In 2021, the amazing Fred and Ella Eaton retired themselves and their fabulous business Old Britts.
They were a force to be reckoned with for the supply of Norton parts in the United States, but more so, they were a wealth of information, experience and great advice.
Even me, here in the UK bought parts from Old Britts!
Articles The Old Britts website was great – easy to read and navigate, with a lot of useful information.
Fred’s tech articles are superb, and they have been a go-to and much bookmarked place for many Norton owners over the years.
Andover to the Rescue
Joe at Andover Norton announced in his March 2021 Newsletter that they will host the Old Britts technical articles from the Andover website .
Torque about However, with Fred and Ella’s kind permission, they have also allowed me to replicate one of their articles on my site – the Norton Torque Settings.
This (to me) is one of the most useful docs, I refer to it frequently, and I am desperately keen for it to never be lost.
Norton Commando Torque Settings Note
As all the product catalogues on the Old Britts website are no longer accessible, I have gone through each item number, swapped it for the Andover Norton updated part number, and linked straight through to that item on their website.
GEARBOX Inner cover nuts (7 nuts, 00.0004 ) Outer cover screws (5 screws, 00.0482 ) Clutch centre nut (1 nut, 04.0373 ) wrong in the factory manual Gearbox mainshaft nut (1 nut, 04.0023 ) Gearbox sprocket nut (1 nut, 04.0070 ) LH thread Gearbox – top bolt (06.4697 ) Gearbox – bottom pivot stud (06.0597 ) Kickstarter pinch bolt (1 bolt, 06.0599 )
10 – 15 ft./lb. 60 – 80 in./lb. 40 ft./lb. 40 – 50 ft./lb. 80 ft./lb. 55 ft./lb. 55 ft./lb. 25 ft./lb.
ENGINE Mounting bolts (3/8 in., 4 nuts 14.0303 ) Mounting bolt (5/16 in., 1 nut 14.1902 ) Cylinder head bolts (3/8 in., 8 bolts 06.0401 ) Cylinder head nuts (5/16 in., 2 nuts 06.7529 ) 750 Cylinder base nuts (3/8 in., 6 nuts 06.2652 ) 750 Cylinder base nuts (5/16 in, 3 nuts 06.3825 ) 850 Cylinder base nuts (3/8 in, 1 nut 06.7870 ) 850 Cylinder base nuts (5/16 in, 4 nuts 06.3825 ) 850 Cylinder base bolts (through cylinder, 4 bolts 06.3085 ) Crankshaft stud nuts (12 nuts, 06.4160 ) Conrod locknut (4 nuts, 06-7827 ) Rocker spindle cover plate bolts (8 bolts, 06.3124 ) Alternator rotor nut, crankshaft (1 nut, 06.0387 ) Alternator mounting stud nuts (3 nuts, 06.2692 ) Oil pressure release valve (13.1762 ) Spark plug
25 – 30 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb. 30 ft./lb. 20 ft./lb. 25 ft./lb. 20 ft./lb. 25 ft./lb. 20 ft./lb. 30 ft./lb. 30 ft./lb. 22 – 25 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 70 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb. 25 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb.
TIMING CASE Cam chain tensioner nuts (2 nuts, 06.2692 ) Oil pump stud nuts (2 nuts, 06.7592 ) no washers Oil pump worm gear nut (06.3024 ) Crankshaft worm gear (06.7889 ) LH thread Camshaft sprocket nut (06.7774 ) depending on cam metal. PW3 Camshaft sprocket nut (cast iron, 06.7367 ) Timing cover screws (12 screws, 06.7308 )
15 ft./lb. 10 – 12 ft./lb. 25 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb. 60 – 80 ft./lb. 15 ft lb. 60 – 80 in./lb.
PRIMARY CASE Chaincase centre fixing nut (1 nut, 06.0367 ) Alternator mounting stud nuts (3 nuts, 06.2692 ) Chaincase fixing bolts (3 bolts, 06.2669 ) MK3 Chaincase outer screws (10 screws, 06.5533 ) MK3 Long starter screw (1 screw, 06.5532 ) MK3 Short starter screws (2 screws, 06.4729 )
25 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb. 60 – 80 in./lb. 60 – 80 in./lb. 8 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb.
FRONT FORKS / WHEEL Fork tube top bolt (2 bolts, 06.0345 ) Steering head stem nut (1 nut, 06.7781 ) Yoke pinch bolts (2 bolts, 06.1911 ) Wheel spindle pinch bolt (1 nut/bolt, 06.2465 ) drum brake Wheel spindle pinch bolt (1 nut/bolt, 14.0221 ) disc brake Front wheel spindle nut (1 nut, 06.0361 ) Fork damper tube anchor bolt (1 bolt, 14.0113 ) Mudguard bridge stud nut (2 each fork, 06.0355 ) Disc to hub nuts (5 nuts, 14.0302 ) NORVIL disc to hub nuts (6 nuts, 14.1202 ) Front mudguard stay bolt (4 bolts, bottom 06.0357 ) Front mudguard stay nut (4 nuts, top 06.7797 ) Front fork pinch bolt nut (14.0302 )
30 – 40 ft./lb. 25 – 30 ft./lb. 30 ft./lb. 10 – 15 ft./lb. 10 – 15 ft./lb. 60 ft./lb. 10 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 20 ft./lb. 20 – 25 ft./lb. 10 ft./lb. 4 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb.
