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Hi, guys. My bike is up in the air right now for me to do an FL front end conversion. Does anyone have link to one of the threads about doing that? I'm specifically looking to see how much I need to grind on the frame fork stop tab, as well as how much to grind on the FL triple clamp.
I have searched, but like my wife will tell you, I'm the kind of guy who doesn't see something when it's right there on the top shelf of the refrigerator.
First decide if you want the HydraGlide style front end that was used by FLs from 1948-59 or the nacelle type used from 1960-84. The HydraGlide is what the current FL Softail is styled after. These parts are readily available as new take offs. The 60-84 style would require an aftermarket triple tree and nacelle (or old eBay ones but usually lots of $$). They would both use the same 41mm forks and either Softail sliders and fender or modern FLH sliders and fender.
This is just the start so look around the old interwebs and decide which style you like first.
Here is my 2008 Street Bob with HydraGlide style front end
First decide if you want the HydraGlide style front end that was used by FLs from 1948-59 or the nacelle type used from 1960-84. The HydraGlide is what the current FL Softail is styled after. These parts are readily available as new take offs. The 60-84 style would require an aftermarket triple tree and nacelle (or old eBay ones but usually lots of $$). They would both use the same 41mm forks and either Softail sliders and fender or modern FLH sliders and fender.
OK, I've already bought a triple clamp and the shrouds (or whatever they're called) and headlight from an 07 Heritage.
Right now I'm grinding down the fork stop that's in my frame. The next step is to grind down the fork stops that are on the lower triple clamp from the Heritage. My plan is to mount the triple clamp and fork tubes on the bike and grind them that way, checking the fork clearance as I go. Is that a good way of doing it, or are there any other suggestions?
The top tree and the lower tree need to be the same distance from each other as they were on the Heritage, otherwise the tins/lights etc will not fit.
-grind off the stop that is on the bottom of the neck in the front. You will not need it anymore.
-remove the bearing off the lower tree. You will need to destroy it to do it. The reason you need to do this is because the dust cap under the bearing will not fit into the bottom of the Dyna neck. Install a flat washer (don't remember size but 1/32" should work) your Dyna dust cap and bearing (same as the one you just removed).
-the top of the Dyna neck will have a raised portion for about half the circumference of the neck. This needs to be ground down even with the lowest part of the top of the neck.
-The upper tree will need to have 1/4" of the center ground flat with the rest of the underside of it.
That should get the distance correct for the upper and lower tree. As you stated earlier, grinding while install will help determine how much to take off.
The top tree and the lower tree need to be the same distance from each other as they were on the Heritage, otherwise the tins/lights etc will not fit.
-grind off the stop that is on the bottom of the neck in the front. You will not need it anymore.
-remove the bearing off the lower tree. You will need to destroy it to do it. The reason you need to do this is because the dust cap under the bearing will not fit into the bottom of the Dyna neck. Install a flat washer (don't remember size but 1/32" should work) your Dyna dust cap and bearing (same as the one you just removed).
-the top of the Dyna neck will have a raised portion for about half the circumference of the neck. This needs to be ground down even with the lowest part of the top of the neck.
-The upper tree will need to have 1/4" of the center ground flat with the rest of the underside of it.
That should get the distance correct for the upper and lower tree. As you stated earlier, grinding while install will help determine how much to take off.
Thanks a lot for the info. I had figured out that I'd need a spacer under the lower bearing, and I was speculating about the raised portion of the upper neck, but I wouldn't have thought about taking off part of the upper tree.
As far as that upper tree 1/4": Did you do it yourself or bring it to a machine shop? Also, do I understand you correctly that you just remove all of the raised section, so that it's flush with the surrounding area?