Well, the left hand finally got to the point where a 100 mile ride causes enough pain to make me think about staying home. Sorta. (Not really, but it hurts like hell.)

Got the LaBriola suicide clutch and the Rager jockey lever together so I started slapping it together this morning. It's already 94 F so I'm doing it a bit at a time.

Taking off the forwards is straight-forward: Remove the bracket mounting bolts, remove the shift lever pinch bolt, pull off as an assembly. Remove the snap-ring, remove the fastening bolt, and separate the peg/lever assembly from the mounting bracket. Slide the shift foot lever off.

Next is the clutch lever and cable: Loosen the adjuster, remove the lever snap ring and pivot pin, slide the cable out, and remove the hand lever. Next remove the primary derby (catch can for the little bit of tranny fluid that will run out if the bike is on the kick stand), pull the spring out, turn the adjuster screw clockwise until the adjuster nut comes off, remove the ramp-and-ball assembly, remove the keeper from the ball-and-ramp, free the cable, then unscrew the cable from the outer primary (again, catch can for the fluid).

Install the new cable into the outer primary, insert the end into the keeper, insert the keeper into the ball-and-ramp ***'y, install the ball-and-ramp, install the adjuster nut, turn the adjuster screw counterclockwise until resistance felt then back it off 1/4 turn, install the spring assembly, install the derby.

When I installed the new suicide lever assembly and the clutch cable retainer onto the forward mount it, and cinched everything down, it bound the clutch lever. I eyeballed it a bit and saw the problem was with the HD forward control mounting bracket. A touch on the bench grinder, followed up with a bit of filing and sanding, and everything would mount square. But now there was a gap between the clutch cable retainer and the mounting bracket, so I had to make a shim out of a thin washer to fill the gap and prevent the clutch cable retainer from cocking. That done, I primed the grind/file/sanding marks. Waiting for the primer to dry to shoot some black.

Back with the rest of the install in awhile. Pics will follow.

 

Shot the black on the retainer and the forward mounting bracket. Found an anodized aluminum volume **** off an old stereo amp I built during a Med cruise back in the late '80s. I have one as the jockey lever **** on my Sloptail and figured this other one would work on the Nightster. Bored the hole to fit the jockey lever diameter, pressed the **** onto the lever, drilled and tapped the lever, and used a 10-32 stainless screw to cinch 'er down. **** has a set screw, also. Mounted the lever so it'll be behind/under my thigh.

Got the install done. Had to do the forward control bracket twice - seems you gotta install the clutch cable to the suicide lever before installing the bracket to the frame. Headed around the yard to check the engagement "feel", and then went down the 1/4 mile dirt driveway, engaging/disengaging clutch, stopping/starting, and coasting over the worst of the bumps in neutral to make sure the length/weight of the lever wouldn't pop the tranny out of neutral. Everything was OK, but the "feel" will take some getting used to; it isn't the same as my Sloptail. Not sure if it's a difference in the clutch itself, the differences in the foot positioning, or both.

Of course, there has to be a problem crop up not related to the suicide/jockey install. Coming back up the drive I heard a rattle every time I hit a bump. Looked at the rear where it was coming from and the side-mount plate bracket is hanging by the license light wire. Bracket broke off up under the fender. So now I've gotta come up with a temp fix. Only thing I can think of is something happened on my Kansas City trip a couple weeks ago. Did come out from a restaurant where I was parked at the end of the line and noticed the bracket had been bumped 'cause it had folded in. Didn't think anything about it 'cause it's made to fold. Guess whatever it was hit it hard enough to crack the mounting bracket.

 

Did a little grinder work on the broken side-mount bracket, cut a piece of flat bar, and drilled & tapped into the remaining part of the bracket. The flat bar is bent to fit the shape of the bracket, and the top is slid between the inner/outer fender at the rear mounting bolt where the QD sissy bar bolt is. There's just enough bolt left to cinch everything up. Primed and painted the whole mess, and ya can't even tell it's mounted differently than a stock piece.

Pics will have to wait 'cause my camera is in Columbia, SC with my sister-in-law's family.

 

I picked one up from them for my Dyna....love the damn thing!

 

Back from the first ride to/from work - 88 miles.

The LaBriola suicide pedal works great. It's a little touchy, but that will get better as I get used to it.

The Rager jockey lever is two pieces; the bottom that fits the splined shifter shaft coming through the primary, and the 1/2 inch diameter lever, held to the bottom piece with two 1/4 inch countersunk screws & nuts.. As I pulled into a gas station on the way home I noticed the lever was a little loose. The two fasteners had backed off allowing the lever to wiggle in the bottom piece. Tightened the nuts with a 4 inch adjustable I carry, and headed home.

By the time I got home the lever was loose again. I pulled the nuts off, put some Loc-Tite on the screw threads, and put the nuts back on. As I was tightening the first one I heard a pop. The bottom piece split where the screw hole goes through. Not a good sign, especially as I was using a Phillips screwdriver to tighten with, and just holding the nut in place with a wrench. Tightened the other one and it slit some more.

Now we have a major problem. As a temporary fix I put an extra wide stainless hose clamp to hold everything together. The bottom splined piece is aluminum, and is grooved to accept the solid round steel lever. The splits occurred in the thin grooved portion. I think it's a design flaw, especially as I was using a screwdriver to tighten things up. Remember that the reason for this whole thing (besides the "cool" factor) is I have limited hand strength. No way did I over-torque the 1/4-20 screws/nuts using a screwdriver. If the splined bottom piece was steel It might be of sufficient strength, given the thinness of the grooved portion.

I think I'll use the factory steel shift lever, make an extension for it using a piece of hot rolled flatbar bent to clear the primary, and have the whole lever stand straight up, but close in by the tank. I can make a guide to mount off an unused bolt in the head to limit the side shake at the top of the lever.

I think the LaBriola jockey lever might be a better design, except I don't like how it mounts off two of the primary cover bolts. Oh well, the journey continues.

First pic is a Rager jockey lever. The screws that split the bottom piece are easily seen. Second & third pics are LaBriola.

 

You may want to try something like this:

 

Is that an original HD, or a V-Twin repop?

I've got an idea in mind, just have to start gathering the bits and pieces.

 

i'd love to see the finished product...i've always thought about making a tank mounted suicide shift

 

DIZZY ur bike is badass man