This Is NOT A BUILD: CrossBones The 3rd
 

Hey Gang,

As some of you know I've been working on my 2008 Crossbones for what seems like an eternity now. Ever since I purchased it brand new back in 08 I had wanted to strip it down further from stock and I finally came around to doing just that a few months back.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ewBones_01.jpg
(My Bones about a month after I bought it.)

Initially, budget held me back. I was just happy to be able to afford the scoot and have the blessing of my wife to boot. After about a year or so my wife surprised me by asking that I buy her a helmet and jacket so she could ride with me (she swore she was happy to let me purchase the scoot but would never get on it herself)! So bobbing the Bones suddenly was no longer an option and my scoot took a rather ugly turn as I eBayed and Craigslisted left and right for stuff to add to it in order to make the Mrs. more comfortable on our rides together.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...xeParts_04.jpg
(Gosh! What was I thinking? My Bones roughly three years after purchase...)

Eventually I decided to stop attempting to make a Bobber that could tour with two people and went full-on nostalgic Springer style. It was a look that I also loved and one I felt was much more conducive to the two up riding that I was enjoying, not only with my wife but with my daughter as well...

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psa734b5f0.jpg
(She could tour with the best of them...)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/IMAG1480.jpg
(...but still strip down to the bare essentials!)

So I thought I had my Bones sorted to where I wanted it as well as the rest of my life. Along the way my wife and I had two little boys (and future bikers for sure) and we both changed jobs, moving on to bigger, better things. And it was just when everything was all rosy that $h!t sortta hit the fan. First I got laid off from my job and struggled for a while to keep a steady income. Selling my Bones became a real possibility more than once. Then my daughter unexpectedly dropped out of college and moved out to CA with some friends to pursue her dream of doing nothing and mooching off of other people. Finally my wife decided just as unexpectedly that she no longer wanted to be a wife (or mother for that matter) and moved on. So it's now been just over two years that The Three Amigos (that's me and my two boys) have been forging on mostly on our own, with some help from my family along the way. It's been a tough and sad road a times but I consider myself a strong and optimistic character and refuse to let things drag me down. My boys deserve nothing less from me!

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...pse3bd46a6.jpg
(We all have our sources of inspiration and our reasons to forge ahead. Here are all my reasons...)

So life was looking up again but suddenly I found myself without a riding partner. Then last year my brother got himself a nice pre-owned Rocker C and we quickly modded it to his liking. Before I knew it, he and I were tooling around on our scoots every other weekend. I began to really envy the stripped down nothing-but-show attitude of his Rocker and began to re-visit the idea of making my Bones into a totally solo play thing for me! Then one day I was browsing eBay for $h!ts and giggles as I often tend to do, when I came upon a brand new 2012 Softail H-D gas tank with one of their Hard Candy Custom paint jobs on it. It was the sort of thing that I liked seeing on other folks rides but never envisioned throwing something like it on my own bike. I bid on the tank not thinking much of it when before I knew it I had won the no-reserve auction for just over $350 shipped (the tank retails for $1600)! Suddenly I had the center piece for what would be the next look of my Bones. I just needed to make a plan to start the mods. As it happens the bike made those plans for me when late last year she crapped out on me. Turns out that the stator went out. I decided to make the repairs myself and thus began a rather major tear down in preparation for this project.

I won't insult REAL builders out there by calling this a "build". The mods will be rather dramatic and even though I am making some bits myself and doing most of the work on my own, I like to think of the venture as more of a "project".

Now...being a single dad with a career and a commute of over 160 miles a day, time is a RARE commodity to say the least. As such, things have been rather slow going (which I think may actually be an understatement since I can't even remember now when I actually started the work)! It's partly for that reason that I decided to go ahead and start this thread rather than waiting until the project was complete. I figured that keeping the updates coming would be a good way for me to keep track of progress and also serve as motivation moving forward. I'll do my best to document as much as I can in order to share some of the knowledge that I have been picking up along the way. I wish that up to now I had been better about taking photos of the work since there's already been some really good stuff I could have shared. The best I can do now is recap it all as best as possible and try to do a better job of this moving forward.

