Generator mounting help

[carlm]

I have a stock, mostly original "55 FL. The generator has only ever been mounted with just the two mounting screws. I now have a mounting strap and mounting kit with the square plate with the hole in it. What I need to know is what is the small plate for? How does it mount? And how concerned should I be with the end play of the generator. Thanks in advance for the help. -Carl

[felthamw]

Welcome aboard, carlm

I do not know anything about the square plate. Can you post a pic?

I have a '55 FLH. My strap attaches to the motor with a thin headed, straight slotted screw. The other end goes thru the crankcase boss down low, in front and has a conical washer, lock washer and nut on it. No square plate used.

Can't answer the end play question but do remember seeing it in a Shop Dope book, Palmer's book or a service manual. Maybe one of the other guys that get heavy into generator rebuilds can tell you right off the top of thier head.

Anyways, you are in the right place!

Wayne #4329

[carlm]

Not sure what the small plate is for. It came with the mounting kit along with a screw and several conical washers. The kit is from colony. OEM number is 2408 generator mounting shim & spacer kit 1932-57 all models.
-Carl #15903

[droptopford]

I can't be sure without actually seeing the 'plate' you are talking about but here is a guess: There is a thin metal piece that is used as a shim, or to sandwich paper shims between it (the square metal 'plate?') and the body of the generator. I believe there is a hole in the metal piece that should align with the drain hole on the generator. The stacked shims and metal piece fit between the generator and the gear-case side of the engine.
When the long generator bolts and the strap are drawn tight, the shim(s) serve to keep the gears from meshing too closely. Without the shims, you will probably get a pretty severe whining noise when the engine is running, and soon put a lot of wear on the end bearing.
I can't think of anything else that would be supplied with a moutning kit that you described.

Get yourself a reprinted panhead maintanace manual. They ain't great but they're better than nothing. Also Palmer's 'How to Restore your Harley Davidson' is a must. There's good info in there in this subject and just about everything else you're going to want to know.

Good luck.

[Re-cycleInc]

Carl - It sounds like you have a steel shim in the kit you purchased. There is a section in the Palmer book regarding installation of generators on '57 and earlier models. Here's the basic information on page 229:

- Install generator and shims on engine. Make sure you line up the drain holes in the generator casing, engine casing and shims
- Install the 2 generator mounting bolts using spacers that simulate the thickness of the cam cover and snug the bolts
- Tighten the generator mounting strap
- Loosen the 2 generator mounting bolts and the let the generator seat in the saddle and then re-tighten the bolts
- Measure the generator drive gear to the idler gear pitch clearance with a dial indicator
- Clearance should be within .002" and .004"
- Rotate the motor after your doen and make sure nothing binds

That's the procedure in the Palmer book "How to Restore Your Harley Davidson" - it's a must have for these types of things. Good luck with the procedure.

[carlm]

Thanks for the reply. I have Palmers book and also a service manual. I guess I am lucky that nothing has happened to the generator or the case. I have owned this bike for 15 years and it has never had shims or the support strap. When I bought it it did not have either of those things and I just never thought about it until I removed the generator last summer because it stopped charging. It was loaded with oil. I disassembled the generator and cleaned and adjusted it and it seems to be working properly. This is when I decided to put it back together the right way. Should I be looking for some damage?

[larry]

You should be looking for a new oil seal.

[flat-happy]

be careful tightening the generator strap. if you can get the shim or shims in there use them. if it is already too close for it don't use it. that's how so many of the gen mounting tabs are broken off. it doesn't have to be that tight. some guys think every bolt is the lug nut on an 18 wheeler. if you don't have a dial indicator you can listen to the engine and if the gear lash is too tight the lower end will whine and if it is too loose it will click at idle. hope this helps