1946 & Later Bearing Cage Sizes

[26modelB]

In the March 1946 #242A shop dope, Harley published the bearing cage sizes and corresponding part numbers of most of the bearings that they had used up until 1946. Does anyone know of a spec sheet on later model bearings?

[Frankenstein]

There was a "Panhead service manual" printed years ago in the late '60's and '70's that was a compilation of parts of the Knucklehead manual, shop dope and service bulletins. Not a H-D publication, but someone in the aftermarket scene. Anyhow, there's a couple of bulletins in that that list engine bearings in particular, but I think others as well and their applications. Don't know how common that manual is, I've just always had mine so I figured everyone did.
Hope that helps.
DL

[26modelB]

Thanks for the reply DL. I'd like to find the manual you're talking about as well as newer shop dopes. Antique cycle did a collection of shop dopes in a four volume set which I have all four but they didn't go past the late 40's. I've got two reasons for needing this information. #1 I just bought a collection of parts and there were probably 100 bearing cages there. I was able to identify and label only about 2/3 of them. Reason #2 I'm currently restoring a 34 VL basket case where the rear wheel parts were missing. The rear wheel bearing 3922-30 is evidently a vl only thing and naturally the one size I needed wasn't in with all those other cages. I've only been able to buy 1 so far. I was told that there were one or two 1950's bearings that would work. So, in order to keep from buying a sample of every bearing made, a spec sheet would be very helpful.

[jstraker]

The manual is easy to find, if you search "panhead service manual" in ebay you will come up with a number of them for sale. Also those Antique compilations of shop dopes do go past the late 1940s - I have a volume III (green) from Antique that covers approximately April '41 to June '56. If you seach "harley shop dope" in ebay you will find a bunch of those too. However, the panhead service manual simply reproduces shop dope #242 and 242A - I don't see any additional information in there, at least not a listing of a bunch of bearing sizes like that. And if I leaf through my volume III of shop dope, I also don't find anything similar after #242A. So as for your specific questions, someone more knowledgeable than me will have to help. Cheers. Justin

[26modelB]

Thanks Justin, yeah I just pulled that late 40's ending date out of my head cause I didn't have the books in front of me. I don't own any pan heads (just posted here because of the time period) so I don't have a service manual although I do have a parts manual for pan heads. I have seen those service manuals you're talking about. And, I have searched through the service manuals I do have but no luck. I've never searched for shop dopes on ebay so I'll give that a try. Like I mentioned earlier I have all four volumes from Antique Cycle but there does seem to be some gaps in number / date consistency. I guess that's all they had to make copies of at the time. Maybe someone can clear that up for us too?

Mark

[Frankenstein]

I think your search is in vain. Looked through the parts books this afternoon, couldn't find what you seek.
If memory serves me right, the only bearing that got changed in a panhead that might relate is the right main bearing, which was upsized in '58. Now, the retainer that they used to upsize it was the star hub brake side retainer, which is 43578-35. So, I'm thinking your advise was actually referencing the star hub, not the VL hub.
I could be all wet, but I can't think of any other bearing that changed from early to late pans except the right side pinion bearing.
Hope this helps.
DL

[Rubone]

There are a few oddball Panhead cages for '54 and '55 right side bearings when they were experimenting with roller combinations. Ultimately the one that replaced them all was the Sportster/late K model type one piece closed end cage. All the earlier cages dropped off the charts as the Timken left side bearing and modern right sides replaced all the earlier rollers. As noted, the '58 right used a stock inventory part so nothing new there.
There are special cages for WR, KR, and XR rods.
Here are scans of 242A

[Frankenstein]

Right, they did play with the pinion bearings, I was just looking at 14 roller retainers.
DL

[26modelB]

Tom at replicant metals told me this past Saturday at the swap meet in Denton, NC that he thought the pan head connecting rod bearing is the same as the VL only rear wheel bearing #3922-30. But, we didn't have anything to go by at the time. I looked through my pan head parts book but without one in our hands, the book didn't help a lot. I hate to order more cages I'll never use if they turn out wrong but I may have to. As shown in the shop dope posted above by Robbie, the 3922 measures 1.578" OD x 0.434 tall x 14 rollers. So if anyone could confirm that for me it would at least get my VL wheel back together.

Thanks for all the input so far from everyone!
Mark

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Mark, 3922-30 is VL only with four used per bike. I made a batch to finish my restorations but they are now all sold out. From the Harley chart the 301-36 cage could be a possible substitute, even though it is too short.

[26modelB]

Was there ever an Indian bearing chart? I only have one or two pieces of Indian literature. In addition to getting my VL back up and rolling, I'm still trying to identify a lot of bearing cages that don't match the harley shop dope chart.