1959 BSA C15T (Copy) - Part Nine.

[@oldnutsgarage]

I have just rebuilt a set of Bantam Sport heavyweight forks which are pretty much the same and used the correct tool, which was new and they still do not fit well. I also had to use heat to shift the seal holders and after getting both off the edges of the new tool's dogs were rounded. Pathetic really. With the paint off the fork bottom it became clear why the British bike industry struggled, it is a metal tube with 4 separate lugs welded or bronzed on, all done by hand no doubt. As someone mentioned below don't forget a length of number 5 twine to seal the threads! Great series a usual so thanks for taking the time to do it!

[@BritanniaMotorcycles]

It is like Amal carbs. They were a good design but the bike makers said we will buy thousands if they are only a couple of quid each.

[@jeffatkinson690]

Really enjoying watching this, thanks for explaining as you go along.

[@TheOldaz1]

Good to get the sludge trap done, can be a real PITA getting the plug out sometimes. I did a needle roller bearing conversion on a pre-war 250 AJS many years ago, worked a treat. Love the T shirt, thanks Mike.

[@razifmahathir2437]

So informative as always and hardly surprising those forks tested your patience to the limit ! Always learning something new from watching your videos over monday morning breakfast even though I've been tinkering with bikes for 50+ years now. Keep 'em coming. Cheers Mike. Stay safe 😷.ATVB best from sunny Malaysia 😎😷🇲🇾

[@petersaupe7455]

I have just bought a tap and die set at the recycling center.In a wooden box and covered in crud. Cleaned up like new. BSC ,with two part dies and a stock to fit them in. 3/16 32 up to 9/16 20, L+R .A good buy at £2.Keep up the good work.you are able to explain things like Tubal Cain and Ave.

[@stevenshipp5827]

Thanks Michael for clearing up the little end question. I would imagine all that silt in the crank was responsible for the big end being dry, causing it to fail

[@roysymonds1369]

new follower like your videos and am an old British biker from the 60s

[@BritanniaMotorcycles]

Welcome Roy. Hope that you find all of the videos of interest.

[@schraubnix1583]

Thank you for this Video Michael , fine job . greets Uli , from germany

[@alanhoughton3252]

Hi Mr Brit, Re seal holder a good strap wrench is the tool you need in your armoury, thanks for excellent videos.

[@theeddies]

I bet 8 out of 10 people would say "ah that brake lug's a bit high, but it is in there, it's fine". And those 8 people would be wrong. I have seen high dollar builds that had the wonkiest brake stays or cables or hoses sticking out. Like brakes were an afterthought. They will spend a 100 hours building an engine and getting power to the ground but 10 minutes on the brakes. Nice to see the little attention to detail bits. All the best! Eddie

[@Dave.Wilson]

Hi Michael, I had to cut the seal holders off my WD B40 last week, wouldn't move, even with some big water pump pliers on them. Had to get a pair of new stainless ones for it. Your's looks to be a very similar design to WD B40, mine says to wrap a bit of twine around thread when refitting the seal holder to help seal the tube at the bottom. They still dont work very well after the rebuild though British engineering at it's best). C15T looks to be coming on nice though. Stay safe. Dave.

[@TheHampshire66]

Great viewing Michael. Thanks.

[@grahamdale1687]

Interesting video and great work as usual 👍

[@Free_Ranger_CT110]

Good to see the new Bosch impact wrench earning it's keep. 7000 subs, congrats Michael!

[@molsky13]

nice work

[@johnb5519]

Looks like all that sludge could have been the cause of the big end play. Good job.

[@whalesong999]

Nice work-up on the forks. I recall now how supple the BSAs felt on the road, I'm sure the forks were pretty much engineered the same as yours. Most of my road riding was on a '70 vintage Rocket III and it was better than the Japanese makes at the time. Bultaco also had the damper rods screwed into the fork leg caps in the early '60s. As for the crankshaft of the C-15, that would have been unserviceable during anything but a rebuild which is unfortunate. Early in the '60s, Honda included a centrifugal oil filter that could be cleaned for periodic maintenance; had them in the little singles as well, within the crank mounted clutches.

