swingarm identification

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longhorn
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swingarm identification

#1

Post by longhorn »

There's a guy looking for a swingarm for a panhead, on a different site.
I looked out in the shop, I have 2, both marked 47556 58
One has a 14 N, and a grease zerk on it
The other one has an MC in a circle, and no grease zerk
Can anybody tell me what the code's mean, and which one would go better with my 62 D frame?
Thanks again
Jim
longhorn
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Re: swingarm identification

#2

Post by longhorn »

Answered my own question, kind of.
The one with the grease zerk, is also missing the air hole, so it is 1962 only swingarm.
Still wondering what the 14 N means?
The other one is a 58-61 swingarm, still wondering what the ME in a circle means?
Thanks
Jim
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Re: swingarm identification

#3

Post by awander »

What's the "air hole' for?
longhorn
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Re: swingarm identification

#4

Post by longhorn »

The hole allows air to escape, when your pumpin her full of grease.
62s had problems inverting the grease seals, when they were pumpin the grease in.
Earlier swingarm's did not have the hole, or the grease zerk. You were supposed to tear-em down, evry 10,000 miles, and repack the bearings.
I wonder how many guy's did that on a regular basis, I'm guessin not many?
Don't take me for being one with the panhead, all of this info came out of the book by Bruce Palmer, called; How To Restore Your Harley Davidson.
Ton's of good info in there.
Jim
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Re: swingarm identification

#5

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

Jim, when you say you have a 62 D frame I assume you mean it has date code 2D? If so then that would indicate 1962 April manufacture and it may have been used for a 1962 model bike, meaning it would have had one of the swingarms with no reinforcement ribs outside the left axle plate. Is there any additional ID stamped on the left side of the steering head? But because Harley didn’t always use things straight away, a frame such as that could have been used for a 1963 model machine. If it was used as the latter then it would probably require the first type of the 1963-later style swingarms all of which had the two reinforcement ribs outside the left plate.

You would have read that Palmer says there are at least four types of swingarms for 1958–72. For early-58 Palmer mentions an EX-marked swingarm but I have not seen one and I cannot confirm it. For late-58–61 he mentions casting number (CN) 47614-58 outside the left axle plate but I disagree with him re his late-58–61 time span. Even the 1960 prototype on page 623 seems to contradict his late-58–61 time span because its swingarm appears to have extra material below the hole for the brake hose clamp bolt. Therefore I think there is no such thing as a late-58–61 swingarm.

Palmer indicates that a CN was not inside the left axle plate until 1963 but that is incorrect; you will indeed find a CN inside the left plate of some, but not all, swingarms prior to 1963. And regardless of Palmer’s individual time spans, IF all four of his round-tube swingarms exist then the overall total for 58–72 could be at least nine because I have identified several not covered in his book.

You said both your swingarms have CN 47556 58 but you didn’t say whether it was on top of the pivot tube or below it. And you mentioned one of your swingarms has a grease zerk but anybody could have installed that fitting. Also, do you know if that zerk is the normal size used by H-D?

Can you post photos showing 47556 58 on both swingarms, a photo of the zerk, and photos of both sides of the complete left axle plates of both swingarms. You mentioned 14 N and I’m wondering if that is under the pivot tube although I do not know what it means. Photo? Something else you mentioned was MC in a circle but then you said ME. Which is it, MC or ME? I think it will be ME although I do not know what it represents. Photo?

And please read my posts in another thread on this forum from last December. The thread title is swing arm and I posted some info and photos there.
Eric
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Re: swingarm identification

#6

Post by longhorn »

Eric;
I bought the frame for my 64 "mutt", it is a 2D code.
The frame I'm riding on now, was "restored", but I have had to add a number of tabs, etc. The bike I started with was a way long chopper, it wouldn't even turn, the front wheel more or less flopped over side to side.
I was going to swap it out, but I've been running the frame since 2000, and no problems yet, tracks mint. Actually it's the smoothest riding Harley I've ever ridden.
I'd like to do the pic thing, but I am not smart enough to figure out how to do it.
I could send pics to an e-mail.
I'm sure it's an ME in a circle.
I'll have to look at the inside of the casting, for number's.
I'll check the neck for other info.
If I can help anybody, that would have a need for the 2D frame, and swingarm, I'd swap it out for a 64 frame/swingarm? My frame has surface rust, but is complete, and in mint condition.
I'm not trying to build a bike for judging, just riding.
Where would the EX on the early 58 swingarm be located?
All the numbers are on the bottom.
I'll check out your post, later, butchering chickens today.
How about a value on the swingarm, there's a guy in ND thats looking for one. I don't want to get screwed, and he doesn't want to get ripped, I don't have a clue? LOL
Thanks again
Jim
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Re: swingarm identification

#7

Post by longhorn »

Eric;
The swingarm with the zerk, has a 2 cast into the top of the pivot tube, and 2 ribs, in the left side casting. Both castings "pointy".
The earlier swingarm's, right side casting is squared off, no other numbers.
Jim
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Re: swingarm identification

#8

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

Jim, H-D used at least three different CNs inside the left axle plate. One is 47614-58 and it was also used earlier on the outside of at least two types of swingarms. The other two CNs used on the inside are 47614-58A and 47614-58B. (After the CN you may see a letter inside a marking that looks like a small jar, and then another number after that.)

Any additional ID characters stamped on the left side of the frame steering head will be small so you’ll need to look close. You may find one capital letter followed by either three or four numbers and if they are present they should be in a format similar to the following examples: A123(4) or B123(4). But we don’t need to know what all the characters are; just tell us what the letter is, what the first number is and how many numbers there are in total.

