"DIY MODS" and TRICKS to SAVE $$$$$$
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
Default Make a 1/4" drive tool for tranny end cover or bar clamps.
We see posts once in awhile about the common tranny end cover coming loose and leaking. ( revised torque spec is now 25 ft lbs.)
Owners may be hesitant to tackle this as the manual says remove headers...what a PIA.
The alternative is to use another tool that is small enough to get in there- this also works for the handlebar clamps, which is what i was adjusting today.
A 1/4" drive screwdriver bit can be placed butt end first into the allen head and turned with a wrench.
if clearance is tight, just hacksaw a piece off of a 1/4" allen wrench. slip it into the allen and turn with a wrench.
Keep the stub with your other allens- I misplaced mine ( cause it's small) so i made another- I'll put a big piece of tape on this one
job done.
Mike
Owners may be hesitant to tackle this as the manual says remove headers...what a PIA.
The alternative is to use another tool that is small enough to get in there- this also works for the handlebar clamps, which is what i was adjusting today.
A 1/4" drive screwdriver bit can be placed butt end first into the allen head and turned with a wrench.
if clearance is tight, just hacksaw a piece off of a 1/4" allen wrench. slip it into the allen and turn with a wrench.
Keep the stub with your other allens- I misplaced mine ( cause it's small) so i made another- I'll put a big piece of tape on this one
job done.
Mike
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 6,067
Likes: 1,121
From:
We see posts once in awhile about the common tranny end cover coming loose and leaking. ( revised torque spec is now 25 ft lbs.)
Owners may be hesitant to tackle this as the manual says remove headers...what a PIA.
The alternative is to use another tool that is small enough to get in there- this also works for the handlebar clamps, which is what i was adjusting today.
A 1/4" drive screwdriver bit can be placed butt end first into the allen head and turned with a wrench.
if clearance is tight, just hacksaw a piece off of a 1/4" allen wrench. slip it into the allen and turn with a wrench.
Keep the stub with your other allens- I misplaced mine ( cause it's small) so i made another- I'll put a big piece of tape on this one
job done.
Mike
Owners may be hesitant to tackle this as the manual says remove headers...what a PIA.
The alternative is to use another tool that is small enough to get in there- this also works for the handlebar clamps, which is what i was adjusting today.
A 1/4" drive screwdriver bit can be placed butt end first into the allen head and turned with a wrench.
if clearance is tight, just hacksaw a piece off of a 1/4" allen wrench. slip it into the allen and turn with a wrench.
Keep the stub with your other allens- I misplaced mine ( cause it's small) so i made another- I'll put a big piece of tape on this one
job done.
Mike
Back bolt is covered by frame backbone.
This is were mechanics save clock time but still charge book time.
Stage IV
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Ankeny, Iowa
Look at nearly any new 2009 touring bike and the ends of the mufflers will be rusted, even on the showroom floor. There is an easy and cheap fix for this. For less than $5.00 you can get a brass wire "fine" cup brush at the hardware store. Put it in your 1/4" electric drill and go to work. The small cup brush will remove any rust or crud in there and you will be left with a brilliant and shiny new tip on the "inside" end of your stock mufflers. You can either tape them off and paint black using a rattle can or simple buff them out once a month to keep that chrome look. The mechanic at the Harley shop happened to see mine in the parking lot and asked what I did. It told him. He said that if I didn't use official Harley paint that I would probably void my warranty. Then he laughed and said "Just kidding".
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
From: Ontario
All cup holders are $70??! What, are they nuts?
Here's what I did in a few trips to the hardware store, with some angle brackets, pipe clamps, an old leather belt, some webbing, pop rivets, a cheap dollar store cup holder and a PVC pipe coupling. Two cup holders. And the slot in the one on the bars is so my heated coffee cup wire fits in it (gots ta have that java in the AM!)
Yeah, I know, I'm cheap and have too much time on my hands, but I prefer frugal.
Well?
Edit: Yeah, I know, wash the trike.
Here's what I did in a few trips to the hardware store, with some angle brackets, pipe clamps, an old leather belt, some webbing, pop rivets, a cheap dollar store cup holder and a PVC pipe coupling. Two cup holders. And the slot in the one on the bars is so my heated coffee cup wire fits in it (gots ta have that java in the AM!)
Yeah, I know, I'm cheap and have too much time on my hands, but I prefer frugal.
Well?
Edit: Yeah, I know, wash the trike.
That's pretty cool...great idea
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 44
Likes: 2
From: Northern Virginia
Quick Release for Tour-pak
OK, so the problem I faced was this: 2013 Road King Classic with the leather tour-pak and a wife who like to ride with me on occasion. I like having the bike stripped down to the solo Mustang seat when I'm just out and about and like having the tour-pak for extra storage space. The solo and 2-up brackets pop on and off the bike (easy once I changed out the spacers on the forward docking point), but there was still another 20 minutes involved removing and replacing the 7/16 bolts, nuts, and washers from the four attaching points. I wanted to make a quick-release system between the tour-pak and the docking brackets.
Solution: four dzus fasteners, just like the saddlebag attaching hardware.
I had to re-drill the forward holes on the solo bracket to match the 2-up (the curve at the bottom front of the pak wouldn't accept the solution).
I took the brackets to a local machine shop and we cut out notches for the dzus receptacles. Spacing is corrected by the addition of a 1/8" rubber washer (which is held in place by a 1/4" rubber o-ring, thanks to a brilliant suggestion in another post about retaining lanyards in the saddlebags).
Solution: four dzus fasteners, just like the saddlebag attaching hardware.
I had to re-drill the forward holes on the solo bracket to match the 2-up (the curve at the bottom front of the pak wouldn't accept the solution).
I took the brackets to a local machine shop and we cut out notches for the dzus receptacles. Spacing is corrected by the addition of a 1/8" rubber washer (which is held in place by a 1/4" rubber o-ring, thanks to a brilliant suggestion in another post about retaining lanyards in the saddlebags).
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 44
Likes: 2
From: Northern Virginia
Tour-pak Quick-release 2
Second batch of pics...
This should be listed as a time-saver. The fasteners were about $60 (on Denniskirk), plus the labor at the machine shop.
Then again, I save about a half-hour every time my wife wants to ride with me. What's your time worth? What can you do with a half-hour?
This should be listed as a time-saver. The fasteners were about $60 (on Denniskirk), plus the labor at the machine shop.
Then again, I save about a half-hour every time my wife wants to ride with me. What's your time worth? What can you do with a half-hour?
Last edited by PaddyH3GM; May 3, 2014 at 05:46 PM.