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I was wondering if anyone out there had changed their standard Chief kick starter crank to the later Chief (52-53) crank which is longer and has 12 teeth instead of 10. I recently finished the restoration on a 46 Chief that I hadn't ridden previously. I can start it, but because of an old sports injury to my knee it doesn't feel that good. I was talking to an man yesterday who had a 47 Chief in the 1950's. He said his bike was hard for him to kick also, and he took it to an Indian dealer and they installed a different gear or something-he couldn't remember the details. I did a little research last night and apparently a later Chief crank would fit on my 46 to make starting easier. The only thing different on my 46 is that it has the "silent" starter return used on slightly later models for quieter operation. My main question is whether the longer crank would make much difference or not, and if there are any fitment issues. I thought maybe someone who had bikes with both the earlier and latest style crank could tell me. Some parts references show the longer crank being used on late 53 models, and some say 52-53 models.
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The longer 12 tooth kicker will work with the 32 tooth gear for distributors but not with the 28 tooth gear for the magneto set-up. I learned that the hard way.
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I just did it this weekend for the same reason. It made a huge difference in starting, as I purposely lost 25 lbs and had stroked my Chief 2 years ago. The 52-53 kicker is nice.
I bought a new made one from a supplier and it came a little "thick/fat". There wasn't enough clearance to install the 1/8" thick washer and lock ring. Orig kickers are all 1.500" thick, this one was .050" too fat. I had to grind the .050 off at it's too hard to cut.
But it cleared the exhaust on my 46 Chief exactly like the orig kicker did when I made the exhaust. I was a little worried about that.
And even though they do come for the magneto-28 tooth gears, make sure that yours has a 32 tooth gear. THat's another big difference in starting difficulty.Last edited by cdf6333; 05-24-2015, 01:50 PM.Comment
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Thanks for the input. After cdf6333's comments, I ordered an aftermarket longer 52-53 crank. I was told that I would need to do some chamfering to the first and last teeth on the crank gear. I did this using a 1" wide stationary belt sander. It worked fine. I also had to do some grinding on the crank arm to clear my exhaust The difference in leverage the longer crank makes is great! I impressed myself by starting the engine on the first kick after the 2 prime kicks. During that first ride, the locking ring that holds the crank on the frame stud came off. I had noticed when installing the new crank that it had more play on the stud than the old one. This is opposite of what cdf6333 had said about the new crank he had installed. Possibly the extra movement caused the locking ring to come off. I would like to hear from anyone who has had a similar experience with this. I plan on shimming the frame side of the crank to take up the extra play. Overall, I'm very happy about the ease of starting with the longer crank.Comment
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Good move roger, it is funny though that your kicker was too narrow. Did you measure the length? I think we got them from different suppliers. Shimming will move it out past the exhaust also, right?
The orig locking ring and washer were very special. The washer had a bevel that pushed the ring into the groove, make sure your washer has that.Comment
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cdf6333- I had also lost the beveled washer when the lock ring came off. I ordered a new one from Jerry Greer along with a new lock ring. The new washer must be slightly thicker, as now there is just the right amount of space to get the lock ring on, and just a little play after it is installed. I did measure the old crank, and it is .002 less than 1.5" after being powder coated. It probably was slightly worn. I didn't take the new crank off to measure it, and I don't have the first beveled washer to measure either, but everything seems to be fine now. I had gotten the reproduction 52-53 crank from another supplier and was told that it was made/distributed by Eastern Cycle Supply.Originally posted by cdf6333 View PostComment
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i sent an email to Eastern Cycle supply they will not sell me the long 12 tooth kicker arm , they said i have to go through jerry greers shop ???robComment
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I have gotten a lot parts for my Chief restoration from Jerry Greer and have been very happy them. The 52-53 crank I got from Ed Glasgow (Ed's Indian Bolts). They are both great to deal with.Originally posted by hairynob24 View PostComment
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Rodger thanks for that , i have brough fuel taps from him i will send an email ,cheers RobComment
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