just seen your enquiry and you have sussed it now.

The bracket "legs" are like cotter pins, they have flats which locate against the axle. Loosen the wheel spindle and tap them rearwards (of course) and, hey presto, they drop out.

Thanks for the info, I have only recently got into 'Old' Brit Bikes again, well for fun anyway. Had some in the 70s but only as old hacks cos I had no money for a new shiney bike. For a bike a simple as a G2, some of the things are darn over complicated, the front mudguard being one example. I bought it for fun, and fun I will have at all costs. The mudguard is now off, trashed the paint, good job I was taking it off to repaint it anyway. Rubbed down and ready for respraying tomorrow. I hope it goes back on without scrating the new paint, the tolerances look mighty close.

Try wrapping up the fork legs with cloth or thick plastic sheet to protect the guard paint when assembling!

Paul

Good idea Paul, spent 3 days re-painting and laquering front guard and stay, dont want to ruin the hard work. Is it best to bolt the guard abd stay together before re-fitting?. The guard fits in an up/down direction while the stay pushes in from the back [ 2 different directions], it looks tricky to get both mounting positions lined up without bending and scratching the guard.
Daveski

Eureka, front mudguard is painted and laquered and refitted, but what a hard job. Getting everything lined up was a nightmare, a 2 minute job took 3 hours with 2 pairs of hands [and I scratched the fork legs to hell], but at least I can respray them without removing anything. That mudguard is never coming off again unless it has to. I think this is a case of taking a simple item and making it as complicated as is possible. No wonder the japs took over. Long live Hinckley.

I love Hinkley, too.

1947 G80; 1956 18CS; 1956 G3LCS; 1960 G80CS; 1962 G80;
A gaggle of 250/441 BSA unit singles
2005 Triumph Bonneville T100

Cheers, Don.