Fork Bushes.

[neilsturg]

i am here again with more questions! this time my dad is after some info about fitting new bushes in the front forks, we have been in touch with rob thornton about getting some info about getting them fitted but as yet no replys, so we thought we would ask the forum if they could help out? its a 1961 greeves scottish and any help will be much appreciated

[Peter Rotherham]

Front Fork Bushes.

Hi Neil,

This is a problem that has faced early Greeves owners for quite a while. There are a number of factors to consider. First, exactly which forks are fitted to your dad's bike? There are several variants on Greeves bikes. For a 1961 bike it should be the earlier type of 'lightweight' leading links, the type with a more acute angle on the loop connecting the link arms, and the pivot plates are unconnected.
So let's say this is what you are dealing with. The bushes were commercially available some years ago, either New/Old stock or from a manufacturer (Silenbloc? Check with the GRA - I think Pete Smith sourced some), who made them for mounts for lorry cabs. This brings us to the next problem. The rubber mix was of varying strengths, too hard and they wont move, too soft and the forks assume that 'collapsed' appearance that you sometime see.
Ok so you've got the right bushes. You will see that the Pivot plates have small tags pressed out at 180 degree points, these are to locate the link loop at the correct angle. The next job then is to press out the original bushes and press in the new ones. This requires a fair degree of expertise and the right press. Once done, you need to machine two slots to match the tags on the fork legs.
Later types of forks had circular alloy blocks with steel pins to achieve this same locator effect.
The GRA had the factory diagrams giving the angles, etc., for this work, and there was, at one time, members who could do this as 'foreigners' at their work. If you haven't got such as yet, I'd try to get hold of a copy of the service notes or similar, often these give invaluable advice. It may be that the GRA have photocopies?

Only an overview I'm sorry, but does it help?

Peter R.

[John Wakefield]

I think the subject of Swinging arm/forkbushes with details of current suppliers has been posted on this forum, but for some reason the search engine does not bring it up. Brian over to you on this one.
Also found this posting on net on how to fit fork bushes

http://www.lortim.demon.co.uk/jobs/press1/press1.htm

[Brian Thompson]

I checked out the forum search engine John, and it seemed to work ok for me. Try this;

Click on 'Search' on the toolbar (to the right of 'New Posts'), then type Bushes into the blank field. It will be automatically 'set' to search 'Threads', but there is a further option to select 'Posts' instead if required. If you leave it on 'Threads', all the relevent threads that have been posted on Metalastik bushes will come up. The information posted so far mostly covers swingarm bushes, but there are a few details in there on Fork bushes as well. Hope this helps.

Regarding the link you posted, as you'll be aware of course it's from John Wood's site (co-author of the excellent 'Villiers Improvements Handbook') and has lots of cool stuff for those of us interested in these engines. Have a look at http://www.lortim.demon.co.uk/ to see everything else on there.

Good post John (ditto the crank build), and must admit I hadn't thought of putting that link on the forum. Nice one!

[John Wakefield]

Yep found above but nothing about fork bushes, I thoght there was. As far as I know new ones are only available at the moment from Richard Deal, but I believe a GRA member and or Villiers Services are looking into the possibility of getting some made.

[Brian Thompson]

John; I included some info on shore ratings for Fork Bushes in the post I added to your thread on swingarm bushes.

I got my fork bushes from Greeves Motorcycles, at the time of purchase the only source, and they weren't cheap! Since then, I think that Villiers Services have had a batch produced, and I believe that Adrian Dickerson has had a batch made as well, available through the club (probably at the best price too.)

Neil; the reason you won't have hear from Rob is that he is currently away on Holiday.

Archival information and factory drawings etc are available to club members only, as it was their money that paid for it after all! Seems fair enough to me...

[neilsturg]

thanks for all your help guys
my dad is a fully paid up member of the greeves riders association but has no pc so its down to the youngest member of the family to do all the writing of emails ect
thanks again
and i will let him know why we have had no reply from rob

[Brian Thompson]

Thanks for comfirming that Neil.

Brian.

[neilsturg]

A very nice thing happend today, one of the members of the greeves riders association through this site has sent my dad the diagrams,and all i can say on behalf of my dad is thank you all so much its was fantastic

[Brian Thompson]

Plenty more where that came from Neil!

If you need anything give me a shout, I've got quite a bit of stuff that could be of help, and I'd be happy to email 'em as attachments, especially now we know that your dads a member...!

(Just pulling your (fork!) leg! Just send me a PM and we'll swap email address if you do need anything.)

Nice one! It's so typical of the lads in this club to help out like that.

[Mike Norris]

Fork bushes.

Hello Neil.
When I restored my 25DC I took the forks to Adrian Dickerson who supplied the bushes and had them fitted them. My hardest part was compressing them to fit the dampers. I used a heavy duty ratchet strap.
Mike