Chrome front end

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Jan 2, 2008 | 03:26 PM

#11

steveh326

Road Warrior

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 1,548

Likes: 163

From: Mt. Airy, MD

RE: Chrome front end

when my time comes, I plan on pulling the fork legs off intact and taking them to my Indy to swap the guts, then reinstalling them myself. biggest issue I see is getting to the pinch bolts on the top and bottom trees, but doesn't look impossible to do (I have a roadglide).

Jan 2, 2008 | 03:45 PM

#12

HogFather

Road Captain

Joined: Dec 2007

Posts: 723

Likes: 1

From: Melbourne, Florida

RE: Chrome front end

It's about a 4 hour job at the dealer, but can be got for a good deal this time of year. Paid 150 to have mine installed. Well worth the time.

Jan 2, 2008 | 05:01 PM

#13

stukes_md

Tourer

Joined: Mar 2007

Posts: 494

Likes: 0

From: Charlotte, NC

RE: Chrome front end

I just completed the chrome front end on my RKC. You will need a service manual and the right tools - 6 mm allen wrench (long), inch pound and foot pounch torque wrenches, 12 point sockets, fork oil seal tool (real one- $69, homemade one from 1.5" PVC coupler ground down -$1), measuring device for fork oil, large socket 1 3/8" or large crescent wrench for fork cap bolts.

As far as hardware, I replaced the slider seals, drain screws and lower 6mm bolts.

It took me the weekend the complete the swap, working on and off. I could not get the two 6mm bolts out of the bottom of the sliders and stripped both heads of the bolts using nothing but arm power . I ended up cutting the two sliders with my grinder to get at the bolt heads and then removed them with vise grips. Everything else came out and went back easily.

Ididn't install a lowering kit, but that doesn't seem like a major job.

I'm glad I did it myself and the end result is fantastic.

This thread by Dawg helped a lot also:

https://www.hdforums.com/m_2438249/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#2476354

Jan 2, 2008 | 05:09 PM

#14

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 6,067

Likes: 1,121

From:

RE: Chrome front end

http://groups.msn.com/toddsharleypix...eforkswap.msnw

Jan 2, 2008 | 05:15 PM

#15

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 6,067

Likes: 1,121

From:

RE: Chrome front end

http://www.hotrodsbikeworks.com/tech...ent/index.html

Jan 2, 2008 | 05:34 PM

#16

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 6,067

Likes: 1,121

From:

RE: Chrome front end

with entire pipes/tubes removed from the bike..
slide NEW seal DOWN the pipe and then slide the OLD seal DOWN on top of it.
at this point your are standing with the leg in one hand and new chrome slider on the bottom with 6mm screw in place.
slide NEW seal down onto leg then slide OLD seal down onto leg then slide a 2 inch pvc pipe that is about 4 feet long down onto leg... place several towels on the floor..
you then use a hammer to hit the pvc pipe that in turn hits the old seal that is on top of the new seal. takes about 3 good hits..
***the pvc pipe must be 100% flat on both ends for this to work..
the reason i used the old seal as a cushion between the pipe and new seal was that i was concerned of warping new seal...under the search tab on the top of this page type the words "chrome forks" under touring for more information......
and follow the hd book for more information..
THE rate limiting step for me was the dam @#$@%^ 6MM allen bolt on bottom of sliders...had to drill the dam @#$%^# allen head off one of the sliders...
tip 1: make sure to double zip tie the brake calipers and attach to engine guard.
tip 2: change -out beer cans on top of sliders to chrome also
tip 3: great time to change front brake pads..
tip 4: have drill ready and close with correct "new" large head drill bit ..just in case the 6mm allen decides it will not let go..
tip 5: buy two 6mm allen bolts alomg with sliders, beer cans and new fork seals.

Jan 2, 2008 | 05:40 PM

#17

bowhnter7

Banned

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 362

Likes: 0

From: Johnstown, Colorado

RE: Chrome front end

Quote:

ORIGINAL: ironvinnie

Has anyone attempted to install chrome afrontend on their bagger? How hard can this be? I asked the dealer, they want 370.00 in labor! Thats about 4 hours. I'm also installing athe lowering springs too. Might be something I can do in a good afternoon.
Any tips for doing this on a bagger. I have a streetglide.
Thanks

Dude I just got done doing this on a 07 street. I can save you a ton of time an $. First off if you are going to do it the best way is to email Paul Yaffe at http://www.baggernation.com/main.htmHe will swap out your legs and cans plus do the lowering work you need done. All you have to do if pull the forks out and ship em to him. He sends you back fully assembled ready to bolt up chrome forks and cans. The forks and cans were $300 I think, there were some seals and oil that were minor cost. The lowering kit was $120 I think with a bit of labor to install it for ya. It makes it real easy for you. All of the work that needs to be done with pulling the forks out and putting them back in is pretty easy if your mechaniaclly inclined at all. Get a service manual and it's even better. Oh if you end up doing it I can give ya any tips ya need just let me know.

Jan 2, 2008 | 07:02 PM

#18

twilliams

Tourer

Joined: Jun 2007

Posts: 383

Likes: 0

From: Franklin, TN

RE: Chrome front end

I just did this last weekend on my street glide, I had a pretty hard time as I could not get the tubes out. I think I have a leak in one of the seals so may end up paying the dealer to redo it. If I coulda got the tubes out it would have been a breeze but I pushed pulled tugged wd-40ed the crap outta those and they would not budge. If I were to do it again I would try to remove the forks from the bike before taking the bolts out of the bottom and breakin the seal, if the tubes did'nt come out easy I would stop there and put it back together and have the stealer do it.

just my $0.2