As I stated; the work started when I needed to replace my stator which crapped out on me after 63K miles of reliable service. I went with a new stator and regulator from H-D, feeling quite comfortable with the stock parts. It was more work than I anticipated due to the fact that the inner primary had to be removed in order to pull the rotor out. I had to loosen the oil tank to help me reach the starter with the aid of some very long extensions and an alen bit. However, once I was able to get the starter loosened from the inner primary the work went rather smoothly. I did have to make my own primary drive locking tool in order to loosen and later tighten the nut and bolt for the clutch assembly and compensator sprocket. The parts guys at the local H-D didn't have these tools in stock but brought one out from the shop so I could see how it was made. The one he showed me was for touring bikes and so was much shorter than I need but I managed to get other dimensions from it and then just took measurements from my primary to determine how long I needed to make mine. The tool worked perfectly and I was able to get the startor replaced. I installed the inner primary with new seals and gaskets. However the outer primary cover was set aside. It would later join the rest of the engine and tranny covers along with many other parts on a trip to the powder coater!

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psf40f8e19.jpg
(The Project begins with basic teardown; the seat and both fenders are removed. The entire left side floorboard assembly is also removed to make way for the stator repairs. I pull the battery and remove the tank console and drain the tank. I leave the bars on and install the front wheel back on with the stock Bones' axle in order to be able to move the bike around if needed. The pipes and air cleaner all pulled as well.)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psf8b7b60e.jpg
(At this point the new stator is in and the primary drive is re-assembled. I re-installed the left floorboard bracket with jiffy stand so that I could set the bike down off the jack if need be. The tank has been completely removed as well as all the engine and tranny covers. Also gone is the stock horn and the seat post/coil mount and coil. Read a bit about my stator repair and challenges here: https://www.hdforums.com/forum/softa...ater-only.html )

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psd06d9c59.jpg
(A Forum member cuts me a deal on his used Shadetree fender. I chemically strip the paint and take an orbital sander to it to smooth out the metal a bit. I mock up the fender and find that the lower portion is a bit long so I trim it down. I begin the initial body work to smooth out the fender and get it ready for paint. Prior to this second mock up and while the oil tank is still loose I feed the ECM plug behind the oil tank where I will mount my ECM/Thundermax. At this point I also remove my handlebars, risers, top tree and headlight. Notice that the rocker boxes are still on as well as the tappet covers and pus rod tubes. I wanted to PC those as well but wasn't confident about the removal process. After posting about it on the Forums and some trial and error I got those removed as well and included them with the batch of parts to be coated. https://www.hdforums.com/forum/engin...r-removal.html )

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps1266c69b.jpg
(The engine and tranny start to come together. As part of this job, I install a fresh set of breather gaskets and filters. The kit was only $13. It was recommended that I switch to newer style breathers which were not much more expensive than the rebuild kit but they were not in stock and time was precious so I went with just a "re-build". I considered new cam chain tensioners as well but mine still look pretty damn good despite having 63K miles on em so I'll give em another go. A note on removing and installing the rocker arms, support plate and push rods; the manual states that you have to rotate the engine and find top dead center for each cylinder before removing or installing these components. The procedure describes unloading the push rods until you can turn them freely with your fingers. However, despite all attempts, I was never able to get them to feel that loose. I was able to remove everything with no issues. On install, I was careful to tighten the support plate bolts by 1/4 turn increments in the specified pattern in order to seat the plate. I've every confidence that nothing was warped or bent and when I turned the engine to work on the second cylinder everything moved as smoothly as it did prior to the tear down.)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...aff42347_1.jpg
(I'm really glad I made the extra effort to get the rocker boxes off as well as the push rod tubes and lifter covers. The results wouldn't have been anywhere near as good as they are turning out if I had left them as-is.)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps1206d6e2.jpg
(The new primary cover and derby cover. The derby cover is only mocked up, meaning there is no gasket and the screws aren't torqued to spec. Reason being is that I still have to fill the primary with fluid and adjust the clutch when I install the new cable. Those gaskets are one-time use and pricey so for now the cover is on mostly to keep dust and what-not out of the primary while I finish things up. I thought I could use the stock gasket which is re-usable but these decorative derby covers done have the necessary grove to install the stock gasket. "Thanks" for that Harley!)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps14ebe52f.jpg
(First mock up of my new bars. Going from chrome H-D wide beach bars with 1.25 diameter risers to 14" Wild One Outlawz on my stock Crossbones 1 inch diameter risers. Wild One only offers their bars in chrome or sating black. I knew I wanted mine gloss black and fortunately I got my bars brand new from a forum member for a good enough price that once I got them coated the cost was no more than If I had purchased them new at retail price. My stock risers, caps and top tree also got a fresh gloss black powder coating. In case yall are wondering; I did not re-install my original tank. I have precious little room to store things so ever time I am done working on the bike I just set the tank back on it to keep it out of the way. You may also notice that the guts are out of the tank. They are awaiting a transplant into the new tank I will be running.)

