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I'm going to do a quickie on my 46 Chief engine and trans. Main problem is the cylinders get too rusty too soon. Had a 86 Buick whack me a couple weeks ago and I'm down for new exhaust and paint anyway. The trans gears in my bike now have 54,000 miles on them and they were used Scout gears when I put them in, in 1978. Nobody back then made really good gears and even NOS wasn't a guarantee of perfection. Replaced the cluster bushings twice, both time made a much longer right bushing, right up to oil hole, and shortened the spacer. Shouldn't really complain, I guess, but the trans is getting noisy again, so I know the right side bushing has a boat load of slop now. Never tried needle bearings. I did a fair amount of Indian engines before I sort of retired and went to FL. One of the engines I remember most was Tom Thomass' of NY State, who blew his to bits on his way to Harmony one year. Rod thru the cases and the front cylinder. Not much was usable. but I'll never forget that when I opened the trans the gears were beautiful. They had needle bearings in the cluster and a home made thrust washer to control end play. I'm pretty sure they were Starklite gears because they had SC stamped in. The bearings were perfect, the shaft was perfect and it had a bunch of long distance miles on it. Does anyone have a recommendation for something like this today? I know there's another type of bearing similar to a needle that Kiwi used to sell, are they used by anyone. I'm getting too old to be pulling the engine out every 20,000 miles.
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I used Kiwi's caged needle bearings as well as a countershaft and a full set of gears in my 47 Chief. That was a decade ago, maybe more. I have probably put 20,000 miles on them probably more. No problems.
I don't think you can go wrong with bushings though. There was a time when Stark was pushing needle bearings and most others were recommending against their use, including Kiwi. During this time I repaired the transmission on my 48 Chief. It would not stay in second and would sometimes jump out of low. Upon inspection, everything looked fine save the sliding gear and the countershaft. So I thought I could get by cheap. I replaced the sliding gear and countershaft and cut some new bushings for the cluster gear on my trusty Logan (although, the old bushings were a pretty good fit on the new countershaft). This repair has lasted to the present with no problems. And this bike was ridden everywhere I went from 1985 to the speed limit change in the mid-90s. Exact mileage unknown, but something like 3,500 to 4,500 miles a year up to the speed limit change and 1,500 a year since. -
Thanks Jack, it's just with the unleaded gas, better oils, valves, rings, etc, I don't have the engine out very much anymore. I'm at 20,000 now and if I could go 30,000 with bearings, instead of bushings, I'm doing it. When I do replace the bushings, the right side has well over .060" slop in it. And with magnetic drain plugs, the pieces shouldn't be getting in anything. Plus with bearings, or the rollers you describes, thinner oil works, right?Comment
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