Model A - getting into the gearbox

 I've now completed the footrest and brake pedal area and I have the lathe up and running again after the feed gear upgrade so it's time to get back to the gearbox and particularly the kickstart shaft. 

I've not had the gearbox out before so given that the clutch is off I'll go in there, clean it up and do a few jobs. The first step is to remove the oil tank and the battery tray, then you can remove the four nuts under the gearbox and lift it out.

It's in pretty good shape externally - there's no major damage and aside from the kickstart shaft nothing missing. There are a couple of little jobs: 

• One of the 5/16 studs retaining the frame bracket is missing, 
• There is some damage around the gearbox casting for these studs 
• The gearbox adjuster bolt is broken

First, a couple of general views:

With the gearbox out, we can attend to the bent bracket that the adjuster locates in. Somebody has obviously forced the gearbox adjuster without undoing the nuts underneath, bending the plate and breaking the adjuster - it's astonishing how ham fisted some people can be!

Five minutes with a hammer sorted that out.

The outside is a little bit grubby, but more worrying is the state of the bearings on the main shaft and the sleeve gear. I'm told that the sleeve gear bearing is available, but expensive - I doubt if you can get the bushes for the mainshaft though...

The next job is to remove the broken adjuster bolt. Fortunately it drills easily:

The bolt is not seized in place and comes out quite easily with the EZ-Out:

I have a new bolt available from AOMCC Black Ariel spares and after I have run a tap into the hole it fits back on with some Copper-Ease:

Apparently there is supposed to be a spring under that screw adjuster.

The next job is to sort this out. All we need here is a new stud - 1-in long with a 5/16 BSW at one end and 5/16 CEI at the other. 

What is a bit more puzzling is that the lug on the gearbox does not line up with the engine plate so perhaps there is a thick washer in here:

And as if by magic, a new stud appears courtesy of the mini-lathe and some 5/16" round bar:

And later, a 1" diameter, 1/4" thick spacer:

All I have to do now is sort out the mixed-up 1/2" diameter engine studs - or 'tie bolts' as Ariel call them and we are done with making & mending on the outside of the gearbox.