Spark and Throttle Spiral end play

[jgbrown59]

As I was preparing a set of offset springer handlebars to be painted (for a 47EL), I test fit the spirals to be sure they operated freely. In the process I found there is considerable end play with the fit of both spirals. With the end screw fully seated the spark side has .045” end play/slop and the throttle side has .050”.


Has anyone come up with a good way to reduce this - like with an appropriately sized washer/shim on either end of the spiral?

spiral1.jpg

spiral2.jpg

Jim

[Rubone]

With the cables set up correctly the end play is a non issue.

[T. Cotten]

With the cables set up correctly the end play is a non issue.

JG deserves more than an non answer.

....Cotten

[DANPATCH]

I wrapped a piece of wire around the end that just fit in the grove.

[Steve Slocombe]

You can also file down the ends of the bars to suit.

[jorrow]

I took a junk nylon throttle sleeve from a much later model and cut a shim off the end, then carefully ground it down to take up the excess play. Worked like a charm.

[FNG1]

I didn't like the feel of it on mine, so it turned a thin brass spacer to go between the the screw and the sleeve. It is under the grip and does not show.

[jgbrown59]

Thank you all for the ideas, I appreciate the collaboration.

I did consider grinding the bars to match the spiral, but was concerned with mucking up the threads and not being able to get the screw/plug in. I was also concerned about the next caretaker of the bike cussing me out for shortening the bars.

Because I never throw any hardware away, I found a few .033” thick washers that were big enough to cover the required inner and outer diameters (credit to Dremel tools). Even though these washers were thinner than my original measurements, they worked perfectly, leaving slight endplay and free movement of the spiral. Fully assembled, there's no obvious clue the shim is in place.

I also decided to shim from the handlebar end instead of the screw/plug end. After making a shim for the plug end, I thought it would be a pain to assemble the spiral using the washer with the grip on.


Thanks again for the assist!


Jim

spiral3.jpg