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got it sorted. The Auto Sparky told me he had supplied clockwise rotation. He actually supplied the correct cable .t

So now I cant seem to find any of this speedo cable in NZ. Have been supplied the clockwise version but would rather use the correct version. I need a length of 492 mm, 4mm speedo cable for anticlockwise driven speedo. To ID the cable, the outer wire is spun in a clockwise direction, so that when rotated anticlockwise, it would have the tendency to wind up. Spun the other way, the outer spun wire would tend to unwind, and jam. Many thanks Dereck PS I put this request in the buy/sell part of this forum as well.

Cant seem to find any of this cable in NZ. Have been supplied the clockwise version but would rather use the correct version. To ID the cable, the outer wire is spun in a clockwise direction, so that when rotated anticlockwise, it would have the tendency to wind up. Spun the other way, the outer spun wire would tend to unwind, and jam. Many thanks Dereck

Hi Mark. If you look at the original photo, you will see most of the wear is where the bolts were inside the shackles. Because the locking system had failed. I intend to fix the bolts into the shackles so they don't move. The area in contact with the bronze bushes did not wear as much, so hopefully, they will all outlast me. I think in NZ, it is frowned apon to weld steering or suspension parts..

Mark. The original pins on this car were not hardened. Ron. Getting original parts can be a problem without knowing what the part number is. In NZ however, the overseas owned companies think we are a bunch of patsies, and charge through the nose for genuine parts. Maybe they do that where you live as well.[ I know because my background is auto engineering ] Picture below shows the drilled put and re-bushed shackles [ top left one has yet to receive the bushes ], as well as the new smooth 1/2 " bolt. You can see how the locating flats for the shackle pins have worn. Wasn't the most ideal way to make these but hell, that was 100 years ago. One of the threads in the chassis for the rear springs has taken a flogging as well so when I have in my possession the 2 new 5/8 bolts, I will buy a Heli-coil kit and repair the thread. Its all a lot of work but we still have the original parts working. Could have been quicker to make new shackles and make up stepped pins that can be tightened against the shackles to prevent the wear that goes with the originals where the pins a just pushed through the shackles. I have some ideas about how to make the pins more rigid in the shackles but will let you know later how I go about it. Main thing at this stage is to get the chassis back on the suspension so I can refit the engine etc when it arrives. I will find out tomorrow how much longer the work will take, as the line boreing has not been started yet. You will notice the shackle pairs are held together. I have drilled one end of each shackle, then bolted the pairs together so they are matching. The bolts are longer so that I can fit two nuts together and lock them to the bolts. Outer nut to be nylock. Originals were just wound on to reduce end play then split pined. Hence the wear marks. The front bushes in the rear springs were 5/8 x 3/4 x 2 inches, but I can only source 16x20x50 mm bushes. 16mm is 5 thou over 5/8 so I will machine the bushes down to 3/4 plus 5 thou in order to close the clearance up a bit. All bolts to be drilled out and tapped for the grease nipples. Because my Dodge has been converted to a truck and the rear wheels reduced to 21 inchs, I need to adjust the rear guards a bit as I noticed they were rubbing on the rear shackle bolts.

No. You have to take the top off the tranny. The nut on top holds the drive in place, but it is inserted from underneath. Eazy Peazy.

My speedo was stuck. I managed to get it apart. :Lubricating the driven shaft only allowed it to turn stiffly. I rang the supplier of the cable and they were able to sort the speedo out for me so i sent it to them this morning. They had not done the cable yet so will include the new cable with the speedo when it is returned to me. DB26. What are you going to do about your problem. No point in not fixing it. We need to know how you fixed it otherwise what was the point in asking on this forum.

Had a bit of trouble getting the right HT bolts for the shackle pins. Finally some arrived on Friday but when I checked that night, I found the finish on them was as rough as guts. No good for me. I have one good black steel HT bolt that is perfect. Everyone tried selling me plated ones but the plating will wear off too quickly.

Had not thought of that, but I asked the man to send me a length of the same one that was sold to our Whangarei member. Its anticlockwise looking into the speedo, so I will check it out when its gets here. Couriers are very slow at them moment. Took a week [ after ringing up on the 5th working day to find out where it had got to ], for my front spring eye bushes to arrive from Auckland. The cable I took out had a r/h threaded look so was the right type.

