This listing is for a pair of the plain Phosphor Bronze bushes of the type that was fitted to the gearbox shell of both the Norton ‘Upright’ type and later ‘Laydown’ type Norton gearbox's, and allowed smooth rotation of both the gear selector camplate and the quadrant spindle operating the camplate.  Originals tend to wear badly and adversely affect gear changing.  These bushes are CNC manufactured and have been made to a specific tolerance so they should not require further honing once pressed in.  

Price is per pair (i.e two bushes – required for one gearbox shell)

A number of customers have asked me in the last two years if we can supply these, as they have gearbox’s with worn bushes, leading to a sloppy gearchange selection - so we have now made a batch, and the accompanying photographs and information below gives information on the removal of the old worn bushes and fitting of the new ones.

Background and Fitting Notes:

These are CNC manufactured phosphor bronze bushes, and as part of the setup for these, we took a good condition original (upright type) Norton gearbox shell and removed one of the original bushes, and then fitted these newly manufactured bearing (both tasks being done with the gearbox shell heated up in an oven – normal practice when undertaking this task) - so we could confirm the internal bore tolerance with a STOP/GO gauge once fitted, to ensure best fit possible, and hopefully this should in most cases remove the need of any further honing or reamering once the new bushes are fitted.

Obviously – we cannot guarantee that this will be the same for every gearbox - as the condition, wear and machining tolerances of the original gearbox and selector plate/selector quadrant shaft all play a part - but we hope this attention to detail will give the best chance of an ideal fit, without further honing or reamering of the bushes being necessary. However, it is very important, having fitted the new bearings to ensure both the large circular selector plate, and the lower quadrant spindle, both move freely in the new bushes.  If either are tight – then it will be necessary to carefully work the bush until there is smooth and free movement – this can either be by using a hand scraper, reamer or by honing.

As a final point - in making these bushes, we have made the outer diameter a standard interference fit, as per the original bearing - and an internal diameter, that should close to the standard tolerance once fitted.  However, we also made a small quantity of bushes with a 1.5 thou (inch) undersize internal bore - in case a customer knows their spindles are worn and require linishing, or wish to ream themselves after fitting.  Email us on sales@racingvincent.co.uk if you require these, but quantities are limited.

Removal of Old, and Fitting of New Bushes:

In the accompanying photographs we show the removal of old bushes from an original Upright Norton gearbox (from a WD 16H Norton I believe) and then fitting of new bushes - using an alloy drift specially machined to fit the bronze bush. One end of the drift is machined so it fits into the old bush and has a lip that will push up against the old bush, but will not touch the gearbox shell – and allow the old bearing to be tapped out with a mallet.  The other end has a similar lip to allow a new bearing to be pressed in – but this end also has a large flat steel washer up against the shoulder – this is important, because the lower bush housing on Norton gearbox’s have a recess around the bush housing – allowing for a Felt Seal to be fitted – this large washer ensures that the new bush is only pressed in as far as the outer ring of the felt seal housing – and is exactly flush -  See the accompanying photographs to see how this looks – when correct fitted, both bearings should be level with the housings with a flat ruler across them.  On the inside, both bearings will protrude slightly into the gearbox shell – again, see photographs attached.

It is important when pressing out old bearings, and then pressing in new bearings, that the gearbox shell is hot – so as to ensure as little stress as possible to the gearbox shell, and make the task easier.  I always place the gearbox shell in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, and I normally test by spitting on the gearbox shell – when the spit bounces back at you, the shell is hot enough. You will find the new bushes have a slight chamfer on one end – this is the end that should be pressed into the gearbox shell first, and will aid fitting. 

Always try and ensure you keep the new bearing and drift as vertical as possible to the gearbox bush housing when pressing in new bearings – and it goes without saying that the gearbox shell should be cleaned of all dirt and oil before fitting.  Similarly – having removed the old bushes, before fitting the new bushes, ensure the housing holes are clear of any debris and any score marks or high spots – which sometimes occur when removing old bushes.

