Difference 420 AE and AXC ?

[pingvin]

Got a 1981 420 AE but considering trading it for a 420 AXC in considerably better shape.

From what I can see here, http://www.huskyclub.com/82AE420.htm , the main differences are gear ratio and suspension travel. Don't mind the closer gears but not sure I like the 50mm extra seat height of the AXC, nice to have low seat height when tricky...

Anyway, not sure the numbers tell the full story. Are the AE and AXC more or less the same or are they more different than the figures say? Anyone tried both?

Except in shabby condition I really like the AE so just afraid I will trade fore something not working that well for me.

 

[fran...k.]

Well, thanks for posting I was under the impression they had a 72mm stroke instead of 71 and unaware there was a transmission difference. A long time ago the lady at Morrel's in Attleboro Ma said the suspention was the difference. I have bought three of them years ago, one had some sort of shorter aftermarket shocks, one had shocks with remote resvoirs and one had piggyback with the gold resevoirs that came before the blue itc. One is assembled but now I will have to count teeth on the transmissions and see what I got.

I can say all of the cylinders appear to be from the same basic casting, I suspect the same as the 430, but the amount planed off the top and bottom to make it work with the shorter stroke isn't the same. One has a small passage, kind of a compression release going from inside the exhaust port to part way up the cylinder above the top of the exhaust port. This may have been added later but another difference noted.

Those 35mm forks and the single leading shoe brake are pretty dated by now. Do they even have bushings? The longer travel would be an easier swap from a modern dirt bike front end just due to lenght I would think. Looking at the bike models you put under your avatar I am envisioning pretty tall bikes.

The ae probably corresponds to wr and axc to wr. The parts sheets might just spell out auto specific stuff. I can say none of my auto stuff came with the pegs to keep tires from spinning like wr. Now that I think of it pretty sure one of the rotors for the electrics said amol on it just like the brittish carburetors. Good chance that stuff is different.

 

[stormer254]

I am probably wrong but I think all the gears from 360 to 420 are the same, when I first had my 420 and could not get it to rev out, I thought it changed gear to early so I swapped a 360 set of gears clutche and springs onto the 420 gearbox main shaft, keeping the original lay shaft gears. and it is still going a treat! I have a feeling the different ratio is gained by the different sprocket sizes

 

[pingvin]

Looking at the bike models you put under your avatar I am envisioning pretty tall bikes.

Actually googled my KTM530s seat height and, like you say, it's even 15mm higher than the AXC. But the 530 seat is much narrower so guess the wide AXC seat will make reaching the ground harder.

Best would be to sit on the bike and see but it's like 500 miles to do that so would be nice to know if really tall or just normal. Of course I can drop forks, modify seat and rear shocks but don't wan't to mess to much with the bike or ruin the original design. And it's a bit expensive so can't spend too much more money on it really.

What about dampers/shocks are they soft like on enduro bikes or stiff like cross bikes?

I have a feeling the different ratio is gained by the different sprocket sizes

From link it looks like it's both gir Box and sprockets (=secondary transmission)?

AXC AE
Overall Gear Ratio: 1st 17.30 15.86
2nd 12.85 11.78
3rd 10.21 9.36
4th 8.41 7.78
Secondary Transmission: 11/53 12/53

 

[Autopilot]

Got a 1981 420 AE but considering trading it for a 420 AXC in considerably better shape.

From what I can see here, http://www.huskyclub.com/82AE420.htm , the main differences are gear ratio and suspension travel. Don't mind the closer gears but not sure I like the 50mm extra seat height of the AXC, nice to have low seat height when tricky...

Anyway, not sure the numbers tell the full story. Are the AE and AXC more or less the same or are they more different than the figures say? Anyone tried both?

Except in shabby condition I really like the AE so just afraid I will trade fore something not working that well for me.

Hi,

I own both models, the 1982 420AE and the 1982 420AXC. The AXC I bought brand new in 1983 and the AE I purchased about 6 months after when it was about a year old. The engines are identical apart from two items, one being the AXC came with an internal rotor Motoplat ignition and a 12t gearbox sprocket and the AE had an SEM ignition with lighting coils and a 13t gearbox sprocket. The rolling chassis differed in that the AXC was in the MX chassis (no rear frame loop or bar under the engine) and had longer travel 35mm forks with remote reservoir Corte Cosse shocks, MX swingarm, MX rear wheel and braking system. The AE was in the full enduro chassis with shorter 35mm forks and shorter shocks. The petrol tank was black on the AE and maroon on the AXC. The other difference was the exhaust system, MX on the AXC and double wall Enduro system on the AE.
I still use the AE now but modified over the years with uprated forks from the later models, Ohlins rear shocks, and Excel rims on the wheels. I love it still after 30 years of ownership and will never part with it.

At a recent modern event with a Twinshock class;



There was a full test on the two bikes in an article in Dirt Bike magazine back in 1982 (I still have a copy somewhere) and there were a couple of differences on my bikes to the one's sold in the USA. I think the factory were just using up parts in the bins at this time so that might have had something to do with the changes.
If you have the chance of picking one up in decent condition then go for it, you can use all sorts of bits from both bikes to make a good one.

Cheers Nigel

 

[pingvin]

Brilliant, wasn't sure anyone had tried both, finding one that own both is perfect Is the AXC a lot stiffer than the AE? Will mostly be used for technical enduro so want fairly soft suspension and the AE works fine but worried the AXC will be a lot stiffer like mx bikes often are (modern bikes at least).