My speedo has seized [ the drive wont turn ], and I cant get it apart. Can anyone throw some light on how it is supposed to come apart. I have removed the 4 screws from the circumference and there were 3 screws in the back of the head which I have removed. Just need to know for sure which bits slide apart before I start putting pressure on it. I sprayed some loctite Freeze and Release into the drive so will wait to see what happens. Thought I might as well spray it on the body and sure enough, it came apart easily without forcing. The speedo drum moves freely so its probably only the seized drive. After leaving it for a while, I managed to get it turning using a screw driver. Not too hard to turn but too hard to spin with my fingers using a cable end. Seems to have a tight spot, but still not free all the way around.

Mpgp. Look at the pother speedo question.

I have just done up my gearbox. Final check was the speedo drive, and to my surprise, I found the bushes etc were very badly worn, probably enough to disengage the gear. I stripped it, machined down the shaft to get it true and made up and fitted new bronze bushes. Having never driven the vehicle at all, I never experienced what you have found. Next job will be to check out the speedo. It could never have worked as the inner cable that came in the car was far to short. New pc of 5/32 " x 18 3/8 " long cable on the way to me and I will re-solder the ends on it when it arrives.

Are there any records available that might record when my car was shipped to NZ. Probably built on 17/5/23 going by the chassis number. It has been brought to my attention that I need to prove the car has been registered in NZ before. There were no papers or rego plates with this car when I bought it off a relation in Taupo about 38 years ago.

You can see from the pictures how worn the front pins, bushes and shackles are. My intention is to bore out the worn holes and press in steel bushes which I will make to size. New pins will be HT steel 1/2 in bolts which I will drill out and fit grease nipples. Some of the eyes in the springs have taken a pounding as well, but I can fill that with a metal filler.

After getting my dodge back from the panel beater, who straightened the front chassis rails, I new the next project wild be spring bushes and shackles. I have never seen bushes and shackles so worn. Only one of the front spring bushes had not worn all the way thought on the thrust side. the font pins were ok but the bushes complet3ely worn,. The shackle arms had worn oval and the pins were very badly stepped. The rear holes in the springs were badly worn. I could not get new imperial buses for the front springs so have ordered 12x16x50 bushes so i can machine them. Yesterday I checked the rear springs and the shackles appeared to have no wear but the front bushes had plenty of movement. Those front pins seem ok but the bushes are worn, but nowhere near how much the font ones were worn. More to come.

I have been thinking of what you have mentioned. A qualified boiler maker or blacksmith could do that but are there any left now. All that kind of work is now being done by the Chinese because at the moment it is cheaper. When the time comes though, and when there are no qualified journeymen left, and no businesses making there products in their own countries, what will happen. If we are not careful, we will become the servants of the Chinese and paid what we are worth. I mentioned blacksmith here because my Uncle was a black-smith and he helped my father sort out a diff problem with my grandfathers 37 Vauxhall 10 [ bought new and which he owed and drove till 1972 ]. There was a weakness in how the crown-wheel was attached to its carrier by a series of very small bolts, which regularly came loose. The Vauxhall 12 had a better diff, but was too wide for the 10. My uncle said go and get one and he would narrow it down. He shortened the banjo and shortened both axles. They never broke and never gave any trouble after that.

I missed them , but crud build up in he engine would have disguised it. Also, all the bolts had had the snot wound out of them. Pulled my front suspension out of the car a stripped all shackles and bushes. Only one bush had not worn completely through. Looks like I will be boring the shackles out to take 9/16 inch bolts. Front pins will be reusable. I can only get metric bushes but at least I will have them tomorrow. look like I will strip the rear springs a s well. i expected bad wear in the front becuae of the twist and miss alignment of the front chassis rails. all good fun. Just as well I am retired and can spare the time now. Ni worries. SOMEONE ON THIS FORUM WARNED ME ABOUT CRACKED CRANK'S SO i CHECKED THAT OUT. THE ONE ON MY SPARE ENGINE WAS OK BUT i AM SURE THE ONE THAT WAS IN THE CAR WAS CRAcKED. [ F..K CAPS LOCKS ] I wonder if new brake drums are available. I think they are all getting pretty thin now. Just as well they are made of good steel or we would all be in trouble.