Once the new bushes are fitted, ensure the camplate and quadrant spindle both turn freely in the new bush, then they can be greased and assembled.  Note that the lower bush housing is intended to take a felt seal – we are currently trying to get these felt seals manufactured, but we do sell proper wool felt sheets in various thicknesses in our Gasket section if we have not updated this listing yet to say they are available.

This process of fitting bushes is normally the same for both Upright and Laydown type gearbox shells.

Early (pre-34) Sturmey Archer Gearbox’s:

It should be noted on all Norton gearbox’s (after approximately 1934), the lower (quadrant spindle) bush has a recess around its outside circumference for the fitting of a Felt Seal - this can just be seen in the photograph behind the external selector arm.

However, prior to this type of in-house manufactured ‘Norton’ gearbox being fitted (which seems to have been sometime in 1934), Sturmey Archer gearboxs were used – in both 3 speed and 4 speed variants. Although looking very similar to the standard Norton gearbox referred to in this section, the earlier Sturmey Archer type shell had many smaller differences – one of these being that the selector fork/quadrant bushes were narrower, to allow for an internally fitted felt seal on both bush spindles. 

In the last picture on this listing, we show a comparison of the typical Norton Upright type gearbox shell (on the right), while an earlier Sturmey Archer type 4 speed gearbox shell is shown on the left.

If you believe you have a bike with this earlier type gearbox shell fitted – then the process of changing bushes is different, as are the bushes – for these, please see Item 1053.

This listing is for a pair of the plain Phospher Bronze bush's of similar dimensions to the later Norton upright type gearbox shell, but of the shorter length that the final Sturmey Archer type gearbox spindlehousing design used - read the further information below:

Price is for a pair of bushes (i.e. to fit one gearbox shell) 

Background Information:

Up until sometime in 1934, Norton Notors used a variety of both 3 speed and 4 speed Sturmey Archer gearbox''s - before Sturmey Archer (then owned by Raleigh motorcycles) ceased trading in 1934.  At that time, rather than going to Albion or Burman (as many other manufacturers did), they decided to make their own in-house gearbox, based on the last Sturmey Archer gearbox fitted - but with many subtle improvements.  

Around this interim period of 1933 - 35, there do seem to be different variations of gearboxs shown before the standard Norton Upright (Dollshead) gearbox design was finalised.

Although I am no expert on all the Sturmey Archer Gearbox variations, at the same time as manufacturing a batch of Item 1051 selector bushes for the standard 1934 onwards gearbox shell, we also made a small batch of phospher bronze bushes, that are identical to the later bushes - except they are made with a narrower width of 0.750", which is length of the gearbox shell in the photo.

It is importnat to note that the gearbox shell shown in the photo (which has a casting identification number of 'EV130' - the later gearbox shell normally has a casting number of 'N8001') is believed to be a later 4 speed Sturmey Archer gearbox shell, of the type fitted up to 1934 - but as manufactured it does not have bushes fitted for the selector camplate or quadrant at all - instead they run directly in the aluminium shell holes.

Undoubtedly - Norton must have seen this was a known weakness - and once the bore holes in alloy shell were worn, affecting a repair would be difficult - so no doubt specified that their own gearbox would have bronze bushes fitted, as one of their design improvements. 

Note also that in the accompanying photographs, that the bored holes for the selector camplate/quadrant has internal counterbores to accept felt seals internally, rather than the single external felt seal used on the later Norton gearbox shell design. 

Knowing that owners of earlier Norton models fitted with Sturmey Archer gearbox's, may have found that their gearbox has excessive play of the camplate or quadrant spindle - we have made a small batch of phosphor bronze bearings which share the same dimensions of the later bronze bushes (Item 1051) - other than they are of the shorter 0.750" length - which is the bore dimension of the Sturmey Archer gearbox shell shown in the photographs.

Therefore, if your original gearbox is similar to the one in the photos, but has badly worn or eccentric bore holes - one logical alternative would be to bore out the original alloy holes, and fit bronze bushes of similar design to the later type bushes.

It is very important before purchasing these bushes though, to understand that to fit these - would first require confirming the dimensions of your gearbox are as per this gearbox shell  . . . and that you realise you will need to bore the original gearbox shell holes out - to fit these new bushes (and as per the later type bushes - these are made to press into a 0.8125" (or 13/16") bore hole.  This would require good engineering knowledge and equipment to perform properly - so if you do not feel confident in carrying out this task yourself . . . then we would recommend not buying these bushes - and of course anyone carrying out the task does so at their own risk.

