classic motorcycle forum

The gearbox is a Burman GB type, part of a basket case rebuild of a '54 Ariel KH500 plunger project. When I first opened the gearbox, there was evidence that at some time the gearbox was half filled with water, thus the "high" water mark. The kickstart ratchet pinion nut at the time of stripping was not fully home, thus, when assembling the gearbox, this nut was fully tightened and secured with a tab washer. Problem was then that the kick start ratchet would not returned to the home position as the kick start ratchet pinion and kick start ratchet drive would not disengage. Only way to get this to happen was to slacken the nut, however, this results in the ratchet drive and pinion not fully engaging, causing them to slip when pressing the kick starter. Bushes and bearings were replaced, as well as all items showing excessive wear or corrosion, including the kick starter ratchet drive and spring.

Question: Should the ratchet nut be tightened fully home, which in this case does not allow allow the ratchet drive and pinion to disengage, or is there something else that I need to look at? Just does not seem normal that the nut should be halfway out to get the system to work.

Advise and suggestions will be much appreciated

Barend

Found the primary drive sprockets to be 5 mm out of alignment. With the sprocket on the clutch side as reference, engine side sprocket is 5 mm closer to the engine. Can it be shimmed, or is there an alternative method to align these sprockets.

Ariel KH500 1954

Thanks
Barend