VL 3-spd Transmission: Queston about sealed mainshaft bearing

[hmccorkl]

A double sealed bearing for the right hand side main shaft is offered to replace the ball bearings and races.
The original bearings are removed. The bearing race is removed from the large nut.
The new bearing easily presses in the nut with some lube.
The original configuration shows a copper oil seal disk on the main shaft before installing the bearing cage, then the bearing nut which is tightened and then backed off about 1/2 turn.
With the new sealed bearing - does the copper oil seal go on, then the sealed bearing with the nut. or do we leave it off during assembly?
Is there end play in the main shaft?

[RCamp]

Leave off the copper seal, set main shaft end play to .003"-.005".
Make sure everything inside the kicker cover is greased well as no oil that would normally leak past the copper seal will get to that area now.

[downunder vl]

There is an article from 1999 covering this and if you haven't seen it already makes interesting reading.

http://webspace.webring.com/people/qp/pravg/clutch.htm

I have just done this with one of my V model boxes as has a friend. Roller bearings in both ends of the mainshaft. Instead of grinding a groove in the countershaft for an O ring I fitted a welsh plug with sealer which I think will do the job. I also put a lip seal into the clutch side of the main drive gear. Time will tell if this is a complete oil fix or not.

I had about the same as RCamp with end play in the mainshaft and the countershaft and the whole box works extremely smoothly. Also did not install either copper seal. I'm just waiting on a thinner clutch roller bearing washer to finish the job. The ones that I had were too thick and were binding when the clutch assembly was tightened down.

I won't have this box in a bike running for a while so would be interested in the results.

[harleytoprock]

I left out both copper seals. I used a lip seal on the sprocket side and a sealed bearing on both ends. I set it up for .005 end play. No leaks and shifts awesome. I think I also made some hardened spacers to compensate for the lack of copper seals.

[Steve Slocombe]

I've run out of original Harley 2280-15 ball bearings, and have also used a similar Volkswagen bearing cut down, but am now using the sealed bearings as above. The problem with these is that they do not have the say 0.050" offset of the Harley ones, which throws out the mainshaft spacing and means you need thinner 2500-19 thrust washers under the clutch or else the drum binds. It's worth trying to find a hardened washer around 0.050" thick to put under the sealed ball bearing if you are going this route.

[downunder vl]

Great to know harleytoprock. That's just what I have done so I'm really looking forward now to getting it up and running. As Steve has said you need the thinner 2500-19 which I have on the way from him.

[hmccorkl]

Thanks guys ! That straightens out the bearing question......

One more quick one about the 28-tooth sprocket adjustment.

What adjustments are made fitting the sprocket on the main gear.
From what I can gather, the sprocket collar fits over the main gear, then the sprocket, the dust shield, lock washer and nut.
Does the sprocket collar need a shim to keep the sprocket from digging into the case?
Is the nut tightened just enough so the sprocket just scrapes the case? Thanks in advance.

[Steve Slocombe]

There is no adjustment on the countershaft sprocket, and if it fouls the case then something is usually wrong. You need the 2339-25 collar over the main gear, then the 2341-16 oil ring, then the sprocket with the dished side facing out, then dust shield, lock washer and big left hand nut. This 2335-15 nut is done up 'very tight'. All this is in my VL book which I hope you have. That was a commercial break. This is a well designed and robust gearbox which can take a lot of use and then come back for more after overhaul. All parts are available, with both shafts and all three gears new if needed.

[hmccorkl]

Thank you Steve. I'm definitely missing the oil ring. My 2339-25 collar measures .607 thick and might be worn? How thick is the oil ring? Thanks again.

[Steve Slocombe]

Collar sounds OK and oil ring is around 0.050" thick.

[hmccorkl]

Thanks, Steve. It worked like a champ.
I understand a felt washer was installed around the collar before the oil ring was placed over the main drive gear.
These felt washers don't seem to be available - and I wonder if there are other felt washers used on the VL (hubs, brakes, axles, etc..) that can be used instead?
Or, is it just a better practice to leave it off?

[frichie68]

I've heard that if your VL doesn't have a puddle under it, either something's wrong with it or it's completely out of oil......?
Rich

[Steve Slocombe]

That felt washer is 2340-16 and seen more on early gearboxes than late ones. I made a batch and now they are all gone. I'm guessing they were discontinued sometime in the VL years, but it's hard to find gearboxes that have not been worked on before. Any ideas out there?

[Peter Cooke]

After reading through this thread and the web link provided by “downunder vl” it appears that in order to keep the mainshaft in as near as possible to original position I should use the sealed ball bearing 6304 2RS on the right hand side with an approx 0.050” thick hardened washer in place of the old copper seal.
By not using the 0.050” thick hardened washer – Doesn’t this result in a 0.050” misalignment between the front and rear primary drive sprockets?
Then on the left side I use an NU208 (80mm x 40mm x 18mm) bearing as per the web link. Should I be putting the old Roller Bearing Plate, 2288-17, back in before the NU208 bearing in order to keep the final drive sprocket in correct alignment with the rear wheel sprocket?
Also wondering if anyone has done anything different to the method described in the web link for the new spacer and lip seal? And any other tips that may come in handy? Particularly interested to know if any shaft grinding required to suit new bearings.