But all that said - if you do wish to fit bronze bushes - we can offer these bushes, as per Item 1051, but allowing the original Sturmey Archer type internal felt seals to be fitted. 

Price is per pair (i.e two bushes – required for one gearbox shell).  As with Item 1051 - we have also made just a few additional bushes of this type - but with an internal bore fractionally undersize from Std,  (i.e. 1.5 thou undersize), in case you feel your camplate/quadrant shaft is also worn - please email if requiring these

The accompanyning photographs show a comparison of the Sturmey Archer and Norton type gearbox shells side by side, as well as close ups of the earlier shell - in one of those photographs the original felt seal is shown still fitted to the spindle of the selector camplate - with the new bush fitted above it.

We recommend you email us on sales@racingvincent.co.uk to confirm any further details if unsure your gearbox shell is the same as the type shown here. 

As a final point on Sturmey Archer gearbox's - we are currently (October 2021) having a range of kickstart springs made for those Norton models using this make of gearbox's from late 1920's up to 1934, and should be making a batch of the smaller diameter (0.250") gearbox shell studs and cover nuts in the near future - email for more details. 

This listing is for a pair of the plain Phospher Bronze bush's to replace the original steel bushes that were pressed into the front and rear selector mechanism plates on the positive stop mechanism on all Norton upright gearboxs between 1934 - 1950 (i.e. the pre-war Dollshead type, as well as the upright enclosed front cover type that were fitted on all roadgoing postwar single cylinder models Post-war from 1946-@51). 

Original bushes are often badly worn - recognisable by the gearlever flopping around when you move it - and is a major factor leading to imprecise and vague gearchange.  Replacing the original worn (steel) bushes with these new phospher bronze CNC manufactured bearings will make that gearchange more precise. 

Price is for a pair of bearings (one front, one rear).  

Fitting Notes:

These are CNC manufactured phosphor bronze bushes, and as part of the setup for these, we took a good condition original (upright type) Norton gearbox outer cover with complete gearlever Positive Stop mechanism untouched for many years - in very original condition, with original bushes still fitted (and fyi - original bearings were manufactured in steel).

We did this, so we could ensure that the pressed steel plates that hold the bushes were in good original condition - and therefore accurately machine the new bronze bearings, so we know they would be an accurate 'press fit' into unblemished original plates.  We also wanted to ensure that once the new bushes are pressed in (i.e. an interference fit into the front and rear plates) - the internal bore diameter would be of a  good/close fit diameter to the original specification, and should not require further honing or reamering.

Therefore providing your original selector mechanism spindles are not overly worn, and your front and rear plates have not been had the old bearings spinning in them to such a degree where the interference fit has worn - then these should fit in with the original interference fit (and are machined with a slight chamfer on the side that presses in, for this purpose) - and should once fitted be a nice close fit to the two spindles.

A couple of hints when removing and fitting new bushes to the pressed steel plates:

- the old bearings can be easily tapped out using a suitable drift

- make sure all parts are cleaned thoroughly before fitting the new bushes

- when fitting the new bushes, place the pressed steel plates on a clean flat and hard surface - i..e a steel or alloy block no a workbench

- Use a soft alloy drift with a mallet to press the new bearings in, to avoid burring the edge of hte bush, and to ensure they go in level

- the gearlever spindle and rear spindle may have burr's from previous wear - ensure these are removed before pushing on the new bushes/plates on to the spindles

- Dry assemble first and if the new bush is stiff on the shaft, it can be hand scraped (with a bearing scraper) or reamer, until it is a smoothly turning fit.  

Fully assemble all positive stop mechanism parts with good quality high melting point grease - one of the accompanyning photographs shows an original pre-war Manx gearbox, with the top Dollshead cover removed . . . and this looks like it still has the original 80 year old grease still in place - and look how much they used!

