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I wish Harley would do that more widely. A tube is actually stronger than a solid bar of the same OD. Both my Buell's axles are hollow and very thin walled at that. Saves a lot of weight too.....
Yes but you would have to have bushings made for the ends of the axle where it fits into the sliders....That's the reason I had my 1" axle machined down to 3/4" in the center section and left the outside ends alone. The small end of your 1" axle, after the taper. is less than 3/4". So if you have a machinist turn it down to 3/4 from the shoulder of the big end out to where it tapers to 3/4 it will slide right through all your 3/4 bearings, spacers and speedo drive but still have the correct diameter to fit your new sliders. I would rather have a solid piece than have 2 bushings but either way will work. You will also have to figure out what outside spacers to use as your newer sealed bearings in the 2004 wheel will not set in the wheel at the same depth as your old tapered bearings.
So, I'm done. I rebuilt the forks and reinstalled the Progressive springs and Intiminators. Having the Jims tool was a big help.
My trusty fork seal driver:
Forks reinstalled, Brembos bolted up, now the spacers. I had a variety of 3/4" spacers, none of which were any help. Cutting and grinding and I had what I needed. The left side was dialed in by grinding some off of the speedo drive.
All buttoned up:
I got to ride and enjoy the improvement for a week, then...............
I now have a pacemaker, and cannot ride until the end of the month. I have missed two planned trips guldernit.
Here's a list of things:
Brembo calipers
Semimetallic pads
Two black braided brake lines
2004 front "wagon wheel", powder coated
Two 3/4" sealed wheel bearings
1" axle, turned down to 3/4"
Two CVO 11.8" floating rotors
Fork rebuild kit
5 wt fork oil
2004 sliders, powder coated
I reused my front master cylinder.
I have my own brake bleeding procedure, using most of the tips mentioned elsewhere. No sweat.
When I upgraded to the 2000-20007 calipers it was a major improvement. The Brembos are even better and will do a great job with the hack remounted.
I want to thank those of you who contributed tips and suggestions as well as those who pioneered this mod.
It firmly holds the fork tube for disassembly and assembly. I've got three more to do this summer and the tool is a time saver as well as lessening the aggravation factor.
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Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
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Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
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Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