Will have to sell the AE to partly finance the AXC so can't mix and match parts unfortunately

 

[ruwfo]

Hi,

I own both models, the 1982 420AE and the 1982 420AXC. The AXC I bought brand new in 1983 and the AE I purchased about 6 months after when it was about a year old. The engines are identical apart from two items, one being the AXC came with an internal rotor Motoplat ignition and a 12t gearbox sprocket and the AE had an SEM ignition with lighting coils and a 13t gearbox sprocket. The rolling chassis differed in that the AXC was in the MX chassis (no rear frame loop or bar under the engine) and had longer travel 35mm forks with remote reservoir Corte Cosse shocks, MX swingarm, MX rear wheel and braking system. The AE was in the full enduro chassis with shorter 35mm forks and shorter shocks. The petrol tank was black on the AE and maroon on the AXC. The other difference was the exhaust system, MX on the AXC and double wall Enduro system on the AE.
I still use the AE now but modified over the years with uprated forks from the later models, Ohlins rear shocks, and Excel rims on the wheels. I love it still after 30 years of ownership and will never part with it.

At a recent modern event with a Twinshock class;

View attachment 31417

There was a full test on the two bikes in an article in Dirt Bike magazine back in 1982 (I still have a copy somewhere) and there were a couple of differences on my bikes to the one's sold in the USA. I think the factory were just using up parts in the bins at this time so that might have had something to do with the changes.
If you have the chance of picking one up in decent condition then go for it, you can use all sorts of bits from both bikes to make a good one.

Cheers Nigel

Nigel,
your review is spot on, i just happen to read the same issue you just mention while on vacation & like you mentioned it seemed like a part bin bike..
Husky John

 

[fran...k.]

So is the one with the shock attaching to the center of the swingarm supposed to come with the remote resevoir shocks? That one in the magazine looks to have no rear frame loop. Mine is like the other picture in the magazine with the shock mounting on top of the swingarm and a rear loop.

I don't know about double wall one pipe not from an auto had a section, either the vertical or horizontal one near the gasoline tank with a piece of fibergalss mat similar in thickness to a paper towel and then another sheet of metal over that. I doubt the pipes which I can find pretty easy are really deserving of the term double wall.

 

[Autopilot]

So is the one with the shock attaching to the center of the swingarm supposed to come with the remote resevoir shocks? That one in the magazine looks to have no rear frame loop. Mine is like the other picture in the magazine with the shock mounting on top of the swingarm and a rear loop.

I don't know about double wall one pipe not from an auto had a section, either the vertical or horizontal one near the gasoline tank with a piece of fibergalss mat similar in thickness to a paper towel and then another sheet of metal over that. I doubt the pipes which I can find pretty easy are really deserving of the term double wall.

Yes the AXC is the one in the colour page (red tank) and came originally with remote reservoir shocks, the one you are thinking of buying could have had them changed by now (30 years later remember). The model we got in the UK is slightly different to this in the magazine but I bet the engines were identical. You asked about the suspension and I can honestly say that it didn't feel particularly stiffer in its use but the main problem with the AXC was that the front forks, 35mm units,were much too wimpy for the length of them, they flexed terribly! I would be surprised if someone hasn't changed them on the bike you are looking at but if they haven't it's the first thing you need to do. The other thing to think about is the AXC is very much taller than the AE (it was supposed to be for desert racing), if you are used to the shorter travel of the AE and it's perfect for your riding area then I would stick with it. My bike is taller than most modern bikes but I've got so used to it over the years that I wouldn't want to change.
The last point concerning the double wall exhaust, your bike sounds like it is the thin wall exhaust with the soundproofing cover plates, this is what they did on the 1983/4 bikes in the UK but my 82 AE exhaust is twinwall steel, very strong and very heavy, in 30 years of use it still only managed to get a very small dent in it.
If you have to sell one to fund the other, can you not buy the AXC first, get all the good bits swapped off it and onto yours then sell on the AXC? Just a thought

 

[Autopilot]

Nigel,
your review is spot on, i just happen to read the same issue you just mention while on vacation & like you mentioned it seemed like a part bin bike..
Husky JohnView attachment 31428View attachment 31429

Hi John, yes that's the article I had in mind, it was reading that article in Dirt Bike magazine which got me enthused and fired up to buy my Auto all those years ago...Ahh happy days! (and no regrets)

 

[pingvin]

OK, appreciate the information, just what I looked for. Got the information I need now so just have to evaluate if worth the extra money and if the taller seat height is a problem. Thanks a lot.

 

[m7235]

I have a 1981 420 AXC

 

[rd400pi]

Is it possible to just install the 420 AE motor in the normal 1982 WR chassis? That way, I'd have the right shocks/forks. Sorry if this has already been asked a dozen times.

Mike

 

[Michel Dufayard]

Yes you can ! 80 and 82 chassis looks the same.

 

[fran...k.]

Is it possible to just install the 420 AE motor in the normal 1982 WR chassis? That way, I'd have the right shocks/forks. Sorry if this has already been asked a dozen times.

Mike

That should work. It is necessary to have that squashed tube near the left footpeg which no longer exists in 1983 and newer. At one point I was going to modify the aluminum case to fit in a newer frame but never did.

 

[visiteur1948]

420 auto 1981 original picture HUSQVARNA

 

[motomwo]

Is it possible to just install the 420 AE motor in the normal 1982 WR chassis? That way, I'd have the right shocks/forks. Sorry if this has already been asked a dozen times.

Mike

Yes, absolutely

Marty

 

[stormer254]

Motor in an 82 CR frame.

 

[X53Gunner]

Would I be able to add light to a AXC? Thanks!

 

[motomwo]

Yes, you will need to change your magneto to one that has lighting capability such as motoplat or sem or some aftermarket one and the voltage regulator to keep from blow the bulbs out.

Marty