And in the same Gearbox section as these are listed, you will also find new versions of the positive stop spring (which often wears - adding to the sloppiness) as well as the shim fitted between the two positive stop spindles - all useful fitments in revitilising the gearchange when servicing your upright gearbox.

Final point on this type of upright gearbox - there was a deep cylindrical felt seal fitted behind the rear bush on the positive stop mechanicsm on this type of gearbox.  We are currently trying to get this orgiinal felt design manufactured - email at sales@racingvincent.co.uk if requiring these, for an update. 

Update August 2022 - Please Read Before Ordering:  Recently a customer who purchased these bearings came back to me to say, his 'Kidney' shaped pre-war cover would not fit over the front bearing??  I confess I was suprised - as our bearings was copied from an original item from a similar pre-war gearbox . . . and which was checked against multiple gearboxs in my own collection.  However - having checked all my own covers - I too found one loose cover, shown on the right in the 4th photograph - with a similar small hole.  Having looked at loads of these covers over 40 years I had never realised there was a type with a smaller hole, still learning!!  I am not sure why some covers had a smaller hole - but please check your cover before ordering if similar type to the picture - if yours has the smaller hole, shown on the right - then the front beaaring in this listing will not fit through that hole - so either be prepared to open  up the hole (which is a personal choice), or do not order this item.  Thx.  At some point I will try and find the corresponding mechanism for the small hole cover - email us at sales@racingvincent.co.uk if you are not sure

Laydown Gearbox info:  Note that the later Laydown gearbox, that followed the upright gearbox from 1951 onwards, had a similar looking Positive Stop mechanism, but actually the two similar plates fitted to this type did not hold bushes (see last photograph).  The bushes for this type were mounted in the 'laydown' inner and outer covers.  We do not offer these yet - but see Item 1060 for more information if requiring these

This listing is a placeholder for the bushes of the type fitted to the positive stop meachanism of Laydown Norton gearboxs, of the type fitted to all Norton models from 1951 to 57. 

Update Nov 2021:

We do not currently manufacture the positive stop bushes to fit this gearbox type - but as part of introducing the Upright Norton Gearbox type (Item 1059) we wanted to give some information - so owners of the later gearbox's could understand the differnce.

While having a similar looking Positive Stop mechanism to the Upright Norton gearbox, the later Laydown type had bushes  pressed into the inner and outer kidney shaped covers of the gearbox.  We do not offer these yet - but may be manufacturing a batch in the near future,  If you are looking for these bushes - email us on sales@racingvincent.co.uk . . . if we can gauge interest, we may bring it forward in our backlog of new parts to manufacture

This listing is for an alloy racing gearlever, complete with wasted gearbox bolt and locknut (to take lockwire) and correct SOHC Manx style gearlever rubber, to fit all Norton upright gearbox type splines - and has been faithfully reproduced from a genuine original SOHC Manx gearlever. 

As well as the gearlever itself, it comes complete with a very pretty 'wasted' racing type gearlever bolt (CNC'd in stainless steel), which has a deep head (as most Norton gearlever bolts did at that time), but counterbored to remove weight, and also drilled both top and bottom to accept lockwire, after a small locknut is fitted - so as not to come off through vibration.  The gearlever itself is threaded, but also comes with a locknut to help prevent the bolt loosening (as gearlever bolts are prone to do in use).  If you wish, the bolt thread is long enough for you to remove the locknut and fit a nyloc nut in its place.

Finally, the lever is fitted with a gearlever rubber of the same style as originally fitted to Manx Nortons in the 1940's (and one is shown fitted to the original lever, which may be original).  As a final bit of bling, we have added lockwire to the rubber - which was a common period fitting on race bikes.  We also supply 12 inches (approx) of lockwire in a small bag, to apply  to the bolt after fitting (as I have done in the main listing photograph).

These are not cheap, but hopefully you will agree that as well as being pretty, they are a quality reproduction of original and rare 'short' Norton SOHC (Manx type) gearlevers - which are themselves now extremely hard to find.  

