Too Much "Slop" between Accel and Decel

[Tbone]

Go ahead. Rub it in.

[unclepsycho]

Well, the 'nice shop' and all the tools dont help without some knowledge. And I am gaining knowledge every day.
The latest thing I learned makes me feel stupid, but oh well, I will post it here in hopes it helps others.
I have been turning wrenches since I was probly 9 or 10 or even before. I just recently got into Harleys, like in the last 2 or 3 years. Been riding longer than that, just now started wrencing on them.
Here's what I learned. Ya now that big ole nut on the crank that everyone says to 'never' use an impact on?? I didnt know why I was not supposed to, so when I was taking the nut off over and over, I just reached for the impact, to speed things up. (I did do the first removal with a long breaker bar)
Well, now I know "Why".... behind the cover is the alternator, and there are magnets that are glued on, so the vibrations from the impact can and will break the magnets loose, and when they do, if the motor is running, it goes off like a grenade!!!!
So, I learned this now, but the bike still runs perfect. The magnets have not failed yet. So I am now faced with the desicion, A. Do I just replace the parts now? or B. wait for the explosion that may or may not happen?
Of course if I wait and it does explode. I will be stranded and also have a lot more damage to repair.
So knowing 'why' we do certain procedures sure does make a difference.

[evoKENevo]

Yo,Scott

Anytime anyone says NEVER do that, ALWAYS ask why...unless of course he's holding a big stick or somethin'...

All kidding aside...gotta agree the WHYS are more important than HOWS everytime. In fact, I've found that once I know the WHYS the HOWS come easy...and hopefully your advise/reasoning will save others here a few headaches down the road.

[frisco-rigid]

Hey Unc & Ken

The guys I knew from back when always used an Impact..
I don't recall if they used a "softer" setting or not but that's what they used..
Lotta contemporary guys do to,, warnings or not..
Another Good reason I have always encouraged everybody to do as much of their own work as Possible..

I Never used an impact though cuz I always made sure I could break it by hand away from my shop if I had to..

Around the early 80's HD had a 22 amp system that used a NON-Splined rotor..
Mine got a wee loose or something and started to elongate the "plain" hole in that rotor..

Well, I was jammin up that St. Vincent hill on 101 doing about 101 down by Marinwood, you prob know where that is,, and the Magnets made contact with the stator poles..
Holy Cow--- I thought I blew it this time,, but it kept on bookin,, very noisy and Baaaad sounding but I got home over the hill in Ignacio..

The rotor mags were destroyed and so was the stator but it didn't harm anything else,, replaced both and good to go..

[unclepsycho]

Cool, thanks Frisco, I feel a little better about leaving as it is. I think it is going to be ok, since I did use the breaker bar the first time, when it was on there real tight.