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Being a glutton for punishment, I just picked up an '84 FXST. Too good a deal to pass up, and I've been looking for a winter project.
Being new to this generation of softail - and it's a pretty cool/weird year for them (first year EVO motor but still with the 4 speed shovel kick tranny and chain drive) - I've got some questions I'm hoping to get some advice on. Please bare with me as I haven't bought the parts/shop manuals yet.
1. The gas tank.
The seller did not have a tank mounted on the bike, but had a set of split tanks that he "painted" (horribly) in a box that he gave me. I can't tell how they are supposed to mount up to the bike - of even if they are the right style. Here are some pics of the neck of the bike and the tanks:
Any idea how these are supposed to mount, or if they are even correct?
2. The rear fender.
Again, the bike didn't have a fender mounted to the bike. There was a fender from what looks like a later model (due to the cut out for the ECM) sitting with the bike. What I'm looking to do for this bike is do a bobber style fender, chopped pretty short and close to the tire. I know there are kits to do this for the later model softails, but I can't find any info on a 1984. One significant point is that unlike the later softails which have small fender struts welded to the frame under the chrome covers, the 1984 has just the large bolt on fender struts as seen in the photos.
Has anyone heard of a rear fender kit like what I'm looking for (frame mounted, not swing arm mounted) for this model bike? Or am I just going to have to try to chop/customize what I've got? Or maybe there is a fender out there that's a better starting point... this one is going to need a LOT of work to get it to conform to the curve of the tire.
Tanks mount to brackets that bolt to the frame...mine are chrome and marked with arrows...kinda looks like some of the mounts have been cut off that frame.
Probably going to need a "framesaver" mount.
Those are shovelhead tanks..you could use them if you bought the correct mounts...but the rubber mounted softail tanks are a better design.
What I'm looking to do for this bike is do a bobber style fender, chopped pretty short and close to the tire. I know there are kits to do this for the later model softails, but I can't find any info on a 1984.
Any EVO strutless fender will fit with little problem..you don't even have to cut the frame horns off..an 84 dosn't have any as you already noted.
Short and close to the tire will be a problem...most softails that don't have a swingarm mounted fender, and are really close to the tire...have air ride so they can lower it when they park it...nobody makes an air-ride for an 84.
You will have a hard time getting it close and have any ride left.
If you are going to custom mount a fender..the way to do it is to remove the shocks...put the swingarm against the bump stops and mount the fender...that is as low as you can go.
When you put the shocks back on...even lowered 2 "...the max of most lowering shocks...the fender won't be that close to the tire if the fender is short.
You don't know how true the "glutton for punishment" statment was...lol
You will find as you look though catalogs that all evo softail stuff fits 86-99...nothing fits an 84.
Last edited by Tom84FXST; Jan 17, 2017 at 12:03 PM.
Tanks mount to brackets that bolt to the frame...mine are chrome and marked with arrows...kinda looks like some of the mounts have been cut off that frame.
Probably going to need a "framesaver" mount.
Those are shovelhead tanks..you could use them if you bought the correct mounts...but the rubber mounted softail tanks are a better design.
This is really helpful - do/anyone you happen to have any more pics of how that bracket mounts to the frame? Trying to see if I do in fact need the framesaver, or I've still got the mounting points for that bracket. I do have a flatside tank mounting kit that's been sitting on the shelf.
Any EVO strutless fender will fit with little problem..you don't even have to cut the frame horns off..an 84 dosn't have any as you already noted.
Short and close to the tire will be a problem...most softails that don't have a swingarm mounted fender, and are really close to the tire...have air ride so they can lower it when they park it...nobody makes an air-ride for an 84.
You will have a hard time getting it close and have any ride left.
If you are going to custom mount a fender..the way to do it is to remove the shocks...put the swingarm against the bump stops and mount the fender...that is as low as you can go.
When you put the shocks back on...even lowered 2 "...the max of most lowering shocks...the fender won't be that close to the tire if the fender is short.
You don't know how true the "glutton for punishment" statment was...lol
You will find as you look though catalogs that all evo softail stuff fits 86-99...nothing fits an 84.
Based on some additional research, I think I'm going to go a different way with the rear fender - thinking now a full FLH style fender. I think given the limitations (and not wanting to do a swing arm mounted fender) that will be a better route.
It there another round stanchion that fits in the fwd receptacle on the frame for bracket 31 to wrap around? SGR60, I have a 1984 Softail manual on my laptop with me if you need something till you get yours... Does a 84 Shovelhead have a under spring like a softail? It shows a similar tank like mentioned above.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 14, 2018 at 07:49 AM.
Hard to tell from the parts diagram where that's supposed to mount. Is the red arrow in Tom84FXST's photo pointing to it?
If so, it looks like that may have been ground down on my frame, looking at the side shot photo. So if that's the case, I'm thinking I may have to grind everything down and install the frame saver?
EDIT: Also, one other question on this. Does that dash mount right to the frame, or is there another intermediate bracket? Hard to tell. What about that vertical silver colored bracket that has the circuit breakers on it - is that a needed OEM piece?
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1984 Softail - basketcase