(Note: we pack the assembled gear lever and lockwire in sealable bags to protect them in storage - with a small squirt of Duck Oil is sprayed in, this can be wiped off with a soft cloth on fitting, and a quick re-polish given if you want them shiny)

Background and Manufacturing Information:

The original gearlever this pattern was copied from came off a genuine upright Manx racing gearbox endcover, that came from an old colllector friend many years ago, who had a huge quantity of genuine Manx Norton parts and bikes, of both pre-war and postwar types (including some Works stuff).  The gearbox cover and original gearlever are shown in the fith photograph and when they came into my posession, looked like they had not been touched since last used in the 1950's.  Interestingly the original gearlever is cast alloy (and production quality, not homemade) and looks to have all the hallmarks of an original Manx lever, including the correct Norton spline. 

I had heard it was more normal for production pre-Featherbed Manx models to have cast steel gearbox levers fitted, although I think some alloy were made and also fitted to Works models.  I know the previous owner of this gearbox/gearlever had been collecting since the early 1960's and had some rare Works stuff in his collection - so just a small possibility it is a 'Works' type lever (and included is a picture of one of the 39-49 type Works bikes, which does look to have a very similar gearlever attached).  i am not sure if this is true  . . . but ours replicate the original pattern in shape and form exactly . .. and it is a nice story to tell anyone, if you have one of these fitted to your bike!

Manufacture: First I had boxed patterns made for this lever (from our excellent UK patternmaker - real craftsmen), and then a batch of levers were cast in Heat Treated LM25TF alloy from these.  We then had a spline broach manufactured by a specialist broaching company with the correct Norton (pre-AMC) type spline, this company then taking the part machined gearlevers to add the spline in the correct position (gearlever splines should have a small blank area either side of the slit, without teeth).  Following the spline being added, we then completed the machining operations (for which a number of jigs were made - see photos), and then the final levers were linished and polished. Therefore apologies these are not cheap - but the setup costs were substantial, but the result in a nice lever that is an exact copy of the SOHC Norton type they were modelled on.

As a final point - Normal roadgoing Inter models with forward mounted footrests and 'upright' style gearbox's, used the more normal style long curved gearlever (which we may stock again in the future), however, roadgoing non-Featherbed models using the 'Laydown' style of gearbox, used a cast steel lever which was of similar length and shape to these 'racing' type levers.  However, if you look at an original laydown gearbox lever (see last photo) - you will note that as the lever comes away from the spline boss, the pattern sits slightly upwards from centre (denoting it being a roadgoing type).  However, as can be seen in the final photograph, our lever alongside that standard type shows that if you cannot find a road type lever elsewhere - these could be used as a suitable substitute for that Laydown type gearbox.

Nice reproduction of the 1957 onwards gearlever (as fitted to AMC type Norton gearbox's - see picture), fitted to all Norton single models from 1957 onwards - i.e. Norton ES2, Model 50 and Model 19, as well as Dominator Twins. 

These gearlevers are nice quality with good chrome, but we also add a stainless steel bolt - with a nice plain hex head, and washers and two nuts (i.e. nut and locknut).

Price is Each

Background and Type:  In 1957 Norton adopted the 'AMC' style gearbox, which had a more rounded shape than the earlier Norton made 'laydown' gearbox - and you can see in the accompanyning picture from the 1957-8 model range a Model 50 Norton with this later 'AMC' gearbox fitted.  Although internally the gears were similar to the earlier gearbox - one of the signifcant changes was the spline on this type of gearbox was smaller than the earlier 'Norton' gearbox spline - as you can see from the photographs - the diameter of the spline on these gearlevers was 0.625".

From 1957 this smaller spline type gearlever was fitted to all Norton singles employing the AMC style gearbox (i.e. Swinging arm Model 50/ES2/Model 19 models as well as most Featherbed singles and twins) - but check your bike has this type of spline before ordering.

By the way -  gearlevers for the earlier Norton Laydown type gearbox (fitted up to late 1956) havce a larger spline and are difficult to find.  We manufacture a gearlever patterned on a genuine Upright Manx Gearbox alloy gearlever, which has this earlier spline and is very similar to the later laydown roadgoing gearlevers - Item 0999.

Period gearchange rubber, similar in design to the one shown in the 1948 Norton Spare Parts Catalog as fitted to the Plunger Manx gearchange lever.

Good quality gearchange rubber - of type used in the 1950's.  

Very  similar to item 0338, but I think these were very similar to those used on Norton roadgoing bikes in the 1950's (I certainly used to use this type on my 1955 Norton ES2)

I have had queries from a number of customers to ask if I am able to supply folding type kickstarters to fit upright and laydown Norton gearbox's of the 1930's-1950's? We already used to sell the more normal 'fixed' type as originally fitted to most roadgoing Norton models in the 1930's-40's (Item 0298 - but unfortunately now a long time out of stock item - see that listing for more detail), but the fixed type often gets in the way on a 'Sports' type International or cafe racer model

So in response I am now pleased to be able to supply these folding kickstarters, which have the Norton spline and a slight crank to them so they should not foul the exhaust pipe. Even more pleasing - is that these kickstarts are genuine Andover Norton items, which are of the highest quality - and we are pleased to be a supplier of their items.

As would be expected, high quality parts such as these are not cheap to manufacture, therefore the price is considerably greater than the rigid (offshore manufactured) type I also offer, but this is reflected in the more complex construction and quality of these items.  I would highly recommend buying one of these in favour of the cheap and cheerful fixed type for all Nortons - including the SV/OHV/OHC . . . it is the type I will fit to my 1930's road Inter - well worth the extra cost

This Item listing is for the very distinctive conical shaped, knurled, gearbox clutch cable adjustment bolt and locknut - both CNC manufactured as faithful replica of the original Norton Item. 

This knurled cable adjuster and locknut was fitted to both the upright type Norton gearbox, as well as the early to mid 1950's  laydown gearbox that followed, on all models.

Apart from looking quite unusual - with its wide knurled head, and conical shape - it was extremely useful for adjusting your clutch lever while sat on the bike, you could just reach down with your right hand, loosen off the lower locknut, which had the same width knurl, then either wind out or wind in the long thread of the cable adjuster until the clutch lever had the correct level of free play, then tighten the locknut up again to the cover of the gearbox.  In addition, the locknut on its lower part also had a hex milled onto it - providing a nut for an open ended spanner, as well as the knurl - if you wanted to ensure it did not come loose again once adjusted.

Because the original Norton adjuster bolt was made of brass, and because over a period of time this adjuster tended to get abused by owners - i.e. once it got stiff due to lack of grease, it was not uncommon for owners to try and turn it with a pair of pliers!, it is now very unusual to find a Norton that still has the knurl in good condition - normally they are all chewed, and sometimes the knurl is entirely smooth.  This alleviates the whole purpose of the design - as with a lovely crisp knurl, the adjuster is a delight to use.

Our items are CNC manufactured in brass to the exact dimensions of the original Norton design.  The shaft of the adjuster bolt is the same length and internal cable diameter of the original - it even has the counterbore at the bottom of the cable bore.  The taper on the lower part of the knurled adjuster is the same dimensions as original - and as you can see from one of accompanyning photographs - even the knurled locknuts have the same internal taper to the top of the locknut - designed so that the locknut would screw right up to the taper on the adjuster bolt, to give as much cable adjustment as possible.  Finally the locknuts have the correct Whitworth spanner size milled onto them, including the original chamfer underneath to stop them fouling and scratching the gearbox cover.

We also send these away to our UK based plater once machined, to ensure they are plated with the correct nickel plated finish.  Although bright in the photograph, these will dull-off with time once on the bike.

Not cheap because of the amount of effort to produce them - but they are correct and period for your Norton restoration, and as well as being useful - being placed in a prominent position, they also look very pretty!

As a final point - as you can see in the final photograph, we assemble the locknut onto the threaded adjuster with (Castrol) high melting point grease before placing in a sealable bag so the operation is smooth.  It is worth remembering when fitting these - that the gearbox cover (either upright or laydown gearbox) should have its thread fully cleaned of any dirt before fitting, to ensure smooth continued operation.

For those that are uncomfortable in making up their own clutch cables to include this adjuster - please email us at sales@racingvincent.co.uk, as we are considering having a batch of clutch cables made, with these adjusters fitted, from a top UK cable manufacturer.