Rear shock cover removal

[Roadhome]

Hello,
I'm new to the club, forum, and my personal holy grail, a 47 Chief. This one came to me in rough shape but most of the parts are there. I'll be posting quite a bit as I go so please bear with me and know that I appreciate the help. I've got the rear shocks torn down. The covers need to be replaced but I'm having a hell of time getting the old ones off. I've done a search here and also watched the Kiwi video and he covers getting the new ones on but not the old ones off. Any advice is appreciated. I did manage to get the top covers out of the frame. Thanks in advance.

[tfburke3]

Welcome.I am doing my 47 shocks now also.Just got my new greer upper springs and Starklite covers.
If you are not reusing the covers they come off easy.They only attach at the bottom 3/8" or so.
Put some heat on the bottom,twist ,bang ,pull etc.
Tom

[JTR249]

Good luck, Roadhome. when I put sets together for my Scout and Warrior, I did not realize I had to prime the springs before they would flex enough to actually fit inside the brackets. I think the chief spring fittings are a little difference in that you have a little more curvature at the top to work with. An AMCA member named Eric, posted a method that helped me when I was doing this and although I have learned much from many people here and elsewhere, I am still green when it comes to some aspects of Indian work. There is a lot to learn when working on these bikes the right way. Eric told me to tap out the spindle (I don't know if Chief's have one, though for verticals, there are spindles in each set). After tapping the spindles out, you can then pry the sets loose with a flat edge screw driver, though careful at this point due to resistance of the coil springs because they retain a little tension and can spring up a little when removed.
Heat is indeed one of the great miracles when working with antique motorcycles. I once could not figure out how to remove a home-made kicker pedal from a good kick lever. Jim Preussner of Southwest Vintage Cycles taught me that a little heat on the locked screw in question and then torque--the part was then free as usual.
To prime my new springs I used a small piece of a 2 x 4 and stood directly above them as they were supported by another thick board. Pushing down and releasing the tension slowly several times helps flex the springs and after about a dozen times they will eventually slip in, though it is still not what you would call an easy fit. The Chief sets should be easier because of the way they are made. For a vertical fit, you still have to work them over the center spindle hole and align them, then slip the spindle in and tap the spindle for a perfect fit the last few inches.
The only modification I made when I placed my springs in was to brace the frame for good resistance. I tried to do this free standing on the floor and could never get any quality pressure on the parts. With the frame braced against the wall, the fit was much easier.
Here is a tool maybe you guys can help me identify. The seller said it is an old spring compression tool for older motorcycles. Hopefully one of you can let me know what kind of bikes this was made to be used on. I have not tried to use it yet on the other two bikes.
Good luck!
-JR
36450

[rms337]

This may have most of what you are looking for...

https://forum.antiquemotorcycle.org/...n-rear-springs

[PaulCDF]

RH
The only thing I can add is the set screw in for the upper cover. I soaked w AFT/Acetone; Kroil and PB blaster ~ 3 days each. One came right out the other I had to drill and use a small EZ out to get it. Worked out fine but in retrospect should have given the rust busters more time to work. P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E is a key tool when working on these old bikes. (I know that sounds funny coming from me).

[Roadhome]

Brilliant! My membership fee just paid for itself. Thanks gents. I'll be building my slipper clamps later today (After I remove my compressor motor. The smoke got out of it last night wile I was bead blasting. Now I've got to find a place to put the smoke back in the motor so it will run again. Blasted blaster).

[Roadhome]

This may have most of what you are looking for...

https://forum.antiquemotorcycle.org/...n-rear-springs


rms337 Thank you.
I made the tool in the above post and with patience, flame, some grunting and profanity I managed to get those tins off.

[rms337]

While I appreciate the thanks, it should go to PRG as he is the one that provided the slipper guidance in that thread. He has been helpful with several things related to my Indians.

[PRG]

Thank you kind sir, and I got a huge chuckle out of that patent pending inscription on your right snappy - or should that be Snap On - tool.

[Roadhome]

I saw that patent pending as well. Pretty funny. Thanks for sharing your knowledge PRG maybe you can share some more. As soon as I figure out how to upload pics I'll be discussing my frame challenges in a new thread.