EVO All Evo Model Discussion

1989 Springer Softail Assembly

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 17, 2026 | 10:44 PM
  #61  
Tailbreaker's Avatar
Tailbreaker
Road Warrior
Veteran: Air Force
20 Year Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,644
Likes: 439
From: Mount Rainier, Washington
Default

That is cool!
 
Reply
Old Mar 27, 2026 | 07:13 PM
  #62  
Joe12RK's Avatar
Joe12RK
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,144
Likes: 2,552
From: CT/FL
Default

My girlfriend was visiting for my birthday, but had to go back home yesterday. So I'm back in the garage and made good progress. Transmission is assembled and installed, inner primary bolted on too.

Here's the gearset, and a new gasket stuck with Hylomar, my favorite sealer. It never hardens but gets tacky very quickly.



With that accomplished, I installed the shift forks and drum. The pawl adjustment was a bit off, so I fixed that.



There it is, ready to install. I won't be riding this for a year, so I'm leaving a note for my future self. I may fill it before I leave, it'll be a good way to see if I fixed all the leaks.



Anyone who's done this knows what a PITA it is getting all the bolts in. I found it easier to loosely bolt the plate to the transmission, then install the plate bolts. I used a hex bolt from the top for the front left one, because I can see it'll be a bear to tighten everything up with the inner primary in place. The shock is in the way of doing it from the bottom.



This is done, I hope never to come off again! You can't see them, but I couldn't resist using chrome bolts for the two front motor holes.


 
Reply
Old Mar 27, 2026 | 07:29 PM
  #63  
Old Sport's Avatar
Old Sport
Club Member
Veteran: Army
5 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,354
Likes: 2,274
From: Tampa Bay Area
Riders Club Member
Default

Nice job Joe! I look forward to seeing you on the road next Spring!
 
Reply
Old Mar 28, 2026 | 10:51 AM
  #64  
cwhite6's Avatar
cwhite6
Tourer
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 463
Likes: 200
From: Pineville, LA
Default

Looks great. Those transmission bolts about killed me. I ended up removing the rear shocks I got so frustrated. I crow foot wrench would have been a big help.
 
Reply
Old Mar 28, 2026 | 12:49 PM
  #65  
Joe12RK's Avatar
Joe12RK
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,144
Likes: 2,552
From: CT/FL
Default

Yeah, they were a challenge. A crows foot did help, but I still had to remove the right shock to get at the fifth trans nut.

When I installed the top motor mount there was a gap to the frame that I needed to find a couple of thick washers to fill. I don't know why things are different now, but there's no tension on the mount.



After lunch I'll turn my attention to the front fender, it's been bugging me since I installed the forks.
 
Reply
Old Mar 28, 2026 | 07:03 PM
  #66  
Joe12RK's Avatar
Joe12RK
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,144
Likes: 2,552
From: CT/FL
Default

A few easy but visible jobs done this afternoon, evening. I love that it's still light at 7:30pm.

First, as promised, I put the fender on. The aftermarket kit was missing a couple of fiber washers that I could not find. So I used bronze washers, turned down with my bench grinder, and thin neoprene ones. A little anti-seize on the sliders and they should be good forever.



The kit lets the fender follow the wheel, and not the dirtbike look they originally came with. I also transferred the patent emblem from the original shock to a new one. The cover on the original was loose and rattled like a bell. I found a cool copper emblem of a Roman Centurian for the caliper.



Here's the new tail light with the old chevron cover. I didn't like the blue dot that was in the middle.



The belt guards cleaned and polished up very well. I think the bike was pretty well cared for until the flood.



One more glamor shot!


 
Old Mar 30, 2026 | 04:13 PM
  #67  
Joe12RK's Avatar
Joe12RK
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,144
Likes: 2,552
From: CT/FL
Default

I had an hour today to clean up my workbench and disassemble the new front wheel.



Tomorrow I'll disassemble and clean up the original wheels, and maybe start lacing the good rims and spokes on the original hubs.
 
Reply
Old Mar 31, 2026 | 04:42 PM
  #68  
Joe12RK's Avatar
Joe12RK
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,144
Likes: 2,552
From: CT/FL
Default

Things came up and I only had an hour or so today, but I got the original front wheel disassembled. The hubcap had me guessing but it just came off prying around the edges with a screwdriver. You can see what salt water does to zinc spokes.



Strange one-eyed creature on my workbench.


 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Apr 1, 2026 | 06:25 AM
  #69  
Architect's Avatar
Architect
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9,528
Likes: 7,864
From: Long Island, New York
Default

Buchanan for stainless steel spokes, Florida proof.
 
Reply
Old Apr 1, 2026 | 06:02 PM
  #70  
Joe12RK's Avatar
Joe12RK
Thread Starter
|
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,144
Likes: 2,552
From: CT/FL
Default

@Architect I have two later model wheels that I stripped for the spokes and rims. But I found two are bent and cracked at the hub end, they are probably two that pulled through the hub from being loose?

Everything is cleaned up and polished, read for assembly once I find two spokes. I'll text my friend in the morning.



Worse comes to worse, I'll clean up and use two of the twisted chrome ones that were on the original wheel.
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:59 PM.

story-0
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-4
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-5
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-6
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-9
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE