2 thousandths is the max recommended by most altho there aremany running with more that don't even know it.

 

You can get by up to .003, but the lower the better. Check it with the cam plate in and see what you come out at.

 

I bolted a steel plate to the block using the cam cover holes so I would have a solid place to mount the magnetic base. Checked with the cam plate still installed. No burrs on the shaft, smooth and clean. Pointer was perpendicular each of the 4 different ways I checked trying to find a lower number. No such luck. And the more you get away from perpendicular with the pointer, the less it will travel in relation to the runout of the shaft, not more.

 

. Pointer was perpendicular each of the 4 different ways I checked trying to find a lower number. No such luck. And the more you get away from perpendicular with the pointer, the less it will travel in relation to the runout of the shaft, not more.
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I thought the same thing until an engineer pointed out that the cosine effect works differently than what seems to make sense LOL. try it and you will see that if you have .003 run out at 90 degrees you will show more on the dial indicator ifthe plungeris at 45 degrees.A very experienced machinst told me they learn thisearly on. When I first checked mine I useda plate like you bolted to the case and had a hard time getting the dial indicator at exactly 90 degrees. When I was at probably 50 degrees or so my run out was too much. When it was explained to me that it needed to be at 90 degrees I worked the dial indicator until i was at 90 degrees and lo and behold I was at .0015 and happy.Again I know it might not make logical sense but it does make mathematic sense.

 

It could be I didn't have the pointer at 90 degrees, maybe it was 88..........................

 

Pull the gears and check crank runout with the cam plate still on. I had a hard time finding a good place for a mag base, so used a clamp to hold my dial indicator firmly. Everything I've read is same as what Dawg said, you can go up to .003" and go with gears. If you use a peacock lever type of dial indicator, alignment is not as critical.

 

I'll be the first to tell you I don't know it all and I'm still learning so I tried the above theory. Today I pulled the cam plate which made it easier to get the dial indicator set to 90 degrees. I got the same reading as before. I moved it about 15-20 degrees from perpendicular and the runout dropped to .003". Moved it another 20-25 degrees from there and it dropped to .001". Reminds me of some dealings I've had in the past with engineers that work for some of the NASCAR teams. They'll draw something up on their desktop, have it installed on the race car and when the car doesn't go any faster ( or slows down) the problem is with the car and not the computer program. To me, when the results disagree with the theory you need to get a new theory.

 

neckball, this can explain it better than I can.
http://groups.msn.com/harleytechtalk...09489588922313

 

Draw a right triangle. Either side off the right angle will be shorter than the hypotenuse (long side opposite the right angle). That's why the best and most accurate reading will be at 90 degrees to the shaft. Any other angle has to yield a longer and less accurate measurement.

 

The updated MOCO spec on the chain units is .012"!!!
If we re-built a crank(which we average a couple a week) and handed the client a crank that was .012 TIR, I would expect him to throw it though the showroom window. Must be OK for Harley to that.