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Outer primary help please!

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Old Apr 8, 2026 | 09:15 AM
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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.
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Old Apr 8, 2026 | 09:21 AM
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It will NOT work.
 
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Old Apr 8, 2026 | 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by eighteight
It will NOT work.
Thank you! That was what I suspected. Thanks for the clarification.
 
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Old Apr 8, 2026 | 11:44 AM
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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??
 
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Old Apr 8, 2026 | 03:03 PM
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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?


 
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Old Apr 8, 2026 | 04:18 PM
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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
 
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Old Apr 8, 2026 | 08:01 PM
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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 🤦🏼
 
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Old Apr 8, 2026 | 08:43 PM
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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....
 
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Old Apr 9, 2026 | 07:10 AM
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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.
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Old Apr 9, 2026 | 07:20 PM
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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
 
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