Starter removal question
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 13,491
Likes: 34,593
From: Pine Flat Dam/South Bay Area, CA
Any good auto electric rebuilder will have brush sets. That being said, these starters are very easy on brushes so they seldom need to be replaced. They factory brushes are spot welded to the field coils, and soldering the new brushes isn't as good as a spot weld.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 800
From: Colorado
If you leave a little of the old brush cables each spot welded point, then soldering the new cable to them, it a lot better then trying to solder to the old spot welded areas.
As for brushes, easy to check to see if they are worn down to the point they needed to be replaced and it really more of cleaning up the commutator contact pads, and getting the brush dust out of the slots between them.
As for the sealed bearing, easy to pull the seal off one side, to clean them up with still on rotor with WD 40, then re-grease with a good grease before re-instaling the seals.
As for starter clutch, if you can catch it before it before its grease in the one way clutch goes south (the end ball bearings are easy to pull the seals and re-grease them), not hard to pull them apart so you can clean and re-grease the one way gear parts, but if not geared up to pull one apart, then just replace with an all ball unit.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...89a3e2a1e2.jpg
Hence the one way inner catch gear, if the grease starts to dry up, end up not allowing the detentes to spring all the way back out cleanly to fully engage, ends up with the gears inner catch points just worn out instead,
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 190
Likes: 409
From: Scotland UK
I'm planning to remove the starter on my 1993 FLSTF (Fatboy with 102,000 miles, OEM starter). The starter seems weak, so I plan on rebuilding it with the HD starter repair kit (HD #31604-91A).
I have a couple of questions before I tackle this repair.
1. Do I need to physically remove the oil tank or will there be enough room to just remove the locknuts from the rubber mounts and shift the oil tank?
2. I've recently rebuilt the starter on my 2011 Ultra. With that motorcycle, HD offers two different repair kits, one for the solenoid and one for the starter clutch. For the 1993 Fatboy, I only see the one repair kit for the solenoid. While I have the starter out, are there any other components I should replace, like the starter clutch, etc?
3. Are there any other parts I should replace, like the battery wires, etc?
TIA
I have a couple of questions before I tackle this repair.
1. Do I need to physically remove the oil tank or will there be enough room to just remove the locknuts from the rubber mounts and shift the oil tank?
2. I've recently rebuilt the starter on my 2011 Ultra. With that motorcycle, HD offers two different repair kits, one for the solenoid and one for the starter clutch. For the 1993 Fatboy, I only see the one repair kit for the solenoid. While I have the starter out, are there any other components I should replace, like the starter clutch, etc?
3. Are there any other parts I should replace, like the battery wires, etc?
TIA
- Starter jackshaft bolt will need removed so you will need to remove the primary cover
- You can mabye get a socket extension to remove the front bolt holding the starter motor in place but the clearance to access the rear bolt is super tight. I usually remove all the bolts that hold the oil tank in place and slide it out (all hoses still connected) slightly until I have enough room to remove the bolt and motor without causing any damage.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 10,284
Likes: 7,766
From: West Central FL
I'm planning to remove the starter on my 1993 FLSTF (Fatboy with 102,000 miles, OEM starter). The starter seems weak, so I plan on rebuilding it with the HD starter repair kit (HD #31604-91A).
I have a couple of questions before I tackle this repair.
1. Do I need to physically remove the oil tank or will there be enough room to just remove the locknuts from the rubber mounts and shift the oil tank?
2. I've recently rebuilt the starter on my 2011 Ultra. With that motorcycle, HD offers two different repair kits, one for the solenoid and one for the starter clutch. For the 1993 Fatboy, I only see the one repair kit for the solenoid. While I have the starter out, are there any other components I should replace, like the starter clutch, etc?
3. Are there any other parts I should replace, like the battery wires, etc?
TIA
I have a couple of questions before I tackle this repair.
1. Do I need to physically remove the oil tank or will there be enough room to just remove the locknuts from the rubber mounts and shift the oil tank?
2. I've recently rebuilt the starter on my 2011 Ultra. With that motorcycle, HD offers two different repair kits, one for the solenoid and one for the starter clutch. For the 1993 Fatboy, I only see the one repair kit for the solenoid. While I have the starter out, are there any other components I should replace, like the starter clutch, etc?
3. Are there any other parts I should replace, like the battery wires, etc?
TIA
Next, I had to pull the oil tank when I removed the starter on my '93 FLSTC.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,093
Likes: 7,622
From: Poolville
It's more of a pain in the *** try to finagle the oil tank to get the starter out then it is to just remove it because you have to remove all the mounts And you have to remove the battery cables that go down through the middle of the oil tank The only thing you have left is three hose clamps.. It really makes no sense to try to fight it...
As for the starter bolts I took a quarter inch T handle Allen wrench and cut it down and now have a 6-in straight Allen wrench that I put into a 1/4" socket and have no issues accessing the bolts..
As for the starter bolts I took a quarter inch T handle Allen wrench and cut it down and now have a 6-in straight Allen wrench that I put into a 1/4" socket and have no issues accessing the bolts..
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,889
Likes: 1,903
From: East Coast, USA
Battery is good. When I press the start button, the motorcycle seems to take a second or two before the starter turns. My guess is the plunger and field terminals are either dirty or pitted.
When I recently rebuilt the starter on my 2011 Ultra, it made a huge difference in speed/power of the starter.
Hmmm, maybe I'll just remove the oil tank.
I don't have the hose clamps on my oil lines. Years ago I installed the HD Braided Oil Hose Kit (HD #63705-97). Instruction Sheet J01079 attached. My oil lines have little fittings on them. Just this past weekend I ordered new oil hose seals (HD #63717-97) just in case I do have to remove the oil tank.
I picked up the Tekton #1362 (3/8" Drive 1/8-3/8 in. Extra Long Hex Bit Socket Set, 7-Piece) a few years ago. Nice kit.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-3...1362/205671801
When I recently rebuilt the starter on my 2011 Ultra, it made a huge difference in speed/power of the starter.
It's more of a pain in the *** try to finagle the oil tank to get the starter out then it is to just remove it because you have to remove all the mounts And you have to remove the battery cables that go down through the middle of the oil tank The only thing you have left is three hose clamps.. It really makes no sense to try to fight it...
I don't have the hose clamps on my oil lines. Years ago I installed the HD Braided Oil Hose Kit (HD #63705-97). Instruction Sheet J01079 attached. My oil lines have little fittings on them. Just this past weekend I ordered new oil hose seals (HD #63717-97) just in case I do have to remove the oil tank.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-3...1362/205671801
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,093
Likes: 7,622
From: Poolville
Thanks for the oil line kit link.. I used to have the braided as well with the compression seals but something happened and one of the outside braids somehow puncture the holes on the inside and made it leak so I just took them all off cuz I was getting tired of the seals leaking and just went to braided fuel line hose... Maybe one of these days I'll get that kid again cuz it does look nice... Thanks..
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 10,284
Likes: 7,766
From: West Central FL
Battery is good. When I press the start button, the motorcycle seems to take a second or two before the starter turns. My guess is the plunger and field terminals are either dirty or pitted.
When I recently rebuilt the starter on my 2011 Ultra, it made a huge difference in speed/power of the starter.
When I recently rebuilt the starter on my 2011 Ultra, it made a huge difference in speed/power of the starter.