Speaking of the tank; here is a sneak-peek of the one I will be installing in the near future. It's for 2011-newer Softails which means there are a couple of differences between it and my 2008 tank but they are both compatible and will share more about the install when I get to that point.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps4e633e44.jpg

Well I guess this is good enough for a start. If you've bothered to tag along this far, I am hoping you'll join me the rest of the way. I won't attemnpt to spell out all my plans from the beginning as I imagine much of it will change along the way as it already has to some extent. I will be more than happy to elaborate where ever necessary and am open to suggestions and insight.

Thanks and stay tuned,

Skeez

Lookin good man! I liked image #3 and 4 as well...great looking bike...image #2...eeeesh...that was UGLY.

...and no, you still can't have my pipe.:icon_badrazz:

There's a Fat Boy for sale by me with that tank at New Smyrna Harley.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...4d5295f513.jpg

Looking good nice build!

Looking good on the transformation of your bike. I thought it looked fantastic as "old school" but some times change is good. Sounds like you have had quite a few changes in recent years but good for your boys to be with a caring father.

I remember when I was young I would hang out with my father in the garage as he would wrench on his BSA's and Triumphs. Good memories and that gave me a lifelong interest in bikes. Life goes by so fast that in no time maybe your boys will be riding partners with you and your brother.

Hope the transformation goes quickly so you can get back on the road.

Coming along very nice, I will be awaiting the final unveiling. :icon_headbang:

Looks awesome!

that's a great write up, I will be following this one.

You're a brave man to tackle all of that yourself, but the bike looks amazing! Great write- up Skeez. Job well done thus far.

I have always loved the Crossbones and will enjoy watching the work being completed on yours. Can't wait to see what the tank looks like on it.

Looks like a great transformation you have going on! Cant wait to see the end result!!

MINOR UPDATE: Jiffy Stand Removal
 

Some minor updates and set backs: I had to take the bars back off the bike and return them to the powder coater. I was in the process of wiring them when I noticed the coating chipping off at the center hole where the control wires come out. When I took a closer look I could tell that something around the hole affected the finish and it was chipping quite extensively. Glad I caught it when I did and not after I had everything buttoned up. I dropped them off this morning and the fellow who does the work for me was really apologetic and promised to get them re-done right away. They do great work and have done dozens of parts for me so one out of 40-or-so aint bad. And as long as they make it right I'm still a loyal customer.

Another thing I wanted to share is minor but I felt the info might be useful to someone working on their jiffy stand.

Part of my changes is swapping from floorboards to forward controls. I decided to move on to that given the set back with the bars. My new controls re-use my existing jiffy stand and I was a little worried about the removal. Some time ago during a rainy night I took a wrong turn and slammed into a pot hole that was covered in water. I had my ex on the back so the impact was pretty jarring and it knocked the spring loose from the jiffy stand. Thankfully we were next to a custom paint shop and the owner happened to be working late and saw us and offered to help. We got the bike in his shop and while I sat on it holding it up he muscled the spring back on with a pair of vice grips. It was quite a struggle so I worried how I would manage to remove the spring.

The service manual simply says "remove the spring from the jiffy stand and bracket" as if it's just a matter of doing so. I figured the problem out differently.

