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ME
by E-mail Please give your e-mail a
subject: otherwise it looks like one of those assholes selling Viagra
and I'll dump it before I look at it!!
Revised 7/31/07: added tip #3 after the bearings section below.
E-MAIL ME Please give your e-mail a subject:
otherwise it looks like one of those assholes selling Viagra and I'll
dump it before I look at it!!
1. BATTERY:
Over the years I've gone through many types of batteries. The Yuasa's
were good. As I mentioned on the home page, I converted the bikes to 12
volts. The bulbs are cheaper, more available, and last longer. I used
the Boyer Brandson solid state regulator to make the conversion. More on
that later. For the past 7 years I've been using a SENTRY battery
(actually 2). I've found these to be superior to anything else I've
tried in that they're very inexpensive, extremely rugged, and last a
long time. What's most important to me is that they are truly SEALED and
don't leak. I bought (2) 12 volt batteries several years ago with the
hard rubber casing made to look like original equipment. They were
awful. One leaked all over my freshly restored 63 Super Rocket. They
didn't last and made a hell of a mess. I ended up cutting off the tops
and gutting them. Now I put (2) Sentry 6 volt batteries wired in series
into those casings and they work perfectly. The model number of the
battery is PM640F1. The link below will take you right to SENTRY'S website.
They are 4-1/2 amp-hours each. They cost me less than $10.00 each and one set lasted me
six years. I get mine from a local hardware store. They are small and can
easily be wired in series if you want 12 volts or in parallel if you
want 6 volts with enough amperage to run lights. The A10's of course
don't use much current (running on magneto ignition) so the batteries
basically just run the lights. Feel free to E-mail me if you have questions.
2. BEARINGS Back when I was restoring the '58 Flash (around 1992) I made a list
of all the bearings that needed replacement. Here I'll list the sizes.
Back then I purchased them from industrial bearing suppliers. Now I
guess the web is the way to go. Now that I'm starting on the '56 Road
rocket I'll have to update my knowledge of bearings and where to get
them. As I do I'll add that to this section. I use sealed bearings. No
more stuffing the wheels with grease and worrying about bent up grease
deflectors. For now, here are the sizes that I researched:
REAR WHEEL: 1958 and up (not Ariel wheel but cast iron full
width hub) Original: Hoffman (England) 120 VZ
O.D 47mm,
I.D. 20mm
thk. 14mm
Replacement: General bearing 6204
1 Each
Original: Hoffman (England) LS10
O.D 2.250 in.
I.D. 1 in.
thk. .625 in.
Replacement: General bearing LS10
1 Each (on the sprocket side)
FRONT WHEEL: 1958 and up (not Ariel wheel but cast iron full
width hub) Original: Hoffman (England) 120 VZ
O.D 47mm,
I.D. 20mm
thk. 14mm
Replacement: General bearing 6204
2 each
BOTH WHEELS ('56, '57, ARIEL WHEELS)
Front and rear wheels each use (2) LS10 bearings
Original: Hoffman (England) LS10
O.D 2.250 in.
I.D. 1 in.
thk. .625 in.
Replacement: General bearing LS10
TRANSMISSION There are two bearings
Original: Hoffman LS8
O.D 1.875 in.
I.D. .750 in.
thk. .5625 in.
Replacement: General bearing LS8
Original: Hoffman 135 V3
O.D 72 mm
I.D. 35 mm
thk. 17 mm
Replacement: General bearing 6207
MAIN ENGINE BEARING This must be single lip type. The outer race has a single lip so
it can be dissassembled.
Original: Hoffman R130 V3
O.D 62 mm
I.D. 30 mm
thk. 16 mm
Replacement: General bearing NF 206
3. TIP, Chainguard-1
There's a bolt that passes through a tab on the inner primary cover.
That bolt passes through the innermost section of the chain guard, (the
section that fits over the trans sprocket). It's a nightmare trying to
get the nut and lockwasher on that bolt. no room for your hands and a
wrench. I suggest brazing or spot welding the nut on the inner chain
guard section. Then you simply screw in the bolt and be done with it! Do
the brazing before you paint it!!
The modern equivalent spark plugs I use (and they
work well) are:
1958 Golden Flash (my guess is these will
work with any iron head 650 A10)
NGK: B6HS or BR6HS
Champion: L82C
1963 Super Rocket
(these should work with any aluminum head 650 A10)
Autolite: 4053
NGK: B7ES
I found a great website that confirms this. Go to www.sparkplugs.com.
and do a search.
