Too many blown generator shovel

[Tom Barlett]

Any ideals or reason for early shovel 65-69 breaking rods and destorying cases?I lost one about 7-8 years ago on a 1966 shovel with stock rods.I know of 4 other one doing the same thing.They were all rebuilt by different people using stock rebuilt rods and were 66-69 shovels.I still have a original 1969 shovel and half scared to ride it.Any reason or ideals?Thanks

[koanes]

I had a beautiful 65FLH in 1979 with onle 20,000 miles on the clock when the rods started knocking. I was told by several dealers that soft crankpins were a problem with 65 and early shovel machines. One dealer, Lee Robertson, Midway Motorcycle, in Minnesota told me they caused him enough trouble to discontinue his HD franchise. Tom, I think the problem was corrected before 69, but if you can get your motor to knock in the bottom, by working the throttle a little at no load conditions, well, better safe than sorry, take it apart and give it a new crankpin. Have it balanced as well, most motors from that era really seem to need it.

[T. Cotten]

I have encountered an unusual number of fragged '65's, but not '66 and later.

The example on the left in the attachment has a wristpin that is split in half two ways: both lengthwise, and in the middle. Only the retainers keep it together for display. The piston appears to be a stock bore Bonalite.

The '65 on the right appears to have had the reciprocating mass stop suddenly while the rotating mass continued.

....Cotten

[DaveSwanson]

I can see why those are on display. Wow, what a mess they must have caused.

[68 shovelhead]

fractured rods

i did a 66 shovel last year with the same mess. the trans failed breaking a badly worn fork everything came to a screaching halt. some people don't take it seriously when the bike jumps out of second and keep riding untill they do 10 times the damage. If they dont know how to do the work themselves they think the cost of pulling the trans and going though it is to expensive.

[flathead tom]

1969 Flh With 120,000 Miles

MY 1969 FLH has over 120,000 miles on it rebuilt the motor twice still has factory installed rods just rebuilt them with new crank pin every time