Bagger wobble exposed!
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
That is quite alarming! If the hole in the trans casing is round it would be worth turning up or grinding a new spindle that is a closer fit. I haven't detected any undue motion there on my own bike, so will check it when I come to rebuilding my rear end. Waiting for news on new brake rotors, so that will be a while yet.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 288
Likes: 3
From: UK
You plainly haven't understood the significance of my original post! The True-Track kit stops motion of the Assembly (as I call it) on its rubber mounts, it has nothing to do with the rigidity of the frame. Read it again and ask questions - I started this thread to clarify the problem and will stick with it until I achieve that!
My point is this.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the fundamental design of the Tourer mount system. It should work perfectly well. The fact that it does not is an indication that something has gone wrong since the FXR era.
The True Track link increases the lateral stiffness of the transmission and takes load off the mounting point of the original mounts transmitting the force to the rear crossmember. In essence the True True track part is just another rubber mount with a very high stiffness in one direction. If the original mounts worked they way there were designed and the frame was stiff enough then this would not be necessary.
If what is causing the original mount to give problems can be fixed then the true track part would be obsolete.
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
The True Track link increases the lateral stiffness of the transmission
and takes load off the mounting point of the original mounts transmitting the force to the rear crossmember.
In essence the True True track part is just another rubber mount with a very high stiffness in one direction.
If the original mounts worked they way there were designed and the frame was stiff enough then this would not be necessary.
If what is causing the original mount to give problems can be fixed then the true track part would be obsolete.
You will need to get on your hands and knees, but it is worth doing so, in your local friendly Harley dealer's showroom, to see a proper installation of the rear link, on any Sportster.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 288
Likes: 3
From: UK
This is where we fundamentally disagree. I believe the mount system can be made to work perfectly well without a third link, which is, as I have said, is just another mount with specific stiffness characteristics.
But you re locked into a flawed way of thinking so we will leave it there.
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Club Member
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From: Bedford UK
But you re locked into a flawed way of thinking so we will leave it there.
Banned
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 678
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From: LA
The Sta-Bo guy says he has seem them to up 30 thou loose.
As an engineer, what would you say they should be (usual disclaimers apply)?
If H-D says 10 thou is maximum tolerance, as in how slack they allow valves and guides to be, I'd presume good maximum would be around 3 thou ... or could it go tighter?
Naturally, a nice precision bush in there made from some good material would be good too.
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
DR, your 3 thou sounds just fine. With stacks of grease mine was a smooth push fit when I last assembled it, but I didn't try it bone dry first. Interesting what S-B says, did they make any comment about that amount of slack being a problem?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: poway
I took the vernier gauge/caliper and placed it between the two rails on the inside of the bolt hole bosses for the swing arm mount.
I then extended the depth measuring stem out to measure the distance between the end of the gauge's main scale and the bolt hole boss on the other side.
And repeated on the top and bottom of both bolt holes to check for unevenness.
Not highly accurate but enough to register some change and a starting point.
Of course I'd agree that frame flex is minor in comparison to both the rubber mounting issue ... but I would add the looseness of the swing arm pivot in the transmission which translates to quite a bit of movement at the end of the swing arm.
Hence my question what an ideal fit would be.
I then extended the depth measuring stem out to measure the distance between the end of the gauge's main scale and the bolt hole boss on the other side.
And repeated on the top and bottom of both bolt holes to check for unevenness.
Not highly accurate but enough to register some change and a starting point.
Of course I'd agree that frame flex is minor in comparison to both the rubber mounting issue ... but I would add the looseness of the swing arm pivot in the transmission which translates to quite a bit of movement at the end of the swing arm.
Hence my question what an ideal fit would be.
Still it might be nice to shim that down to see it if helps..
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Banned
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 678
Likes: 1
From: LA
I'm used to cylinder head valve to guide work. Factory would be 5 to 7 thou slack, we'd work them down to 1 thou or even less sometimes ... half a thou.
I find it all goes against my grain ... in essence, the swing arm fitted with Sta-bo bushes is only held in position by stiction. Perhaps it just does not move. Obviously everyone reports it's an improvement. But to me, it just should be right.
I was looking at the Paughco frame for FLTs of this era. I've never heard anyone speak of them. It's significantly different and, e.g. unless the quality of the metal is higher there's a lot less of it. Less boxing around the neck and under the seat, no folded braces, no reinforcement on the front downtubes etc. They replace the formed piece that holds on the swing arm mount with solid plate as on the latest frames, although the rear triangle is braced at the corners.
Last edited by Dun Roamin; Aug 22, 2014 at 05:05 PM.
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From: poway
I find it all goes against my grain ... in essence, the swing arm fitted with Sta-bo bushes is only held in position by stiction. Perhaps it just does not move. Obviously everyone reports it's an improvement. But to me, it just should be right.