Starter clutch shoes - tricky!

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penman
Posts: 325
Joined: 08 Mar 2016 09:20
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Location: Milton Keynes

Starter clutch shoes - tricky!

Post by penman »

Anyone who has followed the saga of my 500 Morini re-commissioning will remember that I had to have the starter clutch shoes relined, I sent them away via NLM a few weeks ago. To re-cap, the original linings appeared to be well worn, and they had also crumbled away for about a third to half their length from the trailing edge of each shoe. Relining cost £38 +VAT, not at all cheap, but I felt I had no choice. I did try a few other relining companies which I found via the web, but none were cheaper and I decided to go with NLM's contact, who has at least done them before. I got them back last week and fitted them yesterday.

I now found that the relined shoes wouldn't enter the clutch drum on the flywheel. I ended up removing the flywheel from the bike (again!) and test-fitting the shoes like this:

Image

This was tricky to photograph, but hopefully you can see that the trailing edge of each lining is well clear and would enter the drum with almost 1mm clearance. The leading edge however is overlapping the edge of the drum by more than 1mm. After some study, I concluded that this was for two reasons. First, the lining is just too thick and needs to be thinned and re-profiled. Second, there is a small piece of resilient material stuck on the inside of the "elbow" of each shoe, presumably to stop the shoes rattling (?) - this was too thick and wasn't allowing the shoes to retract fully.

Once I was sure, I thinned the resilient buffer with a half-round file, which gained me almost 1mm. I then used a triangular sander to thin the lining by about 1.5mm at the leading edge, reducing to zero about one third of the way back from the trailing edge. I did my best to achieve a smooth curve (as judged by eye!) and the linings now entered the drum with about 0.5mm clearance. I was a bit concerned that the shoes may not be so well centred when mounted in the r/h engine cover, and it was certainly fiddly to re-fit, but once on, it seems to be OK and the clutch doesn't seem to be dragging. The very good news is that the rebuilt starter spins the engine with a lot more gusto than the one on my 350 - so I'm hoping this was all worth the effort!

I'm hoping to start the engine for the first time today, fingers crossed!
1984 Moto Guzzi V65
1969 Honda CB450
1975 Triumph T160 Trident
2019 BMW F750GS Sport
1978 Morini 500
Haboola72
Posts: 95
Joined: 05 Jan 2013 15:03
Location: Tarragona, Spain

Re: Starter clutch shoes - tricky!

Post by Haboola72 »

Villiers services do a great job on the starter shoes for less than 30 quid..
Contact Steve and get a quote, I had a set done and sent to Spain for £34 all in.
Delighted.
Gary D
Posts: 195
Joined: 29 May 2016 20:31
Location: Stoke Golding, Warks

Re: Starter clutch shoes - tricky!

Post by Gary D »

Hi

I need my clutch shoes relining & wondered if Villiers need the spec defining, or if they know the correct lining dimensions already? Can you advise please?

Thanks & cheers

Gary
Haboola72
Posts: 95
Joined: 05 Jan 2013 15:03
Location: Tarragona, Spain

Re: Starter clutch shoes - tricky!

Post by Haboola72 »

Steve asked for material spec which I couldn't provide. but said it wasn't a problem , inspection of the old material would do.
I sent him the ID of the clutch drum and 2 drawings , one from the parts book ( exploded view ) and the other from the blue book ( side elevation with a view of the lining profile and arm orientation in the drum )
Ideally I would have sent him the flywheel assembly but the postage would have been prohibitive.
Hope this helps.
harrymuffin
Posts: 292
Joined: 07 Apr 2014 16:06
Location: west midlands

Re: Starter clutch shoes - tricky!

Post by harrymuffin »

I had a set of shoes done by Villiers earlier this year, it was a toss up between them or Midland Brake Services, Station Road Rowley Regis 0121 561 2212 who were a £5 per shoe cheaper, and where Villiers send the shoes you drop off to anyway. I had 5mm linings glued on and then chamfered the trailing edge so that they fit - bit like having brake shoes turned when fitting to a brake drum. Saftek in Telford did anther set for me and turned the fitted shoes to the shoe holder which were then a perfect diameter to the drum. Steve who ever he is, did not ask for a material specification when I dropped them off, I did ask for hardboard but he did not get the irony and failing that any old stuff as long as it was asbestos and did not wear the drum away so not metal filaments.
Gary D
Posts: 195
Joined: 29 May 2016 20:31
Location: Stoke Golding, Warks

Re: Starter clutch shoes - tricky!

Post by Gary D »

Gents, many thanks for this. I'll try to pop over tomorrow with the shoes & see what they say.

Many thanks,

Gary
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