GROUP 12:- Footrest plates
FOOTREST PLATES: The most over-engineered part of the machine-not that there is much competition
for the honor. They are forged from aluminum alloy and are unbreakable, Even if the plates arc bent until
one end touches the other they will not break. For Concours rebuilders the catalogue is not strictly
accurate--as well as the spacers between the frame and the side-plates there are extra ;in washers on
the 3/8in bolts. This was to cock the plates outwards at the rear to avoid a snarl-up of the rear brake cable
and the silencer studs.
The two plates differ only in the Zener Diode hole in the right hand plate -on electric start models there
are even diodes in each plate-and the only threads are those for the three footrest studs. These are 5/I6 x
20 UNC in the holes, and for a brief period, instead of using studs and nuts, bolts were fitted in these
holes. Much neater. The studs were UNF at the outer end except for the right hand rear bolt-which was
always a bolt, and which was deliberately made too long so the earth lead for the Zener could be
attached to its inside end. The Zener earth requires a 5/ 16in UNC nut, the only one on the whole bike-but
if you lose it a 5/16in Whitworth nut will fit. Very common on coach bolts and gutter fittings.
THE FOOTRESTS: as all of you who have ever had a Commando know, break off. Early examples are
brazed into the hangers, and were messy to put right because re-brazing spoilt the chrome and buying a
new one spoilt the bank balance. Later footrests were screwed in, and broke off just below the surface.
The thread is 7/ 16in x 20 UNF but it is best to drill out the thread in the hanger completely so that in the
event of a breakage you can fit the new bit at the roadside without resorting to spark erosion. You all do
carry spare pegs, don't you? You can get the rubber off the broken peg using the screwdriver in the tool
kit-poke the screwdriver down into the gap and dribble petrol (or washing up liquid) down inside. Then
make sure no one is looking and hammer the screwdriver into the other end of the rubber. It doesn't do
the screwdriver any good-but you will only destroy the end you hit, ,o hit the Philips end because it
doesn't fit the crosshead screws all over the bike anyway. They're Posidrive.
A further idea on footpegs is a modified peg like that in Diag. 3. This has been tested in a 50 m.p.h. slide.
What happens is that the peg is allowed to bend under a heavy fall, If it breaks off (it the constriction
completely then the stub is easily removed with a spanner. No locknut is needed as it is done up tight
and the constriction also stops the rubber from falling off.
There was a spring made, but fitted as standard only on some police bikes, which would prevent the
brake pedal digging in the road if the cable were to break. The cables don't break, but if you are worried
and you can't find a suitable spring, cut a slice from an FSIE tube and slide it over the footrest and pedal.
Best thing that could happen to an FSIE, to have its tyres removed to mend Nortons. If you remove the
clevis and clip from the cable end, refit the head of the clevis on the inside so that if the clip should fail
and fall off the clevis can't fall out.
Diagram 3.
3/8 A.F.
3/8
ф
groove – form optional
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