250 Monza: lost the ball bearing from kick start!!

[cooperplace]

The lever on the end of the kickstart fell off, god knows how. My brother was kicking it. The lever is stopped from idly rotating by a ball bearing & spring arrangement. The spring seemed gone, and I bought a suitable replacement, but you guessed it, while trying to put it all together, sprong! and the ball bearing shot away, never to be see again.

Does anyone know what size they are?

Thanks

[Jon Pegler]

5mm

[Jordan]

5mm is an unusual size for a bearing ball.
3/16 inch?

[ducwiz]

RTFM

Snap 2022-04-20 at 09.15.24.jpg

[cooperplace]

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated.

[ranton_rambler]

I'd suggest that you need to fix the root cause of why it fell off. When I first got mine going, this happened a few times although I always managed to find the bits.
Cause was that the chrome plater had over-polished the lever so the circlip didn't have enough groove to reside in. I swapped the circlip to one of those spring-steel lockwashers. It took a few trials with different sizes and it's not pretty but has never come off again.

[cooperplace]

Thank you, an excellent idea. I'll check the groove for the washer, which might also be getting a bit tired, seeing as it's not in its first flush of youth.

[ducwiz]

https://www.smalley.com/blog/1-reason-retaining-ring-failure-and-how-overcome-it
https://www.smalley.com/ring-design/load-capacity

These circlips, in Germany produceded by Seeger-Orbis Co. (hence "Seeger rings") always hav e sharp and a more rounded edge along their inside. I fond that thes resist better against stripping when the sharp edge is mounted in the direction of thrust.

Hans

[Jordan]

Hans' suggestion is a good one, but if the circlip groove is too damaged it needs a more drastic solution.
Just an idea, but maybe a threaded hole can be made at the end of the main lever, to hold a retaining cap for the pedal?