First I removed the pretzel clip and top bushing off the pin. Because it's under tension, the pin will not just ease out. I used the socket end a 1/4 ratchet extension on the end of the pin and tapped it out with a hammer. Once the pin was out enough to clear the top of the mounting bracket, the jiffy stand tilted outward from the bracket. This released the tension on the spring when then came right off. With the spring removed I simply re-aligned the jiffy stand into the bracket which relieved the tension on the lower part of the pin, allowing me to remove it the rest of the way.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psa4363268.jpg
(You might be able to tell what I mean about the jiffy stand angling out of the bracket when you work the pin out far enough. However, this in turn puts tension on the pin near the bottom so you have to remove the spring at this point and then align the jiffy stand back into the bracket to finish removing the pin.)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps621714d7.jpg
(The un-assembled unit. I honestly don't know how Harley expects that you can simply remove the spring without following any other procedures. If any of you out there have other information please share it.)

Another bit I wanted to share about the jiffy stand is maintenance and inspection. For the last six months or so I felt that my stand operated pretty rough and didn't really stay perfectly in the retracted position. I keep lubricating it but it didn't help. I did notice that what I thought was a washer at the top of the pin under the clip wanted to pull through the hole. When I worked the pin free I saw small pieces of copper colored metal fall out. I figured something was seriously wrong with the stand. Turns out that the washer was not a washer but a bushing and there is one on each end. Both of the bushings had completely disintegrated over time. I picked up a new set along with a new pretzel clip and cleaned all the old grease and dirt off the stand and the pin. I'll post pics soon of the installation of the jiffy stand and the new forward controls.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps33822634.jpg
(Here is what the stock pin looks like along with the original bushings and clip. You can see how bad things were when compared to the new bushings on the right. When I picked up the new parts the service guys said that most riders tend to neglect really checking and servicing this critical item. I always lubed my stand but after 63k miles, the bushings had simply had it and no amount of lube was going to make things operate smoothly!)

SON-OF-A...!

You've no idea how I'm dying inside to get riding again!!!

Time will tell if I was brave or FOOLISH!

I saw that first pic and thought,I had that back fender! But,I see you put 2 REAL fenders on it! Nice!!!

Looking Killer Skeez!
Nice to see those pipes working out for you. They do look Killer in gloss!

Hey Bud! Thanks!

I'm sure you noticed between this post and my responses elsewhere that I ended up with a Shadetree fender after all. The opportunity to buy it at a good deal sort of fell in my lap here on the forums. That said, having purchased it confirmed my thoughts that using something like a fender from Led Sled and making my own mounting system not only would have been cheaper and not too difficult to make, but the end result would probably be better and more durable. Of course the kit I got has the older style mounts that Kyle first put out and I understand that they've been improved upon greatly. However, I gone through it all in my head numerous times and can envision much more elegant and durable mounting solutions. For now I'm going with this fender since I've put he money into it. I even plan on running the existing mounts but I will be making my own struts and tag bracket which I think will go far in making it more durable.

Right on man! I don't have the time nor the skills to do that myself.
I am banking on Kyle's (STF) word that this is far from where he started years ago with the neg. reviews. I'll be rocking a sissy bar as I need to have a place to tie down luggage, and prefer the wife to stay put (most of the time)
Fingers crossed it al works out!

Right on!

I'd be interested to hear from someone who actually rides a passenger directly on the fender. I don't know that I would trust it despite the addition of struts. My brother owns a 2008 Rocker C which as you know has a swing arm mounted fender. We took it off recently to give it a fresh coat of clear. We were both amazed at how stout it was made. However, we both felt like it made sense that Harley developed two different passenger seat systems that both kept the passenger off the fender and connected directly to the frame.

As I stated in my original post, I plan for this to be a solo ride. That said, I am way to fond of having a pretty gal on the back of my scoot while tooling around. As such I plan to use one of the two aforementioned Rocker passenger seat options for the occasional two-up romp. I actually had the idea a long time ago and purchased to sets of the Harley rocker seat set ups from a fellow on Craigslist for a song. I sold one off and made double my money back and kept the second set with this current modification to my Bones in mind. Since then I have seen at least one or two people use this very system on their Crossbones bobbers. Not the best look for the bike but I KID YOU NOT that had it not been for my ability to take on a passenger on my Bones, I'd have missed out on at least a couple of opportunities to "hook up" with some very pretty women over the last couple of years. :icon_stitch:

Holy $h!t man,
how did I miss the whole Rocker seat thing? I need to google more!
If you got any links please share. My wife doesnt ride often. And I consider a passenger seat a tool. It doesnt have to be pretty, it has to work.

