Primary chain adjustment

[Stan Nicholson]

I did a quick search but didn't find anything so I apologize if this is a bit "teaching your granny to suck eggs".
I was adjusting the primary chain today on the Silverstone and it occurred to me that a tip I found many years ago may not be common knowledge, especially for new owners of Challenger/Silverstones. I have modified the shims that fit between the engine and gearbox by cutting out a slot, making them U-shaped so they can be slipped over the 4 studs without having to remove the engine from the frame. Makes the job much less laborious than the "approved" method.
It is just a matter of slackening the 4 nuts that hold the engine/gearbox to the frame and doing the same with the 4 aluminum nuts (I made a thin spanner for this as a regular spanner will not fit in the space) and the gearbox can be gently levered back to provide enough space between engine and gearbox to insert an extra shim if the chain is slack.
Stan

[whitehillbillies]

Great Idea.
I made a round wheel out of an Old Thick, white Nylon chopping board.
I off set the Hole, and drilled an M6 hole in the lower inner Timing Case. If I need to Tighten the Timing chain I just loosen Lock nut and rotate the wheel.
But that Is on My 1960 Scottish with 32a motor. Not sure if it can be done on Challenger/Silverstones.
Chopping Board material make a good rear chain tensioner block also.

whitehillbilly

[John Wakefield]

But surely a full gasket is required to seal gear box otherwise oil will leak.

[tonyed27]

I did that back in the 70s on my RDS - seemed ridiculous to have to remove the engine to tension the primary chain.

[Dogsbody]

But surely a full gasket is required to seal gear box otherwise oil will leak.

Only on the Villiers bottom ended/ gearbox RAS. Separate gearbox on later ones.