[@retromechanicalengineer]

You could do with a thread chasing file. I have metric and imperial ones and they've saved me a few times. I think they are Churchill or Tecalemit.

[@thomaslemay8817]

I worked in a BSA/ Triumph BMW shop I did a lot of fork repairs maintenance and replacements frequently due to accidents and this is the first time I've seen that exact Fork design, what years of production did they use that design?

[@BritanniaMotorcycles]

Through the 60s on both BSA and Triumphs.

[@juha-pekkahuikuri8752]

Liked the video before watching it!

[@kevinscudamore2711]

Thank you

[@heinrichschaefer4107]

👍 From Bavaria

[@jonsoons]

BSC is not a Whitworth form. It is 60 degrees included angle so use a UNF die. It is not identical but it is compatible.

[@69woodburner]

You're right and I didn't know that. :-)

[@BritanniaMotorcycles]

Neither did I so I have been wrong for 50 years. Oh well.

[@nickbishop6784]

Great progress Michael Amazing how much crap has built up. My mind goes into a spin though to think why any manufacturer would design such an impossible item to service. Obviously if you didn't service this then Big End failure is a certainty.

[@claudeendelin8150]

Hello Michael Folling your videos with great interest as i am actualy restauring a C15 G 1967 I am French but enjoying watching your videos and like your English speacking as I lived in England near Newcastle Wonder if you could help I have to remplace my conrod number 71-3187 this one has a roller bearing on big end and the crankshaft has bearings both sides. Would you have an idear where I could find a new conrod and bearing , I would like to send you some pictures of my crankshaft because it has been damaged by the big end of conrod rubbing angainst the flying wheel. Thanks for your answer Regards Claude

[@drewgrant3030]

Michael, for your I/2 inch cycle die try , £18 in HSS or £10 in carbon steel. BTW pitch angle on BSC is 60 degrees, it's the oddball one there as well!

[@jmew1922]

ive cleaned the sludge trap with a drill bit

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Michael, Does Steam Shop Dave call you Motorbike Michael? An enjoyable episode, thank you. Take care Paul,,

[@notwocdivad]

Firstly, Love the T shirt Michael!!! You must get tired of hearing this but Another interesting and enjoyable (for us) video It's horrible when inanimate objects decide to fight back, like those forks! Have you decided on a colour yet, or have you said and i have forgotten? or, as usual is it a secret until the big reveal??? Stay Safe Michael, Sunday evenings would not be the same without you! Cheers Dave UK

[@BritanniaMotorcycles]

Standard colours. Black frame, forks, headlamp, hubs, oil tank and tool box. Blue tank with chrome sides. Alloy mudguards.

[@colinculverwell325]

Not having pulled british bikes apart I find these videos very interesting. What causes all that sludge. Is it poor oil, poor filtration, engine materials used at the time.. if it is the oil does the same thing happen using modern oils. Also why did they make the stanchions a bigger diameter at the top? Seems it would have made more sense to have constant diameter so you could take the seal holders off for seal replacement without having to strip the whole fork leg down.

[@BritanniaMotorcycles]

The sludge is a breakdown of the oil plus carbon and wear particles. Modern oils are better and they have sludge inhibitors and other additives to help. As to the forks, it is a mystery to me.

[@vanislandsteve]

👍🏻🇨🇦

[@thomaslemay8817]

I see 5 comments below but the comments count is still 1 ?

[@sidwalker6902]

2 minutes, 13 views, and no comments.

[@bubster1981]

Could have lathe chased that thread .... even hand turning no power

[@jonsoons]

3/4" whitworth spanner is 1.2" across flats.

[@BritanniaMotorcycles]

Well that explains that, thank you.