Rear fork

[ross]

Description: I do not know if I have the original '59 swing arm or not.

My question is: I have a '59 FLH. When I bought it (way back in 1972) the back wheel, axle, and maybe the spacers were of the 1967 or so design. I really do not know why all of this was changed. Perhaps the bike had been in an accident, or maybe a parts failure caused a previous owner to put on the only parts he could find. Anyway, the rear axle nut was not snugged up, but when I tightened it the rear wheel would almost lock. The edges of the brake shoes were rubbing the inside of the drum. I ground them off long ago, but what was wrong here? Did the swing arm remain the same up thru 1967 from 1958? I do not know if I have the original '59 swing arm or not. I would like to change everything back to the original, but do not know how much needs to be changed. Do the parts have numbers on them so that I can know what I've got? Help will be appreciated.----Ross

[VintageTwin]

Look at the right rear fork for a -58 casting number. They used the -58 swing arm until at least '68. Here's how the Parts Book works. If they used two swing arms, you would see the earliest arm listed, with the dates......"'58 to 62 - FL,FLH" or ..."58 to * - FL,FLH". The "*" means that they used the part from '58 until whatever date the catalog stopped at, and maybe beyond. These parts manuals are a means of communicating with yourself and the people you buy parts from. The V-Twin catalog helps. They give the dates a part was used that is fairly accurate. These '36-'60 Knucks and Pans are simple. Remember how you could tell all the '40 to 59 Fords and Chevys apart? Tailights were a certain way...216 & 235 Chevy motors were basically the same (except for the 6 and 12 V flywheel diameters)..remember how easy that was/is? Same thing with these Pans. Get yourself all the books you can and study them. Especially the V-Twin and Spare Parts books. You'll begin to recognize the parts for the year groups. Some years it was only the trim that changed. Get that Palmer book, it has all the first year and last year changes to every model we're interested in.
The '58-62 had their own backing plate, slave cylinder, spacers, shoes, springs, retainer, anchor stud, dust ring, etc. Even with all the correct parts installed, the brake drum will scrape on the backing plate, until you have tightened up the axle sleeve nut and axle nut, and anchor stud nut. Precision components. Then there was '63-up and it's own group of appurtanances. Get yourself the H-D 1958-68 Parts Catalog. (99456-6. Chuck @ Kick-Start has them (616) 245-8991, or from anyone else you can find. But get it. '58-62 is the year God rides. I know...cause sometimes I feel my rear shocks compress a little before I take off. The dude likes to ride. He especially likes '59 Pans, I think.

[ross]

Vintage Twin, Thanks for the reply. The whole thing is a bit more confusing to me than I have already indicated. When I got the bike I had no idea what I had. nor what it should be like. But the rims and spokes were really crudy looking. So I laced up new to the hubs. But to center the rear wheel I had to lace the rim a bit to the right. I couldn't get by with doing it by the book. It's been that way for maybe 20 years now. But my machine has a sidecar which has a spare wheel. That wheel will fit my front end and the sidecar, but the rear has this newer axle. I am wondering what all parts I need to put this thing back to stock 1959 shape. Maybe I need the backing plate, brake drum, spacers, axle, and wheel (or at least hub), and maybe the swing arm! But if the swing arm is the same even for the newer wheels and axles, I wouldn't have to change that. I think that the previous owner, or his repair shop had put some mixed parts on this bike. But thanks for the help. I'll look for that number you mention. -Ross

[VintageTwin]

My OE swing arm measures 14" from the centerline of the (right side) pivot bolt head to the front edge of the axle gusset. Look on your frame (right side) at the back strut for a -58 number. If you have a square swing arm, it aftermarket. V-Twin makes round ones now like OE. Look at your backing plate (side plate assembly). There should be three small holes at the top where the slave cylinder mounts. If you have a large round keyhole and a small mount hole on either side, then you have a '63-up plate and a '63 up rear brake assembly, maybe. The '63 up rear brake shoes are wider than '58-62. You can buy all the '58-62 parts you need from Tedd. Get the OE '59-69 Service Manual so you can load tension on the pivot bolt. Get the ''58-68 Spare Parts book.
Wire http://%20www.zoomcyclellc.com and get the V-Twin catalog. They have pictures and dates in there. Remember looking at the Sears catalog every year to see what scooters were offered in the fiftys? No matter what, if you were looking for engineer boots, or motor scooters, Sears would have them, with a story about it. Same-same with Tedd Cycle. Their catalog is the J.C.Whitney of Knuckle & Pan.