One of the prongs on the vr has corroded itself to hell. Just replaced the stator which was shorting and am using the regulator with the junked up connector for now since it is still working.... for now.
Today I bought a regulator from a swap meet from a guy I know... The regulator is not like the one on my bike. It is an aftermarket jobber, shaped like a half circle, chrome plated, and doesn't have the ground wire... He had it on a 94 softail, mine is a '98 heritage.

I am wondering if there is a chance I can fry my electrical system if it is a lesser amp regulator and also, since it doesn't have the additional ground wire that bolts to the body to the frame, does it just ground by being attached to the frame?

 

Yours is working....don't risk swapping out that unknown thing...the regulators either work or they don't, your patched up one is potentially as reliable as new one.

 

It isn't patched up. The pin is barley in there and it has eroded to the point that it is crumbling. I need to get a new regulator and if this one will work I would like to use it. Or possibly splice the connector but I don't really know what I am doing with the splicing thing. I could really screw myself there, I am sure

 

Just replace the pin, I have done it with a crimp on bullet in the past but these days I solder a new pin on.

 

ok... rephrasing the question... The vr works... no question about that. its a good unit.
All I want to know is how many softails between 1989 and 99 had different charging systems? Were there some made with lower amperage and some mad with higher? Or were all of the evo softail charging systems the same?
If they weren't the same and I put a lower or higher wattage unit on my '98 heritage with a 32 amp system, am I going to f**k something up?

 

Harley went to the 32 amp stator/regulator in 1989 EVO and up. If that is what the regulator you got is for, then you are okay.

 

That isn't entirely accurate.
They left a lower rated charging system in the softails because the battery is set in the oil bag. They did that for temperature reasons.

As for the Op's question I wouldn't use the regulator you got from your fried because you don't know what it is rated at. Not to mention the missing ground wire.
As Spanners says repair your old one.

 

I think the bagger had more amps. Look in J&P catalog or web site to see if the softail are the same amps.

 

Any pictures or part numbers on the regulator you picked up? It may be set up to use the frame as ground. Searching found an Accel VR listed for 1989-1999 32amp systems.

 

The replacements I found are 32 amp ones and the OP stated this is an aftermarket regulator that his buddy had on his '94 softail....so it most likely is a 32 amp. His is a '98 softail, so it should be fine.

As far as grounding, the regulator most likely is grounded through it's housing like the shovels and twin cams. Point is, he asked if any harm can come from using it? Most likely not if it is a good regulator. If it is undersized, it will run hot and it will burn up it it tries to pass too much current, if oversized, no worries.

I personally would not run anyone's used regulator.

If the OP does not want to repair the pin on his regulator, I would cut off the plug on the one his buddy sold him, cut off his connector and solder/heat shrink the new one on his current regulator.....but that's just me.