Great write-up description and fantastic work. From one X-Bones owner to another, "you're the man."

BTW: when you take off and add a new gas tank did you ever have the gasket go bad such that gas leaked out, and then you had to replace the gasket? I know you have to put in a new gasket every time the tank is removed.

Sorry to hear about the wife leaving.

This guy did a cool job -

Nice job skeez. Sorry to hear about your past bad luck, but it could be good fortune also. Depends on how you look at it. I read a post a while back where a guy extended down the jiffy stand and then placed pennies in each gap of the spring coils. Then push the stand back up and the spring will stay extended out to relieve the pressure. Makes sense to me. You may do this in reverse to get it back on. Put end of spring in vice, pull on it real hard and have your boys put coins in between the coils of the spring. Let go of end of spring and it should stay out. Slip it back on. Sounds good to me but what do I know. lol

Yes. That's actually where I got confirmation that I could use the Rocker C trick seat. I had actually thought of that as well but before my brother got his Rocker I had no way to verify any fitment until I came across this video. I'll probably go with the other option of the accessory strut and seat option for the Rocker since it doesn't require the partial dis disassembly to install the way Rocker C trick seat does. Also, I plan to make my own seat pad or at the very least, re-cover the Harley one with real leather...something to match whatever I do with the rider seat so they tie in together better.

Thanks man!

Everything is looking up at the moment except that now I have to opposite problem of too much work...which is great for the bank account but not so good for wrenching time.

That actually sounds like a good idea for removing the spring.

I had an incident some years ago where it popped off after hitting a deep pothole that was hidden by rain water in the middle of the night. If it wasn't for the help of a gentleman who owned a car shop right next door I would have had to tie the stand up to the frame and ride it home that way. He got down on the ground and managed to get it back on with a pair of vice grips but it wasn't easy and it must have taken at least 20 minutes of tugging on it while I sat on the bike to hold it upright. Since then I was always terrified of the idea of ever having to remove the jiffy stand.

Handle Bar Wiring
 

As I said before, I had a delay with the bars because I found a flaw in the powder coating and took them back to have them redone. They came out perfect the second time around and I got to the task of wiring them and getting them ready for install. My main concern was with the 90 degree bends at the bottom. We did my brother's z bars some time ago with 90 degree bends at both top and bottom and we had to remove the black conduit from his wire bundles in order to make it easier to get the whole thing through. I didn't want to do that to mine. Also, I had already wired one side of my bars before I noticed the bad finish so I was aware of the challenges ahead so I was better prepared the second time.

Using some thicker fishing line (40 pond test leader) I cut a length of about 3 feet and tied a small nut to one end and dropped it into on hole, maneuvering the bars to get it to drop out of the center opening. Instead of tying the other end to my bundle of wires I made a noose and slipped this just behind the pins where it would tighten as I pulled and the pins would keep it in place. I taped everything over, feeding the line out the end so that as I pulled the wires through the tip of the bunch would lead through the bends as much as possible.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psb1947c6b.jpg
(Materials for running the wires through)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psc9f2946e.jpg
(Noose just behind the pins...)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps44fea7aa.jpg
(...and taped off.)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psc3bee662.jpg
(Right side pulled through and then taped off tight to one side to clear the center opening as much as possible to work the other wire bundle through.)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps91c11533.jpg
(With the second set of wires, I pulled the plastic conduit close to the pins and placed the noose over it instead of just the wires. I did this because with the first set, the conduit was getting hung up while the wires themselves were getting pulled through. With this method everything pulled through together. I made it a little tighter, especially because this is the left side wiring which has 2 more wires than the right but it still worked out great.)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps61da8f89.jpg
(Adding the wire extensions. I bought this kit used so there was no heat shrink so I purchase a length of 3/16 heat shrink. A good pair of scissors to cut the pieces and a windproof BBQ lighter (burns more like a torch) to heat the wrap made completing the extensions about a 10 minute job.)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psbff046ad.jpg
(All the connections made...)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps89699e38.jpg
(Lastly, the braided sleeve for looks and the bars are ready to throw on the bike. Besides the braided sleeve, I also added an extension the black conduit that goes over all the wires. We didn't do this on my brother's bars and as a result you can see all the colored wires through the outer sleeve.)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps0a6ef7e2.jpg
(The bars on the bike. Everything is torqued down. No; those are not tennis balls on the ends!)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psb1f84b63.jpg
(Controls are on. Everything got a fresh coat of gloss black. I had to dismantle the master cylinder and then rebuild it with a fresh guts from Harley. I took a page from Forum member Redbeard's book and filed down all the casting marks on the controls to give them a much smother look. Switched out the stock satin black switches with chrome for a nice bit of contrast. Jury is still out on whether I want to do gloss black levers or chrome. Also, I'm going to be going with the same style of grips but I'll be purchasing a new pair. These are my old ones which I used just so I could get the controls positions properly.)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps506b30b0.jpg
(Another view. Still lots of changes to come but with my old tank and the new fender still mocked up I am getting a clear picture of the final product and I am feeling pretty good about it all so far.)