Some photos of the cracked main bearing caps. I am told my "short block" will be ready in about 3 weeks. The rear and centre main caps were cracked, with the centre one cracked on both sides. I had the front guards fully repaired and painted, and had the front chassis rails straightened out while the car was at the panel beaters. All back home now with the guards now sitting on the tray. [ that exercise was the most expensive part of the restoration so far ] Don't want to fit them till I have the running gear fitting and proved.

Its a volume pump. The check valve in the supply line only acts as a valve [ restriction ] to allow a small pressure build up to make the oil pressure gauge register. Without it, there would hardly be any build up of pressure because the pump feeds the oil gallery which has holes in it to squirt directly at the main bearing and cam "cups" and big end channels. Full flow in and full flow out, so with no restriction, no pressure. dippers on the bottom of the rods feed the big ends and splash oil up to the bores and pistons. Looking at my engines, there is no direst supply to the pistons. the mains and cam have "cups" [ which are open at the bottom ] to catch oil and let it sit on the bearing journals. Once you have stripped one down and had a good look, you will understand what I am saying. Later engines, with pressure fed mains [ I believe the early versions ] held 15 psi. Modern cars, at least 25 psi and up to 60 plus psi. Note, big end channels mentioned above are there to allow the dippers to hit the oil sent to them, without churning the oil in the sump into a froth, which isn't a good thing to happen. I cant see the point in that other oil pump unless someone has run out of oil at some stage and ruined the original [ which is easily removed from the sump for any possible refurbishment necessary ].. Both my engines were still original, and with a thick build up of black crud, yet the oil pumps were still usable after rubbing a few thou of the bodies to close up the end float. u

see above

The shorter cable I had has a crimped bit on the side which engages with the speedo drive shaft. End on it looks a bit like an old key hole. Both ends of that cable are the same and both ends engage well with the speedo drive shaft. I will have to go to the panel beaters again to look at what drive end goes into the existing speedo [ which looks original ]. I repaired the speedo drive and refitted it to the top of the gearbox yesterday. Thanks 22touting. I did suspect the outer cable was correct as it was fitted to box and speedo before I removed it from the vehicle. I had guesstimated that the inner cable might be 3/4 inch longer than the outer. Best to ask eh. I will have to find out where to get another cable made. I haven't seen that type of inner cable end before. [ mostly square ends ]. Its also interesting that the outer cable is a lot larger inside the conventional cables to allow for those larger crimped on ends to pass through. There was a broken drive piece seized in the end of my speedo drive shaft which I managed to get out.

Hopefully someone can confirm this length as my car is at the panel beaters [ 20 kms away ] getting the front guards rebuilt, and my g/box is sitting on my workbench. My outer cable is 19 5/8 inches from flat end to flat end. The inner cable that came with it is too short, being only 18 7/8 inches long. Hopefully someone can let me know the correct length for this car. I am having to refurbish the drive as it is very badly worn. { machine shaft and make new bushes }

Don't get low bars. Get something that gives you more of the upright riding stance and go back to the standard foot pegs etc.. You can always slide your ass back on the seat to get the forward lean when you go faster. At our rally last week I was talking to a guy in his 50's who rode a Ducati. He cant ride for more that an hour on that bike so he has decided to sell it and get one he can ride in a more up right position. I can still ride mine for up to 8 hours in a day. I do get a Bloody Sore Ass after a few hours though.

Most Commando's have been improved over the years. Including reinforcing the glass seat frame on the 750, reinforcing the steel seat frame on the 850, plus fitting non wearing side spacers on the isolastic's, the Ludwig Head steady, Lansdown front fork inserts and Ikon rear shocks in the 850 . Modified swing arm pivot and throwing the side stand in the sea on the 750. Changing the gearbox and primary oils for ATF and reinforcing the centre stands on both bikes. Both bikes handle like the Manx now [ well close anyway ].

Got word back from the recondioner last week and was told of 1 cracked exhaust seat and 2 cracked main bearing caps. As I was going past them to the National Norton rally last Friday, I took in the main caps from my spare engine for them to check [ with the idea of swapping blocks over ]. When I got back from the rally on Tuesday, they told me 2 of those main caps were cracked as well. All near the sharp edge where the nuts sit. They will get a piece of round steel and make new caps out of that and fit hardened seats to the block.