75 XLCH teardown
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
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From: Houston Texas
Here is a pic of my frame.
The underlug for the large tank is shown.
Just a very short way up the frame tube the rear mount hole for a 2.2 gal tank is called out. You are not using this hole, but rather a third hole that is much farther up the tube.
That is why I think perhaps your tank year does not match the frame year.
This pic shows the large tank on an XLH.
Note how the rear lugs of the tank are bolted to the underlug? The underlug is right above the rear of the back rocker box.
This tank is a greater overall length than the 2.2. A bit hard to see, but you can tell the tank ears drop below the top tube.
pg
The underlug for the large tank is shown.
Just a very short way up the frame tube the rear mount hole for a 2.2 gal tank is called out. You are not using this hole, but rather a third hole that is much farther up the tube.
That is why I think perhaps your tank year does not match the frame year.
This pic shows the large tank on an XLH.
Note how the rear lugs of the tank are bolted to the underlug? The underlug is right above the rear of the back rocker box.
This tank is a greater overall length than the 2.2. A bit hard to see, but you can tell the tank ears drop below the top tube.
pg
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 271
Likes: 13
From: OKC
Awesome! Thanks guys... the answer seems obvious in that the tank is newer than what is supposed to be on there.
PG... don't know about the tank mount in the neck web. Take a look at the pic with the arrows and see what you think. I will have to go back and look carefully to see if there is another mounting hole location, but I don't think so. The only one I remember at this point was a formed "vent" type hole just behind and below the top steering bearing.
(Edit: see attached pic. Rusty hole below backbone in neck web is where front of tank bolted up.)
And yet another twist... 8^] Now I need new fenders AND a period correct tank.
Oh, just noticed a difference looking at your frame PG. I have a depression on the right side of the backbone above the motor mount. Standard for that year as "clearance" to get to head bolts, or was that "added" by someone down the line?
PG... don't know about the tank mount in the neck web. Take a look at the pic with the arrows and see what you think. I will have to go back and look carefully to see if there is another mounting hole location, but I don't think so. The only one I remember at this point was a formed "vent" type hole just behind and below the top steering bearing.
(Edit: see attached pic. Rusty hole below backbone in neck web is where front of tank bolted up.)
And yet another twist... 8^] Now I need new fenders AND a period correct tank.
Oh, just noticed a difference looking at your frame PG. I have a depression on the right side of the backbone above the motor mount. Standard for that year as "clearance" to get to head bolts, or was that "added" by someone down the line?
Last edited by Yosemite; Dec 27, 2009 at 11:06 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
1) I copy your pic.
2) I save it as a PDF.
3) I have Acrobat 9 PRO. I use that to make the comments.
4) I save step 3 as PDF. Save it again as a TIFF.
5) Open the TIFF in Nikon NX and save it as a JPG.
Whew! It used to be harder and there is probably an easier way, but I have not found it.
I see on your front mount there seems to be two holes. Now your bike is a 1975 and so I assume the frame is a 1975 as well. The flattened frame tube may have been done at the factory. On a 1971 through 1974 the rear head has to be removed (and installed too) with the rocker box in place.
I would bet the factory fix was to simply 'crush' the tube a bit for clearance. That is the way Harley would do it.
Here is a pic of the front bolt on my 1971 gas tank. It's the best pic I can lay my hands on right now.....
pg
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: OKC
PG,
Thanks for staying up late. Wow...I have Pro too (lots of docs to write for Union) and never thought to use it like that. I'm impressed by (a) the steps and (b) you got it done so quickly.
Anyway, in the pic of the bike on the lift, taken from left side, the only holes I see are the tank mounting hole behind the downtube and below the backbone tube, and a hole in the flange/bracket out front of the down tube that I belive was used to hang a lock on to lock the front end. There is something near the steering stem that looks like a bolt hole, but it isn't the tank mount hole. My best guess, from what you guys have provided, is that the front tank mount hole is in the right place and I have a tank that is too new for the bike. That means getting the right tank, welding up the bad holes, and finding someone/someplace that has scale drawings of the mounting bracket I need to fabricate and replace in leiu of what someone has hacked off.
Any chance one of you has a scale drawing in your bag of tricks? heheheh...
Thanks for staying up late. Wow...I have Pro too (lots of docs to write for Union) and never thought to use it like that. I'm impressed by (a) the steps and (b) you got it done so quickly.
Anyway, in the pic of the bike on the lift, taken from left side, the only holes I see are the tank mounting hole behind the downtube and below the backbone tube, and a hole in the flange/bracket out front of the down tube that I belive was used to hang a lock on to lock the front end. There is something near the steering stem that looks like a bolt hole, but it isn't the tank mount hole. My best guess, from what you guys have provided, is that the front tank mount hole is in the right place and I have a tank that is too new for the bike. That means getting the right tank, welding up the bad holes, and finding someone/someplace that has scale drawings of the mounting bracket I need to fabricate and replace in leiu of what someone has hacked off.
Any chance one of you has a scale drawing in your bag of tricks? heheheh...
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
PG,
Thanks for staying up late. Wow...I have Pro too (lots of docs to write for Union) and never thought to use it like that. I'm impressed by (a) the steps and (b) you got it done so quickly.
Anyway, in the pic of the bike on the lift, taken from left side, the only holes I see are the tank mounting hole behind the downtube and below the backbone tube, and a hole in the flange/bracket out front of the down tube that I belive was used to hang a lock on to lock the front end. There is something near the steering stem that looks like a bolt hole, but it isn't the tank mount hole. My best guess, from what you guys have provided, is that the front tank mount hole is in the right place and I have a tank that is too new for the bike. That means getting the right tank, welding up the bad holes, and finding someone/someplace that has scale drawings of the mounting bracket I need to fabricate and replace in leiu of what someone has hacked off.
Any chance one of you has a scale drawing in your bag of tricks? heheheh...
Thanks for staying up late. Wow...I have Pro too (lots of docs to write for Union) and never thought to use it like that. I'm impressed by (a) the steps and (b) you got it done so quickly.
Anyway, in the pic of the bike on the lift, taken from left side, the only holes I see are the tank mounting hole behind the downtube and below the backbone tube, and a hole in the flange/bracket out front of the down tube that I belive was used to hang a lock on to lock the front end. There is something near the steering stem that looks like a bolt hole, but it isn't the tank mount hole. My best guess, from what you guys have provided, is that the front tank mount hole is in the right place and I have a tank that is too new for the bike. That means getting the right tank, welding up the bad holes, and finding someone/someplace that has scale drawings of the mounting bracket I need to fabricate and replace in leiu of what someone has hacked off.
Any chance one of you has a scale drawing in your bag of tricks? heheheh...
But tomorrow I will measure my tank's center to center dimensions between the front and rear bolts so you can compare to what you now have.
I agree, I believe you have a later model tank. There were a variation of tanks made. A 2.2 gal looks like a 2.2 gal until you start to look closer. The mount dimensions can (and do) change. The filler cap styles change etc, etc.
I will make up a sketch for you with the dim's.
pg
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
pg
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Joined: Mar 2007
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From: OKC
Can't PM you. Shoot me one so I can trade contact info for the next time. I get to IAH or HOB several times a year with an overnight; fly for a living.
