cggorman, I ordered the link pictured below from J&P because it has the turnbuckle style where you don't have to detach one end from the bike to adjust like the OEM. I am not doing adjustments/alignments on my bike, I don't have the proper tools or patience anymore. I think Ive finally found a good mechanic I can trust so I will pay him to deal with it. I can't believe CCE charges over $320 for that link now that I've had it and it failed! Seems to me like you said the thread sock is too thin, ought to be maybe as much as twice the diameter. Sometimes the weight shouldn't matter so much. Bearings I also pay mechanic to do but the first change a couple years ago was at a shop that specializes in Japanese bikes but I was in a hurry to get new tires before Memorial day weekend 2018 and the guy I took it to before didn't have time and when the other guy found the rough bearings I said go ahead and change them. Turns out he didn't eve do the work, he had a buddy of his come in who happened to have the tools needed for this specific bearing job but the guy wasn't a Harley mechanic either and he was bitching at me when I went to pick the bike up telling me Harley design sucks and the bearing were designed wrong, put on wrong, blah blah blah, and while he is yelling at me I see from 20 feet away a flat spot on the side of my tank that I had just 3 months earlier found a nice set of used tins to replace what came on the wrecked bike which I bought with salvage title because I'm too poor for new bikes. The flat/dent on the tank wasn't there and I had just washed and rubbed down every reachable spot on that bike the day before I took it to them. SO I had a nice tank for 3 months and they denied doing the damage and I didn't have the money to fight them in court so I got f*cked and paid for bearings that lasted 20,000 miles. The new mechanic was asked to use the best bearings and all the customers I have seen at his shop have nothing but good things to say about him. I just wish he had the fancy electronic testing equipment that the big shops have but oh well. Here's the pic of new link I ordered. And it only cost about 1/5 what CCE's cost! Sorry for rambling.

 

I don't know much about working on bikes and I only started riding late in 2017 and never worked on a motorcycle at all before then ever. SO I was naive and took the advice of the mechanic i went to a couple times before deciding I needed a different mechanic. Ignorance is no excuse but I was ignorant, still am to some extent but hey, sh*t happens. As for that CCE mount/link, I sure looked fancy compared to the OEM! Live and learn. I just wish living and learning wasn't so expensive. The alternative to living is unacceptable.

 

If it makes you feel any better, you're not alone. In fact, you're probably in the Majority ... It is what it is (sampling of Life) ... Everyone was has different "Strengths" ... just keep trying to do the best you can

.

 

Sorry for your troubles Terry. Unfortunately finding a good mechanic that cares and has time to do a job right is like finding an honest politician.

I have my own opinions about Harley's sealed wheel bearing setup but it is what is. It seems to work OK as long as the correct procedures are followed and the bearings themselves are good. 20k isn't catastrophic, tho. We've had people report failures in under 5k... With proper maintenance, I think the old tapered bearing were practically lifetime parts. More fiddly to adjust and maintain but I think initial cost was the driver when they switched to sealed.

That J&P link looks roughly comparable to the Chevy alternator link that's become popular. Should be OK. Depending on the materials used, you may find it necessary to oil the heims once in a while to keep them quiet.

Hopefully your headaches will soon be in the past.

 

cg, thanks for all the help. One more thing for now, can I get the 40 amp maxi fuse from autozone or napa or orielly? I keep ordering stuff from J&P and forgetting one other thing! I noticed when I pulled that fuse yesterday that it looks a bit corroded looking through the orange plastic and that could be contributing to the seeming electric or computer problems I still haven't completely resolved.

 

multihdrdr, thanks. I see you are in northern California. Must be nice to have all those mountains right there all the time and never far from riding weather! I might as well ask you too about the 40 amp maxi fuse in case cggorman is done with the forums for today. Can I buy the 40 amp fuse at the local autoparts stores ? Never had reason to check before and so far looking online they aren't saying it is specifically what I need.

 

You are correct, We have it all ... Mountains, Ocean, Desert, Lakes, Rivers ... Give me no more than 2hrs and I can be at any one of them (some of course within minutes)


I did a search at NAPA and If they don't have it stock, it can be there soon. You looking for a "Maxi" or "Max" fuse.

Here's a Napa Link ... Napa 40-amp Maxi Fiuse - Napa# BK 7822102


Change to your exact area or click "Check Nearby Stores"


.

 

I'm going to call the NAPA near me, supposedly they have one.

 

Looks like a solution in search of a problem...

If you make something so complex that people have trouble understanding its purpose, you can charge a lot more for it...

Those of you who are concerned about the factory part requiring you make adjustments in 1/2 turn increments, just an estimate, but, if the thread is 16 tpi then a half turn is about 0.1 degrees.

 

This is why I do ALL my own work. It don't cost as much $ when I make a mistake.