Freightrain

My biggest problem with the motor was it was gummed up and the reversing valve was sticky.  Pulled it out, cleaned the reversing valve, cleaned the linkage and the main piston/bore and bolted it back in.  Some new airlines and it will throw the blades off it runs so fast now.

On 10/1/2023 at 1:53 AM, RowdyRebel said:

Depending upon the state, it could be cheaper & easier to swap parts. Trading the bike for a different one has you paying taxes, tags, title, etc... all over again, and then there's the insurance to get swapped over, not to mention if it was bought used, what problems does it have? How much was it hacked up by the previous owner? If it was new, there's depreciation to consider as well.

I prefer sticking with what I have & modifying it to meet my needs. Hell, after our Colorado trip in the Suburban, I'm looking for a big block for it...either a good 454 core that I can stroke to a 496, or I see GM Performance has a 502 that's got 8.75:1 and will run the low-octane "cheap" gas...which is what I need it to run on. Got to put some weight on the front end & find a ton more torque than that little vortec 350 I put in a few years back is making. Also planning to scrap the 4L85E I swapped in a few years before that (replaced the TH400) for a manual transmission. Could buy a different tow rig...but I like this one. I built it.

He won't part with it, but just had to laugh because the guy told him basically what I was thinking all along.

He was the fab skills to make it happen no matter what.   Just not sure if he will ever get around to it in his current lifetime.  He has too many projects now.  Thus I think it would be much easier to just buy a bike.  Even though he has 2 now that he doesn't ride.

Seeing it's a pumper, adding an aux transmission is likely not possible due to the pump in the middle?  Changing to an OD transmission maybe an option?   Depending on what rear it has, finding faster gears is another possibility(like 4.10 or the like).  Or changing out the whole rear for a later model housing with faster gearing.

Having enough motor to keep it going is likely not an issue.  Even the limited power of that gasser, it should be able to hold 55 mph okay on limited size hills.

On 9/15/2023 at 7:32 PM, mattb73lt said:

Painted everything black with POR-15. A lot of this stuff was pretty crusty and had to be rebuilt, mostly the lifting frames and the bed cross members. Everything is heavily coated, but it's unlikely this truck will see Snow and salt again. I got some smaller stuff hooked up today and painted to piston that slides the body. It seemed to be the best was to do it, because it's so long. Next week should see the hydraulic lines go in and some more equipment mounted. I'm thinking later next week I may slide the body back on. I may do it with the other truck by reversing the body on the bed and rolling it onto the new truck. Or, I may call my friend and borrow another lift. That may be the easiest way to do it.

Spectacular work, as always.

One question:  did you put anything over the POR 15?  It has no UV protection and will fade to ugly.  I found that out when I did the frame on my B.  It was glossy for about a year and now pretty ugly.  

13 hours ago, Joey Mack said:

I love my Duece, but I would rather have the rear fender that's on yours, I like the look..  

Ya, that's why I got the Softail Custom.  I like the big tire look with the little skinny up front.  Built for a gearhead.

Friend with Deuce has been trying to figure out how to swap his swingarm(and fender) for a big one like mine.  Funny story, while at bike swap meet talking with a fellow about what he wants to do.  Guy looks at him and says "why don't you just buy the bike you want?". I had to laugh.  He wants all new tins to paint so he doesn't hurt the anniversary stripes on his. 

The Dyna has the duck bill fender, but with smaller tire.

13 hours ago, Joey Mack said:

Freightrain said:          All stock.  The Custom has a 200 tire and polished rim.  All other softails have a 150 tire.  

 

I just looked at mine,,, it's a 160.  I bought it from a guy who worked at our local Harley Dealer..  He put a lot of $$ in it..  Stock engine though..  

My friend has an 03 Anniversary Deuce.  It might have 160?  Been a few years since he's ridden it.

13 hours ago, MACKS said:

Looks pretty darn nice for 30 bucks,did u paint it ?

No.  Painter friend did.  He does high end cars and did a fabulous job.  I found paint code and handed tins to him.

The $30?   That was me buying a brand new Eldorado high back air ride seat that was on the junk/return table at Summit Racing many years ago.  It was a bit tall for the B but it was $30(still in plastic wrap).  Couldn't not buy it.  Step forward about 8 yrs and painter friend has dirt bike track and has an old Volvo water truck with a totally clapped out seat.  Traded that seat for a paint job.  One of the few times I actually made out on a deal.

4 hours ago, Joey Mack said:

That's sweet..  I like the seat set up, and the rear wheel..  and the color...  Jojo

All stock.  The Custom has a 200 tire and polished rim.  All other softails have a 150 tire.

It was black originally.  I wanted some House of Color blue pearl, etc.  But that was going to be costly.  This cost me $30!

My 07 Softail Custom.

Painted it Hyundai Veloster blue.

