Shovelhead A place to talk about Shovelheads.

Outer primary help please!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 8, 2026 | 09:15 AM
  #1  
Robtattoo's Avatar
Robtattoo
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 135
Likes: 97
From: Tullahoma TN
Default Outer primary help please!

I have an '81 FXWG & I need to replace the outer primary cover.
I found this on ebay that absolutely suits my needs (long story short, mine is chrome & I want to chop it in half to run an open primary while keeping the electric leg without blowing my entire build budget) but I'm not 100% sure it's going to work.

It looks to me like the jackshaft bearing support is shorter than it should be for an '80s motor, but I'm really not knowledgeable enough to be able to tell & my googling over the last week is failing. Badly.

This is what I currently have......

Aaaand, this is what I'm looking at.....


The reason for my skepticism being that I've already bought what I REALLY wanted: a NOS Paughco tin primary for the electric shovel, and the damn jackshaft bottoms out in the bearing, before the case is fully seated 🤬

Could anyone tell me, with absolute certainty, whether the Ebay case will actually work for me, or not?
 

Last edited by Robtattoo; Apr 8, 2026 at 09:16 AM.
Reply
Old Apr 8, 2026 | 09:21 AM
  #2  
eighteight's Avatar
eighteight
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 10,762
Likes: 7,390
From: OH
Default

It will NOT work.
 
Reply
Old Apr 8, 2026 | 09:38 AM
  #3  
Robtattoo's Avatar
Robtattoo
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 135
Likes: 97
From: Tullahoma TN
Default

Originally Posted by eighteight
It will NOT work.
Thank you! That was what I suspected. Thanks for the clarification.
 
Reply
Old Apr 8, 2026 | 11:44 AM
  #4  
Racepres's Avatar
Racepres
Seasoned HDF Member
Community Builder
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,571
Likes: 3,327
From: Cental, MI
Default

Your second pic is of a Cover for a 5 Speed... I cannot really tell if the first is an 8 bolt or a 9??
 
Reply
Old Apr 8, 2026 | 03:03 PM
  #5  
jdmboyd's Avatar
jdmboyd
Novice
5 Year Member
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 18
Likes: 7
From: VA
Default

Not sure if I'm tracking. I installed a lever solenoid years ago and sliced up an outer primary to support the jackshaft while tuning the lever system. Is this what you're talking about?


 
Reply
Old Apr 8, 2026 | 04:18 PM
  #6  
john lee's Avatar
john lee
Stellar HDF Member
5 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,165
Likes: 435
From: australia
Default

Originally Posted by jdmboyd
Not sure if I'm tracking. I installed a lever solenoid years ago and sliced up an outer primary to support the jackshaft while tuning the lever system. Is this what you're talking about?

wow thats rough. ive seen it done and it looked factory fitted
 
Reply
Old Apr 8, 2026 | 08:01 PM
  #7  
Robtattoo's Avatar
Robtattoo
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 135
Likes: 97
From: Tullahoma TN
Default

Originally Posted by jdmboyd
Not sure if I'm tracking. I installed a lever solenoid years ago and sliced up an outer primary to support the jackshaft while tuning the lever system. Is this what you're talking about?

That's exactly what I want to do. I did cut my chrome one down, like that, but the chrome immediately started to peel & lift, but not enough that I can peel it all off 🤦🏼
 
Reply
Old Apr 8, 2026 | 08:43 PM
  #8  
jdmboyd's Avatar
jdmboyd
Novice
5 Year Member
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 18
Likes: 7
From: VA
Default

Originally Posted by Robtattoo
That's exactly what I want to do. I did cut my chrome one down, like that, but the chrome immediately started to peel & lift, but not enough that I can peel it all off 🤦🏼
Couple things.
- Don't cut the cover down as much as I did here. You want the end of the jack shaft covered, not open as my temporary setup was here.
- Remove the rest of the chrome with a sander, etc....
 
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 9, 2026 | 07:10 AM
  #9  
Racepres's Avatar
Racepres
Seasoned HDF Member
Community Builder
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 8,571
Likes: 3,327
From: Cental, MI
Default

And... On Mine, I left the Forward "lip" for the third Screw.. less Flex, Hopefully. and...Of course..I like the Solenoid to be Functional!! Assuming it is simply not Shown Installed...
 

Last edited by Racepres; Apr 9, 2026 at 07:12 AM.
Reply
Old Apr 9, 2026 | 07:20 PM
  #10  
john lee's Avatar
john lee
Stellar HDF Member
5 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 2,165
Likes: 435
From: australia
Default

Originally Posted by Racepres
And... On Mine, I left the Forward "lip" for the third Screw.. less Flex, Hopefully. and...Of course..I like the Solenoid to be Functional!! Assuming it is simply not Shown Installed...
as i said the one i saw looked factory made. i would never chrome alloy
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:54 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