I needed to replace the area around the drive side main bearing housing where the inner primary bolts to the main case. I'm usually competent at using a lathe to perform easy repairs like this should have been. Needless to say, I screwed it up and cracked the case mounting it into a 4 jaw chuck (still can't believe I did it). I took the cases (bolted together so as not to warp the case being repaired to a very good welder that we have used for years fixing damaged cases on crashed bikes. This is where the real screwup began. Our welder didn't know that when a crack forms ahead of your weld, stop an drill a hole at the leading edge of the crack to prevent it from extending. Needless to say, he cracked the case all the way into the bearing housing. A friend (an old timer who operated a machine shop dedicated to motorcycle and outboard engines) finished welding and machined the hole in the case for the new bearing housing. This where the real problem begins. He machined the case to clean it up, which made the case about 0.030 oversize.
My question is,
1. Do I have a new oversize bearing housing made to fit the case. If yes what material should it be made from and what should the hardness be.
2. Have the case machined a little larger, then install an insert on the housing and press it in. If I do this, how thick shout the insert be and what king of metal should it be made from. I'm afraid the insert would be too thin and collapse attempting to install it in the housing now because it is too thin.
Thanks
Sam
