COMMANDO SWINGING ARM SERVICE KIT - LONG

SERVICE KIT FOR THE NORTON COMMANDO SWING ARM 1967 TO 1973 (THE LONG SPINDLE TYPE).
CONTENTS
STANDARD SIZE (7/8") SPINDLE, 7" LONG, (ALL OUR SPINDLES INCORPORATE THE 1/4" UNF BOLT THREADED HOLE, THE INTERNAL EXTRACTOR THREAD, OILING HOLE ARE HARDENED FOR DURABILITY AND MADE IN THE UK)
SINTERED BRONZE BUSHES (37mm LONG)
FOUR O RINGS
STAINLESS STEEL SIDE PLATES
1/4 UNF LOCATING BOLT AND WASHER
LONG THIN ROD
SEALING WASHER
A NIPPLE WITH SEALING WASHER.
BRIEF NOTES REGARDING COMMANDO SWINGING ARM SPINDLES AND ASSOCIATED HARDWARE.
INITIALLY THE SPINDLE WAS 7" LONG (060453 IS STANDARD SIZE, 064077 IS +.005" OVERSIZE AND 050092 IS +.010 OVERSIZE).  THIS ARRANGEMENT CONTINUED RIGHT THROUGH ALL 750 AND EARLY 850.  IT IS EASILY IDENTIFIED AS THE TWO END PLATES WERE HELD TOGETHER WITH A LONG THIN SPOKE LIKE BOLT (060873) WITH THE HEAD VISIBLE FROM THE RIGHT SIDE, THE PLATE ON THE RIGHT SIDE (060868) ALSO HAS A 'GREASE' NIPPLE (063411) ALTHOUGH IT SHOULD BE POINTED OUT THAT THIS IS USED TO INTRODUCE A HEAVY OIL (139687) THIS BEING THE PREFERRED LUBRICATION MEDIUM.  THE LEFT HAND END PLATE (060869) AND 37MM LONG BUSHES (060447) ARE USED WITH THE LONG SPINDLE AND A RATHER FECKLESS 1/4" UNF HEX HEAD SCREW LOCATES IT IN THE CRADLE.  THE SEAL BETWEEN THE SWING ARM AND GEARBOX CRADLE IS ACHIEVED WITH THE USE OF TWO O RINGS (060449) AND TWO DUST COVERS (060446).  THE OUTER PLATES ARE ALSO SEALED WITH O RINGS (060448).  A SET OF O RINGS (060448/9) IS AVAILABLE.

THE SHORTER SPINDLE WAS INTRODUCED IN LATE 73 EASILY IDENTIFIED AS THE SIDE PLATES TURNED INTO CORE PLUGS KNOCKED IN SO SLIGHTLY DISHED NO CENTRAL THRU BOLT AND NO GREASE NIPPLE.  LUBRICATION WAS OPTIMISTICALLY ACHIEVED BY THE INSERTION OF FOUR FELTS (050223) SOAKED IN HEAVY OIL.  THE BUSHES (065320) WERE ALSO SHORTER AT 30MM LONG.  THE PURPOSE OF THIS RE DESIGN SEEMS AIMED MORE AT EASE OF ASSEMBLY AND SAVING MONEY RATHER THAN IMPROVING THE BIKE.  THE INTRODUCTION OF A BONDED METAL/RUBBER SEAL BETWEEN THE SWING ARM AND GEARBOX CRADLE (065227) WAS AN IMPROVEMENT BUT OTHERWISE THE SHORT SPINDLE WAS A SLIGHT STEP BACKWARDS, BUSH AREA AND LUBRICATION BOTH BEING INFERIOR TO THAT IT REPLACED.

THE 850 MK3 COMMANDO RETAINED THE SHORT SPINDLE SYSTEM BUT IMPROVED THE SPINDLE LOCATION IN THE GEARBOX CRADLE BY THE ALTERATION OF THE GEARBOX CRADLE AND SWING ARM TO ALLOW THE FITTING OF TWO COTTER PINS (064700) TO LOCATE THE SPINDLE, THUS ELIMINATING THE MAJOR FAULT WITH THE ORIGINAL DESIGN, MOVEMENT OF THE SPINDLE IN THE CRADLE.  

ALL OUR SPINDLES INCORPORATE BOTH LOCATING FEATURES, 1/4" HEX SCREW OR COTTER PIN ALLOWING THEM TO FIT WHICHEVER SYSTEM YOU HAVE.  MANY CRADLES PRODUCED FOR EARLIER BIKES NOW INCORPORATE THE COTTER PIN BOSSES.