Pretending to know what I am doing - 1947 FL

[ryan]

Yeah, I know the lower rails are often destroyed, but I don't know why. Is it just from riding the bikes offroad?

I assumed at least one wheel was incorrect. The only way I'll change one would be the rear, and that's only if the hub is destroyed.

The bike wears Speed Grips now, I always thought that was a late fifties/early sixties tire.

The light is probably a shelf item. Repop taillights never killed anyone.

I'm not going to be drilling on the frame... I'm sure the water will exit just fine when the rails get cut out!

I have a source for NOS taillights. PM and I will give you the source. I do not want to make it public. He may also have the rear brake parts as well. I will also help anyway I can with trades to keep your money down.

[govmule84]

Update time. Frame should be done soon, and the engine should be mid-July. Fingers crossed. Springer is straight (Mike47 checked it with a laser and bore-scoped the legs, all is well inside), and it now has fresh rocker bushings.



I got the damper stuff back together with a mix of old and new parts.



Mike also repaired the oil bag mounting tabs as well as the battery tray.





I cleaned up the front drum. It was a mess, but most of the parts in there were salvageable.





I have been bad about updating. The fenders are cleaned up and the rear is wired up with the taillight. I've got a new neck cup kit ready to go into the frame. I'm sort of at a standstill 'till I get the frame back, then it's time to make a roller, and hopefully around that time the engine is done!

[govmule84]

I also forgot to mention that I traded my small-port heads for a set of seemingly-NOS large-port heads. I have a 74" cases and jugs, so the early heads were sort of a pain because they had a home-made manifold on 'em. I believe I had one head that was a '37, and the other was '38-'39? I don't have Palmer's book in front of me right now, but they were a mismatch, and that front had a large crack from port to valve guide on the exhaust side, so I'm chalking this up as a good thing for the bike.

[Rubone]

Be sure to check the head cup kit carefully. Most I've seen are made wrong and the overall stack height is too high causing all sorts of problems with the top nuts and steering damper parts. The concave recess in the inner races is not deep enough, making the races too thick.

[govmule84]

Be sure to check the head cup kit carefully. Most I've seen are made wrong and the overall stack height is too high causing all sorts of problems with the top nuts and steering damper parts. The concave recess in the inner races is not deep enough, making the races too thick.

Second time I have heard this, Robbie. It's causing me concern. Do you have any solutions or suppliers for a non-V-twin part that might actually fit as designed? I've heard others tell me "buy OEM," which sounds great, but I cannot seem to find it.

[len dowe]

Looks like your brake backing plate is not correct for your 47. I would be interested in it if your willing too let go to get one that's right for the 47.

[govmule84]

Looks like your brake backing plate is not correct for your 47. I would be interested in it if your willing too let go to get one that's right for the 47.

Got the same color paint as everything else on the bike. Looks right as rain to me.

[Rubone]

Liam,
I think Len is looking at the cable attachment point, which should be threaded 5/16-18 on a '41 up backing plate but would be a smooth bore larger hole on earlier ones.

[BigLakeBob]

Be sure to check the head cup kit carefully. Most I've seen are made wrong and the overall stack height is too high causing all sorts of problems with the top nuts and steering damper parts. The concave recess in the inner races is not deep enough, making the races too thick.

Correct, I recut several for some friends last year, and the races were not near as hard as original. I was able to cut them on the lathe, originals forget about cutting on a lathe. I think the repops were in the 40Rc range.

[govmule84]

Liam,
I think Len is looking at the cable attachment point, which should be threaded 5/16-18 on a '41 up backing plate but would be a smooth bore larger hole on earlier ones.

Yeah, I know what he meant. This backing plate goes with the bike.

Correct, I recut several for some friends last year, and the races were not near as hard as original. I was able to cut them on the lathe, originals forget about cutting on a lathe. I think the repops were in the 40Rc range.

I recall you telling me to find OEM ones, and the words did not fall on deaf ears, but in several months of looking I have not found any, so it looks like V-twin or nothin'. I'd rather die on it than never ride it.

[govmule84]

If you got factory neck cups, Paul at ACF showed me how he regrinds 'em. All four pieces cost $180. These OEM units are hardened way deeper than I ever woulda guessed.





One more problem solved...

[Steve Little]

Excellent pictures and discussion.
The neck races in my 37 had some light pocketing so I brazed a ball bearing to some stock, fitted the races in the lathe and lapped them with coarse lapping paste, and finished off with fine paste. From memory, it wasn't a super quick job, but was completely effective. I thought about using one of those stones in your picture, but didn't know how to form the correct radius on the end.
Enjoying your thread.

[govmule84]

Excellent pictures and discussion.
The neck races in my 37 had some light pocketing so I brazed a ball bearing to some stock, fitted the races in the lathe and lapped them with coarse lapping paste, and finished off with fine paste. From memory, it wasn't a super quick job, but was completely effective. I thought about using one of those stones in your picture, but didn't know how to form the correct radius on the end.
Enjoying your thread.

I think the stone sort of deforms to the existing curvature, but Paul shapes his with a diamond-tipped dressing tool. In either event, I doubt it matters if you're off even by a whole bunch... it's hardly like this is a high-speed application. I just needed the deep notches out. I expect I'll be dead the next time they need to be replaced.

I like that lapping idea, too. May have to steal that for next time.

[govmule84]

#nervousshits



Mike saved the castings for reuse...

[Rooster]

Nothing to be nervous about. Looking good!
(I'm another interested follower.)