Royal Enfield METEOR MINOR STANDARD 1958 Workshop Maintenance Manual page 45

1. Description of Frame
The frame is built throughout of cold drawn
weldless steel tubing with brazed or welded
joints, liners being fitted where necessary for
extra strength. All the main frame members are
made of chromemolybdenum alloy steel tubing
which retains its strength and resistance to
fatigue after brazing or welding.
The swinging arm unit which forms the chain
stays pivots on a stout steel tube which is
secured to the main frame by a long bolt passing
through the pivot lugs. Hardened steel thrust
washers are provided to deal with side thrust.
The torsional rigidity of the swinging arm unit
helps to maintain the rear wheel upright in the
frame and thus relieves the wheel spindle of
bending stresses to which it is subject with other
types of rear suspension.
2. Steering Head Races
The steering head races, 34085, are the same
at the top and bottom of the head lug and are the
same for all models. They are easily removed by
knocking them out with a hammer and drift and
new races can be fitted either under a press or by
means of a hammer and a wooden drift.
3. Removal of Rear Suspension Unit
The rear suspension units are readily
removed by undoing the top pivot pin nut,
driving out the pivot pin, then hinging the
suspension unit back on the lower pivot pin,
removing the lower nut and pushing the
suspension unit off the pivot pin welded to the
fork end.
4. Servicing Rear Suspension Units
The proprietary units fitted are sealed and
servicing of the internal mechanism can be
carried out only by the manufacturers.
The rubber bushes in the top and bottom eyes
can easily be renewed and the spring can be
removed by pushing down on the top spring
cover so as to release the split collar above it.
After removal of the split collar the top cover
and spring can be lifted off. When reassembling,
the spring should be greased to prevent rust and
squeaking if it should come into contact with
either of the covers.
5. Removal of Swinging Arm Chain Stays
First remove one of the pivot pin nuts and
pull the pivot pin out from the other end. To
release the pivot bearing it is necessary to spread
the rear portion of the frame, using the frame
Section H4 Page 2
expander E.5431, which will spread the frame
sufficiently to enable the spigots on the thrust
washers to clear the recesses in the pivot lugs
forming part of the frame.
6. Centre Stand
To remove the centre stand unscrew the nut
from one end of the stand spindle, knock out the
latter and withdraw the stand complete with its
bearing sleeve after disconnecting one end of the
stand spring.
7. Wheel Alignment
Note that it is not possible to guarantee that
the wheels are correctly aligned when the same
notch position is used on both adjuster cams. It is
therefore not sufficient to count the notches and
use the same position on both sides of the
machine. The only way to guarantee that the
wheels are in line is to check the alignment from
front wheel to back using either a straight edge
or a piece of taut string. The alignment should be
checked on both sides of the machine and if the
front and rear tyres are of different section
allowance must be made for this.
It is usual to check the alignment of the
wheels at a point about six inches above the
ground but, if the alignment is checked also
towards the top of the wheels, it will be possible
to ascertain whether or not the frame is twisted
so as to cause one wheel to be leaning while the
other is vertical. To do this it is always necessary
to remove the mudguards and, unless a straight
edge cut away in its centre portion is available, it
will be necessary also to remove the cylinder,
toolboxes, battery, etc., in order to allow an
unbroken straight edge or a piece of taut string to
contact the front and rear tyres.
8. Lubrication
The steering head races, swinging arm pivot
bearing and stand pivot bearing should be well
greased on assembly. The swinging arm pivot
and stand pivot are provided with grease nipples
but no nipples are provided for the steering head
as experience has shown that the provision of
nipples at this point causes trouble through
chafing and cutting of control and lighting
cables. If the steering head bearings are well
packed they will last for several years or many
thousands of miles.
Recommended
(Heavy), Mobilgrease (No. 4), Esso Grease,
Energrease C.3 or Shell Retinax A.
greases are Castrolease