REAR WHEEL Rear wheel nut (1 nut 06.0292 ) dummy axle side Rear wheel spindle (06.0289 ) Brake Drum Sleeve Nut (3 nuts, 06.0323 ) Wheel adjuster nuts (2 nuts, 14.0402 ) Speedo cable to speedo drive (06.7904 ) Swing arm rod assembly (1 bolt/stud, 06.0873 ) Rear mudguard nut (2 nuts, top 14.0301 ) Rear mudguard nut (1 nut, 14.0302 ) Tail lamp pillar nut (2 nuts, 06.3921 ) Grab rail clip with captive nut (4 required, 06.3641 )
80 ft./lb. 80 ft./lb. 40 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb. 10 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb. 24 in./lb. 8 in./lb.
ISOLASTICS / HEAD STEADY Front bolt nut (1 nut, 06.0438 ) Front engine plate nuts (2 nuts, 14.0303 ) Rear engine plate nut (1 nut, bottom 14.1902 ) Rear engine plate nuts (2 nuts, top 14.1303 ) Rear stud nuts (2 nuts, 06.0438 ) Head steady bracket screw (3 screws, 06.7745 ) Head steady side plate stud nut (2 nuts, 14.0302 )
30 ft./lb. 25 ft./lb. 20 ft./lb. 30 ft./lb. 30 ft./lb. 12 ft./lb. 12 ft./lb.
BRAKE CALIPER Front caliper to fork bolts (2 bolts, 06.7969 ) Caliper end plug (1 plug, 06.2185 )
25 – 30 ft./lb. 25 ft./lb.
OIL TANK AND FITTINGS Oil tank mounting bolt (1 bolt, 06.0652 ) Oil junction block bolt (1 bolt, 03.0448 ) Rubber mounting bolt nuts (2 bolts, 4 nuts, 03.3057 ) Oil filter mounting bolts (2 bolts, 14.0114 ) Rocker feed banjo bolts (3 bolts, 06.7696 )
4 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 4 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb.
MISCELLANEOUS Side stand nut (1972 – later, 1 nut 06.3089 ) Centre stand nuts (2 nuts, 14.1304 ) Coil mounting bracket nuts (2 nuts, 06.6044 ) Kickstarter pinch bolt (1 bolt, 06.0599 ) Exhaust balance pipe bolt (2 nuts/bolts, 14.1201 ) Carburettor stud nut (4 nuts, 14.0302 ) Inlet manifold fixing screws (4 screws, 06.2536 ) Shock mounting nuts (2 each shock, 14.0303 ) Chain guard nut (2 nuts, 14.0301 ) Front brake lever pivot bolt (1 bolt, 06.2184 ) Front hydraulic hose nut (1 nut, 14.0403 ) Muffler clamp pinch bolt (1 nut, 14.0302 ) Zener diode nut (1 nut, 14.0301 ) Coil clip bolts (2 each coil, 14.0103 ) Coil mounting bracket bolts (4 bolts, 14.0102 ) Reflector nut (1 nut, 06.6044 ) Condenser pack (2 nuts/bolts, 06.7797 ) Horn nut (2 nuts, 14.0301 ) Headlamp mounting bolt (2 bolts, 06.2321 )
50 – 60 ft./lb. 45 ft./lb. 10 in./lb. 25 ft./lb. 7 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 25 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 25 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb. 9 ft./lb. 24 in./lb. 10 in./lb. 8 ft./lb. 20 in./lb. 24 in./lb. 8 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb.
FOOTRESTS Rear side plate mounting nut (2 each plate, 14.0303 ) Footpeg nuts (1 each footpeg, 14.0304 ) Footrest mounting flange nuts (3 on left, 2 on right, 14.0302 ) Footrest mounting bolt (1 on right, 06.1246 ) Pillion footrest bolt (1 bolt each rest, 06.0618 ) Pillion footrest pivot bolt (1 nut each rest, 14.0301 ) Exhaust rubber mounting nuts (2 each rubber, 14.0302 )
25 ft./lb. 40 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 15 ft./lb. 25 ft./lb. 8 ft./lb. 10 ft./lb.
Handy Download The above tables are also available in a handy downloadable PDF which you can save to your computer, and/or print out to keep in the workshop.
Thank You Thanks Fred and Ella for all you have done over the years – you have been an important part of our community, and have helped keep thousands of Norton Commandos on the road.
Enjoy your retirement – it is very well deserved, but know you are loved and will be missed by us all!
This article is from a series of Handy Workshop Guides I have put together.
These may be of interest to you:
Categories: Handy Workshop Guides , motorcycles , Tech Articles
Tagged as: commando torque , commando torque settings , elle eaton , fread and ella , fred & ella , Fred Eaton , norton commando torque , norton commando torque settings , norton torque , old brits , old britts , old britts tech article , old-brits , old-britts , oldbrits , oldbritts , torque settings
