65 FLH King of the Highway fit and finish

[JSB55]

I was afraid of that after reviewing Palmer, and noting that the shaft is keyed to the flywheel.

Now my question is, can I put a shovel outer primary cover on it and run it for the summer, holding off on the teardown til winter?

Per the photo on Palmer page 175, the splined part of the 70-71 shaft is where the bulk of the extra length is compared to the 65 shaft, but it seems to me that the the Sprocket Shaft Nut (that's what the book calls the threaded pipe with the 4-holed flat end) may not tighten down far enough to properly load the big spring that forces the two parts of the compensator together. I don't know how critical that is.

Chain alignment seems not to be an issue, as I have it spacered so the chain is equidistant from the outer primary gasket surface front to back.

[Rubone]

Regretfully John, it involves a complete teardown! No way around it.
Robbie

[JSB55]

Actually, having reviewed Palmer, I can see from the photo on page 175 that mine is probably a 70-71 sprocket shaft.

Not being a motor guy, I don't know whether it's possible to replace that shaft without a complete tear down and splitting the cases, but it sure looks like it, as that shaft probably takes monster torque to install and affects the flywheel truing.

Answers, anyone?

John

[JSB55]

Trans drops right in and mates up just fine, and it had a -65 number stamped on the bottom.

And my chain alignment is right on the money. Clutch hub fiber plate to inner primary gasket surface is exactly 2 inches. With the spacer installed, the shoulder on the large piece far left in the photo, which slides over the smaller shaft is also exactly 2 inches from the gasket surface.

With all bolted up, the chain is exactly the same distance from the gasket surface every place I can measure.

Based on your comments above, I'm starting to think that the motor builder used a sprocket shaft that was too long. He rebuilt the lower end that was in the bike, and may not have measured the shaft ???

If I put a straight edge across the gasket surface of the inner primary (installed) the sprocket shaft comes about 1/16 shy of that plane. Now that you have brought it to my attention, I can see that the sprocket shaft in the FL (which does not have a compensator) is about 3/8 to 1/2 inch shorter. Would you and others agree that my problem is the too long sprocket shaft?

John

[JSB55]

OK ... http://i560.photobucket.com/albums/s...dsprockets.jpg

The sprocket is 24 teeth, stamped "55A" on the inside, as is the Sliding Cam that mates with it.

What I thought was the part number on the inner primary is also shown.

Thanks to Rub or anyone else who can help me sort this out.

John

[Rubone]

Again, those are NOT part numbers, merely casting numbers and will not match the numbers in the parts book. It sounds like your compensator is the correct type. Now, do you know if the transmission is correct for the year of the bike? Looking at your engine shaft behind the compensator the space should be barely longer than the bearing retainer nut. If it is a longer type it will stick out to far and move the whole assembly outboard by about a quarter inch, enough to cause fitment problems and CHAIN alignment problems. All '65 to '69 inner and outer primaries will interchange with no difference in fit regarding the primary drive components. the number changes apply to minor things like the plug for greasing the compensator, etc.
Robbie

[JSB55]

charging the digital camera battery... going to take a while for that

meanwhile, I found a partial part number "55A" stamped on what I called the outer of the two "shark tooth" pieces... the parts book lists it as a "sliding cam with shaft extension #40292-55A"

[JSB55]

P.S. - this bike was full of wrong parts when I got it, so it wouldn't surprise me if the guy put in a 70s compensator.

[JSB55]

Thanks, Rub... not sure I can upload a photo, but updated info is as follows

The numbers I'm referring to are raised letters at about 11 oclock to the clutch sprocket, just about the nuts that mount to the trans, and are on the inside of the inner primary (i.e., visible when it is installed)

On the outer primary, the numbers are also raised, but much less noticeable than the large, raised numbers on the inner.

Not sure which spacer I have installed, but the measurement from outside edge of chain to primary gasket surface is uniform all along, and with the spacer installed, I also get measurements from the fiber surface of the clutch hub to the gasket surface and from the gasket surface to the shoulder on the outer sleeve that the engine sprocket mates to which match (i.e., chain is aligned).

I wouldn't know a late from early compensating sprocket ... mine is four pieces in total - the two pieces with "sharks teeth" that mate, the large spring, and the outer "nut" I mentioned above, which is actually a threaded sleeve with flat outer surface and the four holes in it, requiring the special tool for tightening.

Hope that helps clarify. IF I can find my USB cord to transfer a photo to computer, I will upload photos shortly.

Thanks for trying to help. This is kicking my butt.

John

[Rubone]

JSB55,
If the number you are quoting is cast into the primary cover, it is not a part number, merely a casting number which is different. Which engine shaft bearing spacer are you using, and which compensator sprocket? Post a picture if you can as that will help immensely. The compensator should be the same as all the '55 up, but NOT a '70 up style. you mention nut, but the outer fastener is a flat plate with four holes in it on the end of a threaded shaft. Is that what you have?
Robbie

[JSB55]

wrong inner primary ???

Hi, Guys

The inner primary I have on my 65 FLH is a 60620-65, mated with an outer cover # 60510-65. However, when the Compensating Sprocket is installed, it's too "tall" to fit under the outer primary cover. A shovelhead outer cover with the raised area up front would fit just fine, but of course does not belong there.

The book actually calls for a 60617-65A inner primary, and the same cover as above. I'm wondering if the 60617 is slighter deeper at the sprocket end than the 3" depth of the 60620?

Or maybe I just have the Compensating Sprocket incorrectly assembled, but I doubt that, since even without the spring and with the outer nut fully tightened, it is still too tall to allow the outer cover to go on.

I opened up my 65 FL to see what was in there, and it's the same part #s as on the FLH, except that it has a standard sprocket rather than the compensating sprocket that is on the FLH.

Can somebody enlighten me, please???

Really trying to button this up by Monday.

Thanks in advance for the help, and for all past help.

John

[JSB55]

Info appreciated, Chris!

[Chris Haynes]

This is what the factory photo shows. Bracket is natural cast finish. Lever is Cadmium. U bolt is Parkerized. Spring is painted black.

[JSB55]

mousetrap finishes

Palmer indicates that the large moustrap bracket (the one that clamps to the frame downtube) was natural finish thru '64, but I don't find reference to the flatter piece, and of course, Palmer does not cover '65.

My large bracket is natural finish, while the flatter piece appears to have once been cad. Are those the correct finishes for 65?

Thanks!

[JSB55]

Thanks, Jerry. Just edited my original message, as I found I had a sleeve whose spiral was the reverse of what I had installed, and it solved the problem.

The cable still has to "push" on the throttle lever, which sometimes prevents it going to WFO due to the flimsiness of the cable itself, but at least the grip on the handlebar is now "pull" to open the throttle.

John