AJS & Matchless Owners Club

My kickstart spring is weak so no longer returns the lever to fully upright. At present it is held up with a bungee, enhancing the appearance of the bike but I'd like to replace the spring if possible. I have bought a new spring and searched for previous threads regarding this, too see what problems I may encounter. I found this one which is exactly the right thing but, having read it, I'm thinking I might not bother because I haven't a clue what they're all talking about as I've never looked inside. However, prehaps I'd understand if I could see what there is, but before I start taking things off, I need assurance that I'm not going to remove something and everything inside will go boing all over the place.

I have in the past removed the levers and side casing, to fix an oil leak from the camshaft housing, so can get that far.
I should be able to drain the gearbox oil.
If the bolts holding the gearbox outer cover aren't seized, I should also be able to remove that, but, if I do, will everything stay in place within, so I could gulp, shake my head, and put it all back undisturbed or does this cover hold anything in place.

The particular bit that worries me is this quote: "to the gear box outer cover tap to break the seal and carfully remove noteing the set up of
gear selector and return spring and set aside."Does that mean they come away with the cover or stay in their correct position until removed?

All advice would be gratefully read, followed, or ignored depending on my understanding and ability.

Have a look at the exploded view in the parts book or Christians archives. I renewed my broken spring about 6 months ago but can't remember exactly how, (senior moment ). I am pretty sure that when I removed the 6 long screws and tapped the outer casing, as suggested, I then removed it leaving the gear change spindle behind in the main box, by doing that you don't upset anything. I know it's very easy to do so don't worry and have a go. Let us know how you get on.

Thank you. With that encouragement and in the absence of anyone screaming "DON'T DO IT," I'll give it a try.

How did you get on Janet? I'm about to attempt this on my G5....

When I pulled the end off the gearbox, there was a springy thing that had the round bit at the sitting in a sort of cup, both being threaded on the gear-change shaft doo-dah. The spring had two tails that fitted into two slots on a part bolts on. It should make sense when you see it But look at photo 43, page 5 on the attached link. http://archives.jampot.dk/Technical/Tra ... ebuild.pdf These tails are short enough that if you get it a bit out of place they pop out of the slots. Although this didn't boing off across the shed it did ping out of place and I had to work out which way up the cup thing should go to put it back as it spun round. It was fiddly because there was nothing to hold it in place except my fingers until I got the cover pushed far enough in to hold it.

Replacing the kick-start spring itself was very easy.

One problem I got was as I pulled the outer case off, it moved the next bit of the gearbox very slightly and now the gasket leaks a bit. I don't want to take that off until I really have to as it means removing serious bits. The drip is small enough for me to be able to keep it topped up without needing a tanker. I suggest you try to get the outer cover of without dislodging the next one.

Good luck.

The only way you can avoid the movement of the central part of the gearbox casing is to take the index plunger out of the other end of the gearbox as the spring forces the gearbox apart once you have removed the screws from the timing side. The problem is that you need to take the drive side apart to get access to the plunger.

Nothing was forcing my gearbox apart when I undid the screws. I only managed to move anything by a lot of tugging and riving.

Hi Janet,
Thanks, I have downloaded the gearbox
rebuild pdf might come in handy in the future.
regards
Ray.