Likes My Knuck!
Chris, I have a copy of the October ‘07 issue that featured your Knucklehead build. I have a 1981 Shovel that I would like to build with that same look. In the article it mentions that the frame had no stretch and a 40-degree neck, but then it said that the frame was not right for the 200mm rear tire. My question is, was the new frame the same stretch and rake as the first one? I like the look you've created with that setup. The only thing I want to change is perhaps a 250 rear tire. On the springer front end, is that Paughco's description for a 9”-over? Some venders list overall length rather than amount over stock. I have looked on Paughco’s web site, and I believe the frame is 128S5BW and the springer is N179-9. Any info you could offer on this project would be appreciated. I look forward to the magazine each month and enjoy the detail that goes into your publication. Keep up the great work.
Dan Gordon
Via Internet
Dan, the second frame I used (#139S5BW) has the same rake with no stretch as the first one. And, if memory serves me right, it takes a 200mm rear wheel with a chain drive. I don’t know which one is for a 250 tire. I’d call Jason at Paughco and roll through all this with him. He was extremely helpful in getting me the right frame after I ordered the wrong one. As for the front end (N179-6), it is 6”-over with 3 degrees of rake in the triple trees. The number for Paughco is 800/423-2621, while the web site is Paughco Inc.. I hope this helps, Dan. And I’d like to see some shots of the Shovel when you’re done. – Chris Springer Specs
In your May issue Buzz said in his article on the 1948 crustoration that the ’48 was the last year for a springer fork Big Twin. According to Harley-Davidson's publication The Legend Begins (page 223), there was a 1949 FLP produced. There were actually 486 of them sold (page 205). Several people I have talked to often refer to the FLP as a police bike, but nowhere in the book does it specify that this 74” Solo Twin Overhead Valve With Spring Fork was for police issue.
Okay, so I guess I should add the obligatory, I love your magazine and read it cover to cover every month. Really, I do …
Wade Bandy
Rogers, Arkansas
Thanks for the heads up, Wade, as well as the photos of you and your daughter. You’ll find both photos in this issue’s Snaps. Buyers Guide Bloopers
I really appreciate AIM. I’ve kept every one and refer back to all kinds of stuff. I’ve been reading the 2008 Buyers Guide. I ride an ‘04 Road King with Rinehart pipes, and it is (not just because it's mine) one of the coolest sounds on the planet. They’re not in the Buyers Guide. What's up with that? I know there's more to sounding good, but I thought they'd deserve a mention.
Steve Vaughn
Rapid City, South Dakota
Try as we do, Steve, it seems we always leave out a couple of guys that really should have been included. Rinehart, of course, was left out by mistake. He normally goes in under Drag Specialties, but this time Bub Enterprises was listed. Another one we forgot was Wimmer Machine, which makes excellent intake systems. Rinehart is sold exclusively by Drag Specialties. The contact info for Wimmer is 866/HOT-CYCLE, Wimmer Custom Cycle intake assemblies. And, as usual, this mistake is all Sam’s fault. Capacity Correction
In the August issue, Steve Bohn wrote an article on a 2004 Sportster 1200XL oil and filter change. Great article! There was an error, however, in that the oil capacity is not 3.6 quarts. On June 15, 2007, Harley-Davidson sent a Tech Tip (TT-312) to all Harley dealers stating that there was an error in the Sportster Owner's Manual and Service Manual. The correct oil capacity is 2.8 quarts.
John Carroll
Bullhead City, Arizona
Mad About Mondello
I read about the Rosa and Mondello build in your June and July issues. I got both of them since Joe Mondello did my engine build in April. I have an ’06 Dyna Low Rider that I had Joe do a 95” kit with heads on. The specs are 89cc combustion chambers, 10.5:1 compression with compression releases, 1.940” intake and 1.575” exhaust valves, J&E pistons, and Woods chain-driven TW-7H cams. I already had a SERT and SE2s installed. It has not been dyno’d yet, but it should be tuned in about three weeks. Then I'll see what the numbers are. So far, I'm very happy with it. It was built by Ben Sanchez at Knoxville Harley-Davidson.
Jeff Ratcliff
Via Internet
Baffled No More
Chris, please guide me in the right direction. I have a bone-stock 2007 TC 96 Ultra Classic Electra Glide. I didn't like the factory- sounding exhaust, so I modified it. I removed the stock slip-on mufflers, cut the welded seam at the end, and pulled out the baffles. I then dabbed high-temperature paint (with a Q-tip) on the cut part, so it wouldn't rust my mufflers. The sound is exactly what I wanted. The engine does not spit or sputter, nor is there any backfiring. In short, there’s no abnormal performance. It seems totally fine. However, after reading your magazine, I see that most people put on an EFI tuner to adjust the fuel system. Is this recommended for me as well? I haven't messed with the air intake at all, just the mufflers. If you do recommend it for me, what program settings should I use? To my knowledge, there's no setting for "a guy who removed the baffles on a stock Harley muffler." I don't want to hurt the engine or its performance, so any info you can give me would be beneficial. And keep up the awesome work in AIM.
Trent Young
Ostrander, Ohio
Trent, what we have been seeing is that the 2007 and 2008 models will automatically adjust the fuel settings to the proper mix when minor changes are made to the bike. As you noted, there are no preset fuel maps for “a guy who removed the baffles on a stock Harley muffler." If the bike is running fine with no spitting, pinging, etc., I guess the system was able to adapt to the exhaust mods you have made. However, 2006 and earlier models definitely need a fuel tuner after making a change like this. -- Chris One For Bill
Bill, I have the answer for your starting problem. I had a Road King with exactly the same starting problem when the engine was hot. It began right after an engine build. The engine would start just fine when cold, or after it had cooled off. Team Latus Motors H-D in Gladstone, Oregon (formerly in Portland), found the problem. It was a spark plug wire (the insulation was breaking down) and a bad ignition coil. Who knows what contributed to the problem first -- the plug wire or the coil? After replacing the plug wires and coil with Screamin' Eagle parts, I never had another problem. Good luck!
NW Prophet
Washington state
Tranny Trouble
I have always owned foreign-brand bikes, but I have buddies who finally gave me enough flack that I went out and bought my first Harley-Davidson. So I picked out the top-of-the-line Touring model, a 2007 Ultra Classic. Now I’m proud as a peacock and ready to ride!
However, after the first 1,000 miles I started hearing noises in the tranny that I don't think are normal. After another 2,000 or 3,000 miles, the noise was unbearable in my mind for a $20,000 machine. Four visits to the dealership later and “It's a normal noise” was not the answer I was going to accept easily. After all, I work for one of the Big Three automakers in transmission development, so I’m no stranger to powertrain components.
I read the April edition of your Harley magazine and everything surely made sense in dampening. Go figure that one needs to spend additional dollars to fix an engineering flaw that H-D will surely not fess up to. After reading the article, I was damn determined to spend the money and see if it was indeed a fix. Low and behold, the noise has surely diminished beyond the decibel limits of my hearing.
As a first time H-D buyer, and no stranger to riding bikes, I surely wasn't impressed with having such an issue on a machine that cost twice as much as my other bikes, which have no noises. H-D doesn't seem to be too concerned with its customer base and knows it will sell anything due to the brand name. That’s sad, to say the least. They should surely take care of all their customers on the 2007s with the tranny noise.
I enjoy and love the Ultra Classic, so don't think I'm bashing the bike. I'm just disappointed in H-D’s customer satisfaction department, since when you spend that kind of cash they should bend over backwards to fix the engineering flaws they've created.
Rich Hughes
Via internet
October Letters 
Linear Mode
