Today I put my 46 and 41 frames up on a welding table and checked the neck angles on both side by side just to verify. Visually when you look at the necks the difference is very apparent as is the height of the top bearing cup, the 46 being the taller one like it has longer legs as well as the bull neck forging. I got 29.8 degrees on the 46 which jives with the 30 degree spec but 24.9 on the 41 eeeek. 41 should have 16" wheels which is where the issues began so the question is what do I do? Im not going to alter the frame but Im thinking I could run 18" wheels to eliminate the potential for disaster or run an offset springer (provided the offset moves the rockers forward) with offset springer bars or both.

So the question is whats the deal with the frame? Palmer mentions the frames being bent to 28 degrees before the new forging was ready. Safe to assume they didn't recall all of the bikes with this issue or not all of them came back for the recall.

Thoughts and opinions please.

 

25 Degree Frame (raceframeengineering.com)

there was guy Jerry Lyons who was Knuck expert. He died. somewhere he posted a thread dedicated to Knuck frame with photos. but can I find it ? nope

 

Thanks for the link. I've read a lot about the frames, its just a question of the best way to go about using this frame as-is and not end up with a tank slapper.

 

2 things i needed to see asked for one and you never posted - was trying to warn you when i did not see the bent frame and 16 inch wheels - but you were invested in a blue Twinkie and its matching riding apparel is my guess - the blue is sooooo against the back drop of snow - now back to our regular program



i could be incorrect on this BUT - i never thought the UL series had 16 inch wheels only 18 inch - i dont care what someone did other then what came from the motor company — up until 1940 they all had a 25 degree neck and 18 inch wheels that worked fine together with no head shake issues - no one talked about that shake issue till the 41 knucklehead with 16 inch wheels

the seat post top bracket shows the factory number stamping for the repair in the 50th one that was repaired

 

Dont be jealous about my Midnight Pearl TWINKIE....

I answered your question despite most of my time being spent polishing my RK. You wanted to know what the forging and die numbers were on the neck. If you get out your magnifying glass, look a few posts back you'll see where I said........




THE NECK HAS NO NUMBERS ON IT.

I'll read more on wheels tonight, if the UH had 18's that solves my problem. Thank you

 

I'll go with 18's. I have the 18" wheel for the 39 sidecar too so now Im thinking I'll run the sidecar on this bike as it had one originally.

 

Reason it was not a thing when new

 

Lots of engineering going on in Milwaukee those years trying to figure stuff out. They needed one of those online rake/trail calculators!!!!

Not the best picture, but one year only 1940 WL front wheel old style "squared off" front brake drum with 16" rim. 1939 was the same drum with a 18" rim, 1941 was new newer style rounded drum with 16" wheel. Obviously I am talking civilian, WLA had the newer drum with 18" wheels front and back. So confusing!??!?!?!?!??!?!?!

 

The war department as early as 1932 / 33 maybe seen what the axis was really up to - and started in earnest to get USA company’s on board

taking control of how metal was to used / what metal types / any liquid any production needed to be stepped up in a very big way

Harley needed to make the machines 100,000 as it came to be with almost no waste and with the cheapest way possible as quickly as possible

reason mistakes were made sure - everyone was looking the other way so to speak - 0h then that December morning came

the codes were already broken - no aircraft carriers or any of the latest war ships were in harbor just out dated big ships hand full of out dated planes - and everyone in the service stationed at Pearl for the most part happened to be on leave that morning away from the ships -

 

I've been looking for options to run an 18" tire thats wider than my sons bmx bicycle tires. Skinny tires just don't get me super excited not to mention handling isn't the best but Im not finding what I want yet. Did some reading on factory tire sizes and it was said that the 5.00x16 and the 4.00x18 factory tires had the same diameter being 26" and that meant the speedo calibration wasn't affected, thats fine and dandy but it raised a question. If the 16 and 18" wheels are the same diameter then why did the 16" wheel not work well with the 25 degree neck angle but the 18 did? Same diameter wheel would mean the same trail no?