Ya, I tell everyone that riding a motorcycle is NOT relaxing.  You have to THINK for everyone on the road because THEY don't.  It's getting worse every day.  I still ride, but not like I used to.  Had thoughts of just selling it but haven't got that desperate yet.

I don't tell the g/f how many times I've had to save my own life due to stupidity on the road. 

Nice.

Is that rubber block suspension?  Yowza...

Ya, 4.59? here.  Jeez, $200 didn't get me much!  Glad I don't have many trips left this year.

There is likely just an o-ring on the shaft and a paper gasket on the back.  Not much to them.  Used to mess with mine til I got it fixed up good years ago.

Yours is slightly different then mine.  Mine has 4 air lines.  I tried to order a new valve once from Watts and it was not the same, thus fixed mine.

I played heck setting my jakes up with no marks on balancer.  Used flywheel mark and the just eyed the rest up using sharpie marks on balancer after using a protractor to get the degrees close.  Musta done it okay, she still runs good and jakes work well.

I rocked engine back and forth like doing my race motor valves.  Just a bit more clumsy crawling over the fender to check valves and then crawling under truck to turn crank.  Ugh.

Yup.  Mine used to make milkshakes every trip out.  Got it rebuilt about 17 yrs ago.  Been good ever since.

9 hours ago, Geoff Weeks said:

 

Never had to "go into" the motors themselves, never a need to. Lubed with diesel from the return line from the injector/pump. Gets a shot everything the motor is used.

I had mine apart when I bought it, had to install a new bushing in the nose cone.  Was curious about gaskets for the motor.  Friend told me he just cuts pop can cardboard cases into gaskets.  So, that's what I did and works just fine.   Mine is an Ingersoll Rand...looks just like a 1" impact gun body with a gear reduction on the end.

5 hours ago, BOBWhite said:

Interesting. So air start systems have a solenoid activated valve that sends air to the starter? Did they ever make them with a manually actuated lever or valve that you could use if you really hated having a good battery?

I never have been around anything with an air starter but sure have thought about getting one for the stuff we only use once or twice a year. Beats hauling battery's and cleaning connections in a hot shed. 

The early systems had a hand valve mounted in the cab(under the seat, with a handle sticking out) but they tend to leak pretty bad over time and will not hold pressure for long.   I wanted to use that valve in my B, but friend told me to NOT do it due to leakage.  Even though it would be period correct, I wanted reliability.   Now the dash valve is just a remote actuator for the main air valve mounted on the tank itself.  The tank valve cones in either electric or air actuation.

The tank mounted valves, in good shape, will hold for an extended amount of time.

My stick is over to the right but I made the shifter to bring it back over to the middle and have room to get into the bunk.  And not get twisted with the other two sticks.

6 minutes ago, mechohaulic said:

based on memory (oh no not that ) the straight pins had the flat spot(notch) mid-way and a wedge pin threaded on one end went thorough axle to lock kinkpin in place. 

Like a twin I beam on a Ford pickup.

My axle was like 9-10, with the seal.  I have a few pics somewhere in my home computer showing the parts before installing them.

There is something odd about those bushings.  Almost like they need HONED, not reamed.  I seem to recall taking my spindles to my friends shop and using his pin home.  It's been a few decades so it's CRS.   Maybe I just cleaned the spindles so the bushing fit easier?  Too long ago.

I do know if you let the thrust bearing get too loose, the wheels will get a shake while driving.  Not until I jacked it up and realized they had worn in after 10 yrs, I resnugged them and it smoothed drastically.

My FA 517 was tapered pin.  I had it apart faster then it took to jack the truck up.  I was amazed.  I've done my twin I beam trucks that took days to get the pins out!!  Being tapered it took one smack with a 5# hammer and they dropped out.  One bushing was roller, can't recall if I had to resize the other end?  It was 21 yrs ago.  That was my first big job on the truck after I bought it.

I think I have a pump in my pile of parts but nothing to fit it to.  I was always curious how they mounted.

On 8/18/2023 at 5:33 PM, Joey Mack said:

I beleive they are thread-serts..  threaded bushings bonded into the original fiberglass..  Hes lucky they didnt twist out of the hood causing holes..  He may be able to drill them out.  they are replaceable and there is a riveter type tool to install new ones..

I used those to install my visor.  Better then just lag bolts!

8 hours ago, doubleclutchinweasel said:

Mack called single-screw models "4 wheel" and twin-screw models "6 wheel".  You can see examples of that on the brochures I posted.

Most of those 673's had a HP rating on a tag somewhere on the engine.  Can't remember if it is on the engine or the pump, though.  I'm betting 211 HP, as I think that was the rating on the ones with no other letters after the engine model number.

The NA 673 were 170 or 185 for the split intake version.  The turbo was 205 hp.