Hi All

Just wondering if anybody has managed to replace the right hand gearbox output shaft bearing without seperating the crankcases yet?
I have an NC35 that has a clutch problem, upon inspection the clutch basket is quite chewed on the inner edges where the plate tongs touch. If I can get away with dressing these I will but it looks like I may need a new basket.
But upon investigating why this has happened I have noticed the output shaft bearing behind the clutch basket has quite a bit of play in it and this must be the course for the damage.
I have looked at the workshop manual and this bearing has no peg or clip ring in it and has a bearing retaining plate bolted over the outside of it. This suggest that the bearing should come out this way as they wouldn't bother with the retaining plate! but has anybody done this fix???
Any info appreciated.
Regards
Gary
fujigas1

I tried three times, wasting three output shaft oil seals in the process, before I bit the bullet and rebuilt the engine entirely. What was apparent at the time was I could see no way at all of replacing the bearing, oil seal, etc without splitting the crankcases. The bearing is held in place by a split ring to stop lateral movement.

Hi Gary,

If you mean the bearing behind the clutch basket, I can confirm that it is possible. I did this some time ago on my NC30, engine still in frame. Lots of people said it couldn't be done, including a Grey import specialist, who I think were looking for work. Some folk confuse this bearing with the other one which has a 180 degree retaining ring sitting in a groove machined into the casing. Good luck though, the trick is to fit a couple, (or three - depending on your puller), of thin hooked rods through the duff bearing race and draw the item out along the shaft. Fiddly - Yes, Impossible - No.
I used pushbike spokes for my rods as they are hooked at one end & threaded at the other for attaching to the puller system.
Make sure you check thoroughly for swarf from the duff bearing, remove the sump if you can, or poke around inside with a magnetic probe while the clutch casing is off.

Regards,

Dave.

Hi Dave

Yep that's the bearing I am on about. Mine hasn't actually colapsed, it just has a lot of play in it and I sure this is the reason the clutch basket has had such a hammering as it will be oscillating with the play in the bearing. Glad to see you managed to do it. I will now atempt it myself with the guideance of your comments and report back that hopefully I was successful! :D wish me luck
Cheers
Gary

Hi Dave
Yiphee! the bearing is out, with out stripping the cases :D Bit of a doddle really. The bearing is a twin roller radial bearing. I first picked out the plastic cage around the balls, this comes out easy as it only clips around half the balls. I then got 2 8mm by 110mm bolts and ground a flat on either side of the bottom end, then rotated the bolts 90 degrees and ground another flat either side about 8mm up from the bottom of each bolt. I then ground the bottom flat into a circular shape. The idea behind this was to make a key that would slot in between the 2 races then turn it 90 degrees and it locks into place. I put these through my puller plate and locked then into place opposite one another and used the puller in the normal way against the output shaft end. It slide out quite easily. The only other thing I did do was to loosen the bottom crank half bolt just below the bearing. If anybody else has this bearing knackered, then don't be scared, give it a go! it's a doddle! Hopefully there should be a pic below showing the bearing 3/4 out to show what I did, :D

Soz all those that are interested but I don't have the right attachment to upload a pic but I think you may get the idea anyway