TRITON! ...at last...

[grandpaul]

I'm starting to believe that there's no way I'll ever top 55 pounds of hardware in a USPS medium flat rate box (three years ago, 3 Norton projects + misc. shop bits). I sent off the Triton stuff to be cadmium plated, along with a client's Magna project stuff, assorted bits from my future '65 & '68 Bonnies, and all the other rusty/dirty hardware I could find in (almost) every corner of the shop and it didn't quite tip 39 pounds. The postal clerk looked at me with a frown...

 

[grandpaul]

Finally got my spindle upgrade kit fabricated, and made an extra kit to put up for sale. It's turning out to be a lot more work than I thought to make these buggers, the hard part being threading the shaft.
All the bits laid out-

Loosely assembled in order-

End plate side-

Security plate/nut side-

Triton builders will want to know that the nut clears the peg mount plate-

Nice looking!

 

[DaveM]

Looking very nice

 

[otherwise]

Good one GP, it's coming on nicely.
The problem to the eye with unit construction Tritons is the large frame area accepting a compact engine. The engine mounts always look overpowering. Don't get me wrong, if I was building one I'd also go for a unit motor. When finishing the job consider painting the mounts black, which may (visually) shrink them into the frame.

 

[otherwise]

This is a nice one I spotted a couple of years back at a Norton day, ruined by rubbish mounts.

 

[grandpaul]

It's the outer plates that disctract, (especially some off-brand oversize custom fabricated ones); the inner ones (Dresda style) don't look bad to my eye.

 

[grandpaul]

Aluminum bits back from the polishers, now I can complete the forks. Just waiting on the wheels from Buchanan's (next week) and it'll be a rolling chassis.

Note 5 rod bearing shell halves? They must have fallen in the box of parts I shipped out, they polished 'em up real nice! hee hee

Also picked up a nice set of meters for a very good price, too bad they aren't the earlier grey-faced onces...

 

[grandpaul]

I tossed the cases in a 250F oven for 15 minutes, then dropped them (from about 18" high) open face-down onto my front porch; the timing side main, tranny main and tranny inner cover bearing all fell right out. I then smacked the primary side case a couple of times to attempt to persuade the roller outer race to come out, but it refused.

In the past, I've drilled two tiny holes on the outerside face of the case wall and used a pin punch, but this time I decided to try a different method that I heard works well - weld up a bolt to the inside of the outer race, then smack it from the outside and pop it out. It worked a treat.

The mig splatter cleaned right up.

 

[grandpaul]

New main bearings in place, slightly used 5-speed tranny main bearing installed before I realized I needed to widen the aperature for the conversion from 4-speed...

Revised tranny main bearing aperature-

Also widened out the inner face of the inside tranny cover to allow the 1st & 2nd gear nose to abut the bearing race-

The openings do not have to be perfect, as long as they allow ample clearance and are not excessively large.

 

[DaveM]

Wow it's coming along great lots of parts to put together now

 

[grandpaul]

(from Sunday)

Clean fork parts ready for re-assembly-

Forks loosely installed, awaiting top cap nuts, seal retainer clips, damper tube bolts, and pinch bolts from cad plating-

So, some actual progress, although half-steps. Can't nip up the cases till the cad plated stuff gets back, either...

 

[grandpaul]

Killing time waiting on cad plated parts for 5 different projects, so while my backup is burning to DVD, I got a wild hair...

It's a Honzuki fold-out kicker mated to a Bonneville kicker leg socket. Used my knifemaker friend's band saw, belt grinder and MIG welder, made quick/easy work of it...

 

[triumpht100]

Can't wait to see the finished product and I know you can't

 

[grandpaul]

UPS stopped by...

For what it's worth, Buchanan's build notes indicate 30-40 lbs. spoke tension on the Suzuki front hub / 19" rim, and 45-55 lbs. on the Norton rear hub / 18" rim.

New Avon AM20 & AM21 Roadrunners being mounted just now...

 

[otherwise]

Is there any other reason other than tyre availability that caused you moved away from the Norton 21" rims?

 

[grandpaul]

Nortons are 19 & 19.

I like the availability options for an 18 rear.

18 rear / 19 front is standard on all my Classic Triumphs.

 

[otherwise]

Nortons are 19 & 19.

I like the availability options for an 18 rear.

18 rear / 19 front is standard on all my Classic Triumphs.

Absolutley 19/19.
Note to self, wake up and drink coffee before posting first thing in the morning.
I've owned a couple of std Nortons and know about the wheel sizes, deep in my mind I asked the 19/19 question, my early am mind asked the 21/21 question.

On Norton powered Featherbeds I actually like the 19/19 std to be original but with a Triumph motor I'd probably go your way also.

Edit,
Those polished wheels are going to be winners at bike shows for you.

 

[grandpaul]

The Suzuki front end is set up for 19" wheel, and the stanchions are non-tapered, so I can raise or lower the yokes to suit the final setup balance.

The 18" rear rim accommodates a much wider range of available rubber.

One or two folks mentioned 18/18, but I don't like such a small front wheel on a classic bike.

 

[otherwise]

GP, will you post a photo showing the rim section a bit better, they look nice.
Also who is the maker of the rims?

 

[grandpaul]

Excel shouldered aluminum rims are from Buchanan's, the only people that will ever build wheels for me.