Introduction
(Click Thumbnails to Enlarge)
Here are some photos of the Bonnie during the 2015 Winter tear-down.
Goals
In addition to a thorough cleaning/polishing and annual check-up,
this winter's tear-down has two major goals.
Electrical Gremlin
The first goal is to banish the pestiferous electrical gremlin that
plagued the Bonnie during much of last summer. Although I learned
how to temporarily dispatch the gremlin (a gentle tug on the wiring harness
where it looped out from between the frame and the gas tank on its
way to the headlight shell and ignition switch), I could never
pin down the exact location and cause of it.
Considering how I often ride in relatively remote areas and
that I do not own a cellphone, the prudent thing is to
expunge the gremlin once and for all with entirely new wiring.
I replaced the
original wiring harness
in 2006
with a cloth-covered reproduction from British Wiring and I
was quite satisfied with the quality. However, due to changes
I had made, such as relocation of the condensers and zenner diode,
none of the stock wiring harness configurations were an exact fit
and I had to make modifications to the new one.
In the interim I eliminated the condensers when I installed a Pazon
CDI, and have now also acquired a Podtronics regulator to replace the
zenner diode and selenium rectifier. All the older components functioned
perfectly as far as I know, but nothing lasts forever and in the
interest of reliability I decided it would be expedient to upgrade them.
Furthermore, I don't run the Bonnie with the oil pressure switch
or turn signals and I have integrated the handlebar dip switch into
the headlamp shell's
Lucas 35710 lighting switch.
All things considered, a standard wiring harness didn't make too much
sense, so I have elected to create my own
custom wiring system.
Compared to the
stock electrical wiring system the simplified custom wiring
should provide highly reliable service.
Selecting First Gear
My second goal is to eliminate the Bonnie's tendency to pop out of
first gear during the first few minutes of operation.
This problem began surfacing sporadically several years ago and
had gotten progressively worse. It has now reached the point
where it occurs regularly at the start of each day. Although it
always disappears after three or four minutes of warm up, and
never appears again until the next day's cold start, whatever the cause
it can only get worse so I want to eliminate it while it is still
only an annoyance.
Since the transmission is stripped and the outer gearbox cover
is removed, it makes good sense at 65,000 miles to inspect all
gearbox components. Pulling out all the gears is something I probably
would not consider doing myself. Heck, I wouldn't even pull out one
or two!
But since the most
knowledgeable and accomplished Triumph/BritIron guy around
has offered to guide me, I am ready to go where no
amateur mechnic like me has dared to go before. At least, not soberly.
More pics to come. Of course.
Issues
The only major issue encountered (so far) was removal of the
clutch center. On two separate occaisions previously I managed
this with no difficulty using the proper
extraction tool.
My first attempt this time only succeeded in stripping the
outside threads of the extractor.
Had not a clue what to do next.
However, acting upon advice from reliable and experienced guys,
I threaded the new tool into the threads inside the clutch
center, tightened the extraction bolt (bears against
the end of the mainshaft) enough to pre-load a force
between it and the end of
the mainshaft, and then gave the bolt a good blow with a
soft, heavy brass hammer. Satisfying. But no luck.
Next, with the extraction tool still installed and pre-loaded as
before, I tried gently tapping laterally against the sides of the
clutch center with an aluminum drift. Followed by a couple more
shots of brass hammer. Still no luck.
What finally succeeded was the air wrench set
to its weakest force, gently hammering away on the
extraction bolt for
possibly an hour, or at least 15 or 20 seconds during which
I got to wonder if I was purely and simply destroying
threads of clutch center and tool alike.
After the clutch center finally came off the mainshaft, the key
between them was taken out in
two pieces,
one from the shaft and the other from the hub.
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