Lots of little jobs got done this last week, all took twice as long as estimated but that is par for the course.
My clutch push rod problem, whilst not yet completely resolved, is on the way to being resolved. I realised that since removal of the push rod only two things have changed, the alternator casing had been cracked and re-welded and the case had been powder coated. Both contributed to the push rod failing to pass through the case and the shaft.
The needle roller bearing within the gearbox shaft was also partly to blame, I think either some corrosion or a bit of detritus got into the bearing and the push rod simply would not go through. This was solved by polishing the push rod with some 240 grit wet and dry and then once I had got it inserted into the bearing spinning it in a battery drill, washing the bearing out with paraffin, re-greasing and repeating until it ran smooth with no corrugation feeling on the push rod.
The bearing should only turn when the clutch lever is pulled and given the orientation of the needles is, I believe, only there to reduce bending of the push rod when the clutch lever is pulled.
The next issue was that the two little rubber seals that sit towards the end of the push rod on the clutch slave end of the shaft were binding where they entered the alternator case, resisting both a turning and an in and out motion. I believe these seals are due to seal to the inside of the final 25mm of the gearbox shaft preventing either a) gearbox oil draining out of the shaft into the clutch slave cylinder or perhaps b) they are there to dam up a little oil so that the needle roller gets a bit of lubrication. Oddly there is no seal at the other end of the shaft to prevent any oil in the shaft from getting onto the dry clutch plates.
I spent a good hour with a 8mm bolt split at the end with strips of 120 grit paper inserted in a battery drill trying to get the hole the right size to permit the seals to operate, cleaning surplus grit out frequently to prevent it getting into the bearing. Nearly there but not quite yet.
I then fitted the rear brake caliper or rather tried to, it is clear I have miscalculated somewhere as the disc is way too far inboard of the slot in the caliper (about 6mm). Some spacers, some countersunk caliper bolts and countersinking the holes in the disc I think will work if not I will need some creative thinking.
The bike at the moment is sitting on its engine stand with the front wheel clamped at the front. The engine stand does not allow access to fit the case saver or the front anchor point for the rear brake torque arm. All my available rear stands work on the basis of platforms that engage on the underside of the swinging arm which will interfere with my chain oiler on the LH side and the brake torque arm on the RH side. So I spent a couple of hours knocking this up which should work on the fixed footrests or with a bar slotted through the rear axle. Not subtle or elegant, but it is sturdy made from 75 mm x 50 mm x 3mm box section which has been sculling round the garage floor since we moved here, so something else less to trip over.
I may even paint it.