More to come...

Man it looks amazing!
My kit should ship this friday!

Skeez, Im really sorry to hear about your misfortune and commendyou for hanging in there for your two beautiful boys someday you will get paidback 10 fold for your efforts. Also have to commend you on your transformationon your Bonz, that thing is looking sweet!!! I really like where you’re goingwith it keep up the good work all around and definitely keep us updated..

I tried looking up the thread that showed the Rocker strut and seat kit on a Bones but all the photos of it have been taken down. Bottom line is that I've seen it done and it works so there are at least a couple of options out there that use actual Harley parts. I'm lucky to have gotten a hold of a strut and seat kit for a really good price. Otherwise, I think it'd be much cheaper to look for the trick seat parts and use those like in the video that you posted.

Thanks man!

My boys and I have been on our own for over two years now so we've gotten used to it for the most part, but thanks for the thoughts.

I don't want to steer you in the wrong direction concerning the gas tank top plate seal. I've yet to remove one that looked like it wouldn't work anymore and needed to be replaced. The thing about the top plate seal as well as the little screws with seals on them for the top plate is that I think they are less about keep gas in the tank than they are about keeping the weather out. The seal I just took off my Bones has over 60K miles and it looks no better or worse than the new one I have to replace it with. That said, I am not an expert on how these things break down and if it would be that bad of an idea to reuse it. I think if my bike were much newer with less miles then I wouldn't have a problem with using the same top plate seal and maybe even the screws. The only reason I have replacements for my new tank is that I am changing out the fuel filters and the kit that I bought from Harley includes a new top seal and top plate screws.

That means alot, Santo! Boys and I are doing pretty good and I have far more work than I can handle plus as a contractor I get paid time-and-a-half over 40 hours (I was a salaried employee before I got laid off from my former job) which means that at the moment I am raking in the Benjamins and setting myself for a nice vacation with my boys in May.

As for the bike?

Glad to hear yall like it so far. What stinks above all is that at the start I had the perfect vision of where I was going to go with it and just needed the right parts and the time to get things moving. As things progress, I start second guessing here and there and in some cases setting myself back because of it. Sometimes the change of heart is a result of stumbling on a part or idea that I chance on while I am researching something else. It's hard not to get sidetracked!

At the moment, my biggest undecided points are:

1. Exhaust style.
2. Gas Cap/Fuel Gauge
3. Foot pegs.
4. Levers (chrome or black)
5. Mirrors ( I may have figured this one out provided I can find what I am picturing.)

Next weekend I should have some time to tinker so hopefully I will have another decent update.

I think as far as exhaust goes maybe some Paul Yaffy Skirt Blowers in chrome to add some visual interest and I would also go with black levers that would match the black switch covers.

I have Exile monster drag pipes ready to bolt on my Bones

I have the Exile shot guns on my Rocker, love the look & sound, relatively quiet when cruising until you crack the throttle & they just open up :icon_headbang:

Just food for thought.

Great job so far. Looking forward to seeing the final product.

Bike looking sick bub. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Skeez - got your pm just this morning. Excited to see things are going well in your XB makeover, and life in general.

Great minds think alike!!!

