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Lambretta Flywheel Woodruff key sheared in half
Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 5:19 pm
by stokky
Hi all,
just had this happen to me, never happened before, so just wondering if anyone else had it.
See photo below, Woodruff key sheared clean in half.
Bike is my Challenger 240, with an AF lightened flywheel.
Crank looks fine !!
Stupidly took all top end off before checking flywheel (DOH!).
Anyone interested, also a photo of barrel (transfers etc)

Re: Lambretta Flywheel Woodruff key sheared in half
Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 5:41 pm
by Andy Pickering
Yes many moons ago on a Honda 205 top end, not seen or heard of one shearing for a long time though..
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Re: Lambretta Flywheel Woodruff key sheared in half
Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 5:45 pm
by Adam_Winstone
Woodruff key plays no part in holding the flywheel to the crank's taper, the only reason for the woodruff key is for providing a constant point of aliginment, which in turn allows for timing to be fixed. To shear a woodruff key the flywheel has had to move on the taper, which should not be able to happen! Reasons why it can are:
1. Flywheel nut not done up tight enough.
2. Taper of flywheel boss does not match taper of crank, which is why it is recommended that you lap the 2 together with gringing paste (NB: No grinding paste residue can be left on either as it can work its way into the mag's outer oilseal!).
3. The boss is faulty or the nut has been done up too tight and the boss is cracking along the woodruff key slot!
4. Can't think of a number 4!
Adam
Re: Lambretta Flywheel Woodruff key sheared in half
Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 5:46 pm
by Boothy_the_makem
Andy Pickering wrote:Yes many moons ago on a Honda 205 top end, not seen or heard of one shearing for a long time though..
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
omg did yer have to say that

lol
Re: Lambretta Flywheel Woodruff key sheared in half
Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:00 pm
by Andy Pickering
From memory the flywheel boss was nacked and had to change the flywheel..but it was about 1988/89

And I've had a few beers since then
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Re: Lambretta Flywheel Woodruff key sheared in half
Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 8:39 pm
by stokky
hmm remember about 3 - 4 months ago messing with the timing on this bike as fitted a chiselspeed Mtech advance retard unit.
But not really done more than 5 miles since.
So hopefully I simply did not tighten nut up !!
Also the nut was actually loose, when I took off.
Oh well will soon see !!!!!
Will update outcome later on
Martin
Re: Lambretta Flywheel Woodruff key sheared in half
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:31 am
by Bilko
Happened to me. No. 1 on Adams list was the cause.
Re: Lambretta Flywheel Woodruff key sheared in half
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:31 am
by Bilko
double post

Re: Lambretta Flywheel Woodruff key sheared in half
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 11:45 am
by Triken
It happened to me too!! number 1 on Adams list.
Re: Lambretta Flywheel Woodruff key sheared in half
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2012 7:23 am
by Special X
Happened to me with a new AF light flywheel. Torqued up to 40 lb ft. The boss had stretched and become loose, which then caused the nut to be loose. Rayspeed had "never heard of this happening before" said it was wrongly fitted and refused to refund or exchange.
I would advise anyone with one of these flywheels to lap it to the crank with grinding paste, and re torque it after 500 miles as you would with a cylinder head.