Back ground, Mine (minimal experience 2nd build) Bike (76 Shovel motor with 4 speed tranny, late 50's early 60's Pan head frame,,, its been cut up smashed and played with for the past 50 years,,,

I reinforced, re welded, re straightened the frame and the issue I am having now is getting everything perfect. everything is hand made (garage built, drill press and hand tools)and on a welfare budget.

The motor fits the mounts well but does sit off the rear mount ( right side ) about 1/32 of an inch with bolts just dropped into the holes. The tranny mounting plate (made off of pics and measurements off here and other sites) matched up to the bolts on tranny and frame well but I need a little more movement to the left hand side.

My question is if I use good solid hard wear, and I adjust the fitment of the tranny mounting plate (elongate the holes) to get alignment with the motor am I looking at causing issues down the road?

The process I plan on using is loose mount motor, loose mount tranny and tranny mounting plate. install inner primary and torx to specs, shim and bolt in place motor, then tranny plate, then tranny.

If I am right the hell out of it or missed something please let me have the good and bad to save me issues down the road. thanks in advance

 

the 4 holes in the trans plate are fixed so the alignment stayes - the trans slides on the mount back and forth and can even rock side to side sooo -- the slots are your adjustment

put the entire motor / trans / trans plate and top motor mount all in place nothing tight put all the bolts in and loose to the touch - than install the inner primary do the front 4 first / snug them in snug now with a full size mirror or what ever you have place it under the bike and look to see if the trans is tilting // if it is the frame is bent - if not look to see how much room is between the inner primary and the trans case - if you need to i would take material off the slots in the trans plate to allow the trans to move over and not Mod the plate 4 bolt locations - the original washers ( for the trans slots studs ) were the size of 1/2 dollars and they were 3/16 thick

NOTE you can not tighten your way to a fix - it must fit up and tighten it to spec fot it not to crack things you dont have money for --

do that and re post what happened -- johnjzjz

 

Since you made the trans plate...why not just make one that fits?

 

i read that and it didnot click he has a home made trans plate -

 

Well getting no wheres quick that's for sure. Spent a bunch of time making a new tranny mount plate, chasing old threads and even using some helicoils' where needed but no further ahead. did a bit of grinding to crate more clearance for the rear cylinder while I was at it.

The natural fit (where it sits with out any assistance) of the motor is off about 2/32 from left, and rear right. Got a bow in it somewhere, got the front 4 bolts into the primary and matched up well as it sit, placed tranny and stopped after chasing threads and 2 helicoils everything is in pretty rough shape.

Where I am working with a lot of reworked re shaped re straighten bits and pieces, heres my question.

If I leave everything loose motor , tranny, tranny plate, install inner primary to specs and then carefully shim and tighten anything that's off ( 4 bolts I can see out of 12 involved) am I right in assuming the alignment would be true even if the mounts are off?????

Its the only way I can see it working. I don't have the cash to send it off to be returned to factory specs, and don't have access to jigs and straighteners that any type of real shop would have. Back yard welfare solutions are what I need help with.

I have received PM about doing it right, spend the money, have it done by a pro, none of those are options so just looking for the DIY solutions, thanks

 

could you post some images of the engine sitting in the frame particular to the rear head seat post to clearance and front head to front legs?
tin primary or aluminum not that it mattes just curious

 

I have some pics front motor mount rear and tranny will try to get them on here later today. In my head the plane seems to make sence. Maybe missing something I have over looked.

The inner is aluminum now. I am thinking of running an open belt drive and am considering making a guard mounted to a 1/8 steel plate vice the inner and outer primary. My brain tells me it would sure up the motor and tranny issue and allow me to shim everything square, true and solid. My brain sometimes crates a lot of problems for itself though. Thoughts?

 

regardless if you change the primary set up you will still need to have your original straight, not broken or cracked inner primary to fit correctly to the engine and transmission and not hit the frame anywhere on the bottom side.
the engine / trans has to bee true or you will have clutch issues and abnormal belt or chain wear.
I've been straightening a swing arm with rigid tail conversion. it is doable but you need a heavy steel table to anchor the frame to, mine is 3/8 inch thick reinforced on the bottom side. getting the frame straight and you won't need to shim anything. Take your time and look measure fit the engine transmission and primary as you go. I've used a porta-power, come a longs and stump jack to get my frame true. I am going to be posting some more images in the rigid build thread I started I am going to fine tune the neck and I will be done with the frame.
one thing I would suggest, you mentioned you built the trans plate i would be double sure it is correct in all ways or simply get an original one. you don't want a questionable part like that causing alignment issues when you are doing major straightening to the frame
good luck