Both of you guys touched on pipes that I have considered. The Paul Yaffy Skirt Blowers are on my radar. I am trying to find out if they are baffled or not. Also, I've seen them in either black with gloss black heat shields and tips or all chrome. However, I saw a nice Softail Slim on eBay that had been done with a set of black pipes with chrome heat shields and tips. It looked great and I think that look would suit my bike. However I am not sure if that combination is available of if the example I saw was something custom such as an all chrome set that had the pipes ceramic coated.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps91ab04e9.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps65b1d52e.jpg

I also like the Exile drag pipes. I'm kind of bummed that I passed up numerous chances to buy a brand new chromes set off eBay for a pretty good price. Of course at the time I had a different vision in my mind so I didn't go for it.

Funny thing, going through the photos of the Slim above I just now noticed that it's also sporting the same levers I was thinking of going with. I am considering chrome because in case it isn't evident, I am trying to add some here and there for contrast. Since the mirrors I am considering are gloss black, I think I need to add a bit more of the shiny in the control area. I already did the switches but I figures a little more would be more balanced.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps0b81a8c0.jpg

I like the Sampson sidewinders and ripsaw pipes. Both would look sick on the bones.

great transformation on the bike..

Just to clarify on the post above; the Slim pictured in these photos is NOT MY BIKE. I was using them to show the pipes and levers that are on it. It occurred to me after the fact that it may come across like these are supposed to be photos of my finished bike. Hopefully I didn't confuse anyone.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps91ab04e9.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps65b1d52e.jpg

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...ps0b81a8c0.jpg[/QUOTE]

Small Victories
 

So here is a minor update but a major victory as far as I am concerned!!!

Progress has obviously been SLOOOOOW. One thing I didn't count on when I was "planning" was that I would be neck deep in production crunch time for the first part of the year. Weekends are even more precious given that I have been working half of them for the last couple months.

This Sunday I got a chance to tool around a bit and I decided to pick some small battles to take on. In this case it was completing the removal of the stock floorboards and brackets and installing the new forward controls. I knew I was going to have a bit of a time getting the kick stand back on because of the spring. Still I went at it pretty confidently but after bolting the bracket to the bike and struggling with various methods I was pretty licked. I was considering taking the unit to the dealer to have them install it but couldn't get over the idea that this should be possible to do SOMEHOW.

With the assemble back off one of the first thoughts that came to mind was the whole "stretch the spring out and install pennies between the coils" trick which was mentioned by another member on this very thread. So I went to my piggy bank and grabbed about 20 cents. Now I just needed to find a way to stretch the spring out. It was easy enough to grab one end with vice grips but not so easy to secure the other end in order to be able to pull hard enough to extend it. I found the perfect solution in a metal patio table in the back yard. It's the kind with a grate surface. I flipped it over on its top and secured one end of the spring in one of the opening of the metal grate top. I then grabbed the other end of the spring with my vice grips but instead of just trying to pull with my own strength I placed the pliers against a cross member of the table legs and used it to gain leverage. Instead of pulling on the pliers I pushed them down like a lever and easily stretched the spring out. I quickly installed pennies in between all of the larger coils. Once I let go of the spring the pennies kept it from recoiling. I brought it over to the assembly and it fit perfectly. I sprayed the pennies with WD40 (the engraving on the pennies made the stick a little bit. Next time I do this I will use smooth washers) and pulled each penny out with a pair of needle nose pliers. The spring retracted again and the whole thing came together perfectly!

This worked so perfectly and I wish I could take credit for the idea but it was yet another Forum member who came through! A big shout out to Forum member COCKY for this idea.

At any rate; got both forward control brackets installed. The right side came off pretty easily once I bled the rear break. Still considering what pegs I want to go with and decided to finish off my shift linkage in black before I can complete this part of the project but the hard part is behind me as far as foot controls go!

More soon!

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/l...psr4fyyqyp.jpg

"Forward HO!"...
 

Glad it worked out well, Skeez! Now I'm wondering......what tool does the dealership use to do this? Hope things get a bit slower for you at work so you can enjoy your true work in the garage ;)

Just threw a set of Exile drag pipes on my Bones. They flow with the bike nicely.