I bought the Harley front engine mount bracket mainly so that I could change the two bolts that hold it on, to a chrome version instead of those crappy plated bolts that come stock. I'm pretty handy but this thing turned out to be such a pain to install, due to one bolt, that I decided to scrap it. The directions say from the left side of the bike, take a 3' long 2x4 and wedge it between the front frame tube and engine and pry it to the right just enough to get the right bolt installed. Do all this from the left side of the motorcycle. Well, I'm pretty competent when it comes to most anything on my bike, but prying the engine over made me real uncomfortable. I tried and just got a bad feeling about snapping off an engine fin. No matter how much I pried, it wasn't going. I know when to say when and packaged it back up and just bought two chrome bolt caps. Anybody want to try the install, I'll sell ya the Billet beauty never installed for 50.00 plus shipping. It cost 150.00. Only put a little Loctite on the thread of the first bolt and never even got a wrench on it. I guess I just wasn't getting a warm and fuzzy about putting all the stress on my motor fins? Probably would be ok but not for me!


. When the dealer showed me the bracket however, I thought it would look nice as its billet and real heavy duty.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/g...bmLocale=en_CA

 

I installed one the other day. When you remove that bracket, the engine moves just enough to keep you from starting the last bolt on the new bracket. Hence, the slight pressure from the piece of wood they reference in order to get the bolt hole and threads aligned so you can start the bolt straight and true. No single fin is handling all of pressure. I used an old hickory hoe handle for this. Not enough room between the downtube and the fins to use a 2x4.

Anyway, I installed the two chrome bolts in the front head first, then the left side bolt for the linkage. The last bolt I chose to install was the right side linkage bolt. But I did call my wife into the garage to put a little pressure on that hoe handle and the engine to move it ever so slightly to line-up the bolt hole and threads. Piece of cake. And man does it look good compared to that ratty stock mess they had there.

 

Do you have a pic of the finished work? Thanks

Love the look of your bike, btw!

Cheers

 

If you are still selling it I will buy it.

 

I'll try to get you one in a couple of days. Thanks for the nice compliment on the bike.

 

Sent you a PM

 

you can always use a shorter bolt on the one hole

 

Mike,

I sent it out this morning. I sent you a PM with the tracking info and details.

Thanks,
Rick

 

Any install pictures?? Convince me to purchase it.