1977 Sportster Partial Rebuild

[ihrescue]

Thanks Mike! I will try your suggestion the next time I post a picture. Let me know if you need any stock photos on parts or other items since my 77' is stock other than some chrome.

Excellent and many thanks

Mike Love

[Panhead]

Rear fender front bracket replacement

Finding a replacement was moderately difficult at the time I was looking. The Rear Fender front bracket that came on the bike was pretty chewed up, possibly by a wild final drive chain based on the damage and its adjacency to the final drive.


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The bracket as pictured above should have about 1-1/2 inches and a curve to the left.


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The one I did obtain was used and somewhat bent up. But I did get it for an "as is" price. I was able make it right by banging, bending and burnishing also known as a "BQubed" preservation technique, and got it into pretty good shape to be repainted.




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Oh shoot I messed up the whole punch location in the rubber foam but a little adjust was good enough. Don't judge me. .


Here is the rear fender front bracket mounted to the frame. This has been in the parts catalog since 1952 so I am thinking this was on the Harley- Davidson K Model. At some point they anticipated the flexion of the rear fender and fixed the fender to the fender supports (struts) only and not the frame. So the rear fender actually hovers like a cantilever over the wheel not unlike some of the modern motorcycles.


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Never did find a reasonable replacement rubber pad that serves as the cushion for the movement of the rear fender so I improvised with rubber foam camper to pick up bed insulation seen in use above). It was the nominal width of the OEM pad and the price was right - inexpensive and a big roll of it.



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Where did you find 1/2 x 2 foam strip? I’m coming up zero on searches.

[jim d]

I would check with a shop that dose custom motorcycle seats and alterations to motorcycle seats.

[Panhead]

I managed to find a 25ft roll of 1/2 X 2”

[ihrescue]

Where did you find 1/2 x 2 foam strip? I’m coming up zero on searches.

Here is a link to Amazon. They have a whole bunch of different sizes. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mike Love

[chuckthebeatertruck]

Well done, mike.

[ihrescue]

Well done, mike.

I really appreciate that. I need to catch up with the bike build project updates. You and all the Forums' stars of bike build threads have led the way on how this is done. Thankfully as I have done things I have taken many photos so all I need to do is add a pinch of commentary. I might even tell my story of adding one ounce by weight of grease and blew off the cover of the sealed bearing. So I need to get it done and add commentary. It is sure good to get some responses to raise your motivation.

Mke Love

[chuckthebeatertruck]

I might even tell my story of adding one ounce by weight of grease and blew off the cover of the seed bearing.

I truly think the more we share stories like the grease one -- the more we make this the type of functional forum we were just discussing in the "back water" thread.

[exeric]

Just curious, what is a 'seed bearing'?

[ihrescue]

Just curious, what is a 'seed bearing'?

Oh man I did not go far enough to proof that. It is supposed to be sealed bearing. I think auto correct thought it knew more than me. Thanks for pointing that out Eric.

Mike Love