Need help making barn find road ready
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 616
Likes: 70
Need help making barn find road ready
I just posted this in the touring section and someone there suggested posting it here because you folks were alot of help to him when he bought a shovel. I'm a little out of my league with a bike this old and was wondering if there's anything I should know/look out for as I make this thing road worthy.
Hi Folks. I just purchased a completely stock 1974 FLH which has sat since about the late 80's. the only thing that was done to the bike in preparation for the sale, incorrectly I might add, was to change the motor oil. Everything so far, with the exception of the front brakes, seems to work and the bike runs and drives remarkably well. Since I have no experience with something like this, I'm looking for pointers, gotchas, must do's, etc - any help I can get making this thing road ready again. My mechanical experience/ability are about average, meaning I'm no mechanic but I do all of my own work outside of opening up a motor, so I realize I need to change all the fluids, and replace aging hoses, but what else should I do/look for to ensure I properly make the bike road ready?
I appreciate the help.
Pied
Hi Folks. I just purchased a completely stock 1974 FLH which has sat since about the late 80's. the only thing that was done to the bike in preparation for the sale, incorrectly I might add, was to change the motor oil. Everything so far, with the exception of the front brakes, seems to work and the bike runs and drives remarkably well. Since I have no experience with something like this, I'm looking for pointers, gotchas, must do's, etc - any help I can get making this thing road ready again. My mechanical experience/ability are about average, meaning I'm no mechanic but I do all of my own work outside of opening up a motor, so I realize I need to change all the fluids, and replace aging hoses, but what else should I do/look for to ensure I properly make the bike road ready?
I appreciate the help.
Pied
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 306
Likes: 7
From: Somewhere, PA
Getting some of these barn finds road-ready and reliable can be a chore in itself, but well worth the effort. I would want to check/replace the wheel bearings, lube all the cables by taking them off the bars and squirting/dripping oil down them, check/lube the chain, check the primary chain adjustment and shoe, check the tappet screen and clean it (do a quick search if you're not sure what that means), adjust the pushrods, and a "5-Quart" oil change is a good way to clean old oil from the bottom of the crankcase. Might also want to remove the fuel tank and clean it in case of rust (which will clog your fuel line in a hurry). I also like to take an extendable magnet and run it inside my oil tank to pick up any metal that might be floating around in there. Better yet, pull the oil tank and rinse it with Kerosene.
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions and I can walk you through some of this stuff over the phone. I don't post much here, but old bikes are a hobby of mine and I'm starting to hang around this place a little more often lately...
Hobo
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions and I can walk you through some of this stuff over the phone. I don't post much here, but old bikes are a hobby of mine and I'm starting to hang around this place a little more often lately...
Hobo
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,499
Likes: 3,717
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
And a few more things for you to check/repack/replace as needed...
Swing arm bearings
Neck bearings
Brake pad/disc wear
Clutch discs (they have to be sticky from sitting that long)
Sitting that long means the motor seal are probably dried out and you will eventually get leaks from cylinder base gaskets, cylinder heads and rocker covers. Same will apply to the tranny top and kicker cover gaskets.
Now is the time to get a good shop and parts manual. Spend the money and go for OEM
And post up some pics when you can...
Shovels and old iron are an addiction...
Swing arm bearings
Neck bearings
Brake pad/disc wear
Clutch discs (they have to be sticky from sitting that long)
Sitting that long means the motor seal are probably dried out and you will eventually get leaks from cylinder base gaskets, cylinder heads and rocker covers. Same will apply to the tranny top and kicker cover gaskets.
Now is the time to get a good shop and parts manual. Spend the money and go for OEM
And post up some pics when you can...
Shovels and old iron are an addiction...
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 306
Likes: 7
From: Somewhere, PA
For what it's worth, if you don't already have a good manual for the bike that should be the first investment you make. Shovels take more time and attention than other (newer) rides, but the feeling you get riding down the road knowing you've turned the nuts and bolts yourself can't be matched. Just wait until someone comes up next to you at the local hangout and asks "what kind of bike is that?" or "that's not a Harley, is it?". :-)
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 616
Likes: 70
The bike came with the service manual, owners manual and a brochure. although I haven't had the time to take pics yet, I found this add which is the exact same bike, colors and all. enjoy, let me know what you think. I paid 6300 and it's got 27000 miles on her.
http://www.dadsvintageads.com/catalo...age_Ad_#IMAGES
http://www.dadsvintageads.com/catalo...age_Ad_#IMAGES
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 15,705
Likes: 22,718
From: Farmington ,MS
IHi Folks. I just purchased a completely stock 1974 FLH which has sat since about the late 80's. the only thing that was done to the bike in preparation for the sale, incorrectly I might add, was to change the motor oil.
If the tires have been on it since the 80's,I would change them no matter how good they look.
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Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,126
Likes: 51,453
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Start with new tires defiantly and get some pictures up for us please , I can tell a lot with a few decent pics to work with & be glad to point you in the right direction .
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