1965 FLH Primary Cover

[jim wagnon]

Hi all, question… did all ‘65 FLH’s get the primary cover with the plug in the front of the cover for lubing the compensating sprocket? I see covers with and without in my search.

Jim

[jorrow]

Yes, and from what I am told, the early part of '66.

[KNUCK]

Uh school me on that, what hole in the primary cover is that? Never seen one on a 65......................

[KNUCK]

My bad I forgot about that access hole!

[D.A.Bagin]

65 early 66

[jim wagnon]

Thanks everyone very much for your help with this. This is such a great forum, and great group of people.

Jim

[vph-d]

The 65 owners manual states only machines having a compensating sprocket will have the plug. That sprocket was part of the King of the Highway group, which I suspect was how most of the 65 were ordered. However, the 65 parts book lists only one cover, which implies all covers would have the plug. My OP 65 does not have the plug, but I suspect it has a Shovel cover...
VPH-D

[T. Cotten]

My Kansas City PD machine, Vph-d,...

Had a solid sprocket, yet had the plug.

But it was ten years old when I got it.

...Cotten

[vph-d]

I'd be willing to bet all 65s had the plug...
VPH-D

[Arley]

The 65 owners manual states only machines having a compensating sprocket will have the plug. That sprocket was part of the King of the Highway group, which I suspect was how most of the 65 were ordered. However, the 65 parts book lists only one cover, which implies all covers would have the plug. My OP 65 does not have the plug, but I suspect it has a Shovel cover...
VPH-D

The story I have been told is that the very first FLHs did not have the access plug. That would explain the parts book. The stories are similar to the 1955 glass tail light lense.

[Speeding Big Twin]

[vph-d]

The classic case of "slip" in parts books. The further away from the year in question, the more inaccurate the book can become. If the -68 parts book is to be believed, all primary covers 65-68 were the same, which they are clearly not. The -67 parts supplement for the 65 book lists the same parts as the -68 book.
VPH-D

[jim wagnon]

Thanks again everyone for your shared knowledge. Thanks to one of the members here contacting me, the cover is in the mail and on the way. This is a great community of enthusiasts.

Jim

[T. Cotten]

Parts Books are so curious, Folks!

My '55-'65 copy has the same 1965 AND LATER in the diagram, even though there was no 'later'.

The #25 is 60509-65 COVER, chain housing - less needle bearing.

"Used on" for the plug is just 65 – like the rest.

....Cotten
PS: I like how the starter hole cover and gasket shown have no hole for the shaft, to go with the solenoid hole plug. You have to go to the "starter" to find the parts and #s. Mine shows no o-ring update, which is why '65s are so, so much fun.

[Speeding Big Twin]

I posted info above from my 58–68 catalog for more than one reason. The first is obvious but also in the thread there was mention about the cap being used for early-66. According to page 83 of my catalog it was and it is also visible in the picture below.

And although page 82 shows the cap, the aluminium primary cover on that page has no hole for it which would suggest the cap was not used after early-66 even though one cover is listed for 65 to * due to it being a later catalog.
Eric