Any other big end suppliers apart from Alpha ?

[john.nash]

Len just helped me split my "spare" vh crank (the one I had at the rally on Saturday night) with a view to fixing that and replacing the problem one in the bike.
No internal cage and rollers shaped like gravel.

Bad news is that the outer race (of the cage; the only bit left) and the bottom of the conrod are worn enough to only make a loose sliding fit (Len reckons it should be a tight fit). So, I am not sure if fitting a new outer race, cage and rollers would help me ...........

Bear in mind that I am in the UK, so do I have any other realistic options apart from Alpha (who want around £300 for the entire job, to be finished by late August............).
I did ask the usual suspects at the weekend rally ....

[adrie.degraaff]

If your eye is to bigg make some outside weldings, it will srink the eye.

[john.nash]

It was a hundred pounds a moment ago .. you edited it !!

Here is what I have left...

The inner crankpin is still within spec.

Do http://www.ina.de do the complete bearing then or just the cage, rollers and outer race

[adrie.degraaff]

Your biggend has sidewashers, this would normaly indicate a heavely worn pinhole.
Dusn't Pete Kemp have a standard biggend?

[admin]

hey

Kempy didn't have any big ends when I saw him on Saturday.

Len reckoned you got sidewashers fitted on certain models.

I need to have a think and let you know, if Pete is over and back home shortly.

Thanks for your help

[adrie.degraaff]

The slutchplug is still in the crank, this is the first I would take out.

[john.nash]

The slutchplug is still in the crank, this is the first I would take out.

Took it out already.
Entire crank was full of gunge all the way through. Probably explains alot.

By the way it wasn't me that did this. I bought the entire engine last year for £350. It's only now that I'm looking at the crank ..

Still thinking ......

[nevhunter]

Check your scavenge side of the oil pump. The last bigend that shed metal with me, destroyed the pump plunger and related bore so badly that the engine loaded up with oil. I would say that all you need there is an oversize sleeve OD, fitted and a new set of rollers. The sleeve does have to be a tight fit in the rod and the eye of the rod has to be true. (Round) Lap or hone the sleeve to an accurate size for a clearance of about .0008". Crowded rollers work fine if you're not racing. You say the pin is within spec. IF it has run a little hot it could have lost a bit of hardness. ( See if you can mark it with a good new file. Not on the part where the rollers run of course). Nev

[john.whiting]

John, a seizure that melted the rollers and turned the race in the rod,but didnt damage the crankpin would be a miracle.If you just wanted to bodge it and put it on ebay use some locktite.To use the engine again another rod would be the best option,with a new big end fitted.Hopefully the flywheels arent damaged.John W.

[robin.parker]

I sent an email to info@alpha-bearings.com on Sunday 17th July and received a clear and helpful reply today, so they do seem to be up and running, which help answer the original question posted in this thread.