According to Palmer for early-58, EX2040 is outside the left arm and EX2039 is outside the right-hand arm. The letters E and X make sense because they were sometimes used to indicate an EXperimental part. However, I have never seen those markings on a round swingarm so I cannot confirm either of them at this stage.

CN 47556 58 apparently started out on top of the pivot tube but went below it at some stage prior to the first of the 1963-later styles. However, one of my pre-63 examples appears to be out of step as far as natural progression goes and it’s something I’m trying to sort out. For reasons unknown, Palmer failed to mention any CN on the pivot tube.

Sorry, but I can’t help regarding value of a swingarm. I’ve never bought one and never sold one but I notice on CAI that you received some input about pricing.

Quote: ‘The swingarm with the zerk, has a 2 cast into the top of the pivot tube, and 2 ribs, in the left side casting. Both castings "pointy". The earlier swingarm's, right side casting is squared off, no other numbers.’
Two ribs in the left-side casting: inside the casting or outside? I think we need some photos. 8) Posting pictures is easy and I’ve used a few different hosting sites including Photobucket but currently I’m using ImageShack. Anyway, I sent you my email address via PM so you could forward photos to me if you want and I’ll post some/all of them in this thread.
Eric
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Re: swingarm identification

#9

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

Received your six photos, Jim. The first three of them are of a 1963 or later model swingarm because it has two reinforcement ribs outside the left axle plate.

Photo sa 001: CN 47556 58 below the pivot tube as I would expect. Grease zerk looks to be in the usual position and appears to be the usual size. (I’ve seen a zerk atop the pivot tube on a pre-63 model but I doubt it was original. And under the pivot tube of another pre-63 I’ve seen a zerk hole larger than normal but I suspect it was non-standard.) I don’t know what 14–N indicates but I’ve seen it before on a 63-later swingarm. One of my other 63-later examples has 4–N but some do not have that type of marking. In other threads a couple of guys have mentioned something called a revision number? for certain castings such as frame parts so I wonder if that’s what 14–N and 4–N are? Maybe someone will comment on that.

The characters positioned above 14–N are probably ME and some of my other photos show the same thing but I don’t know what ME represents. According to Palmer, 63–72 swingarms have the pressure release hole you mentioned above but I see no such hole in your swingarm. And I see no such hole in any other example I have regardless of what type it is.

Image

sa 002: CN 47606-58 outside the right-hand axle plate is the only CN I have seen in that position so far, regardless of which type of round swingarm it is. As I mentioned earlier, Palmer says EX2039 is outside the right-hand arm for early-58 but I cannot confirm that yet. I don’t know what 72 indicates and I’ve seen other numbers such as 27, 53 and 55 in a similar position. Below the 72 is a circle and inside it may be the letters WF. I’ve seen them before but I cannot explain the meaning.

Inside your left axle plate is CN 47614-58B and that’s the latest CN I have seen in that position so far. After the 58B you’ll see the jar marking I referred to earlier and I expect it will have the letter A inside it. And then there’s a number after the jar.

For 63–72 there were at least three swingarms and at least two CNs inside the left plate. However, I don’t know exactly when all the changes occurred. Notice in your left plate the location of the hole for the brake hose clamp screw. And notice the rectangular boss forward of the screw hole. The boss accommodated the screw for 1963 to somewhere around 1967 I think. And it may be that as early as 1968 models the screw hole was relocated to where we see it in your swingarm. The boss remained in place but wasn’t drilled. However, I am not exactly sure when this change occurred because I don’t have many original-looking bikes to go by but I would say your swingarm was later than a 1966 model because the factory photo for the 1966 prototype appears to show the screw still installed in the boss.

Image

sa 003: As I mentioned above, the two reinforcement ribs indicate 1963 or later model. I don’t know what H38 means and I’ve seen other markings such as H4, H8 and H20.

Image

Three photos to follow.
Eric
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Re: swingarm identification

#10

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

Photo sa 004: I don’t know what 2 represents but I have seen it before.

Image

sa 005: No zerk and I wouldn't expect to see one. CN 47556 58 below the pivot tube. I mentioned earlier that this CN apparently started out on top of the tube but went below it at some stage prior to the first of the 1963-later styles. And I also said one of my pre-63 examples appears to be out of step as far as natural progression goes. I’ve been watching for another one like it before changing the total of 58–72 swingarms from at least nine to at least ten and this one of yours appears similar to the one I figured was out of step. So now it seems there may indeed have been at least ten different round swingarms, although I have yet to confirm Palmer’s Type 1.

Image

sa 006: Style of the left plate is one sign that this swingarm is pre-63. And it looks to be an earlier type than the one on the 1960 prototype on page 623 of Palmer. Notice the hole for the brake hose clamp bolt is in a different position to the screw hole in your other swingarm. This location was used for 58–62 even though the plate itself changed during that period. When the two reinforcement ribs debuted for 1963 models, the hole was repositioned and a screw was employed instead of the bolt.

Image

Can you email me a photo of the inside of this left plate please because I’d like to see exactly which style it is. I think I know but I’d like to view the inside.

Regarding the model year of your frame, I am not sure but I’m thinking 1963 because the additional ID on the left side of the steering head is A9+++. Harley used extra ID beginning with 1962 models and apparently the letters A and B were used for 62–63. The Legend Begins provides production figures for 1962 Panheads as 5184 although H-D states the figures are not to be regarded as totally accurate. I don’t know exactly what ID number was first issued but I have to say it was lower than 1000 because my own 1962 model trans case only has three numbers (preceded by A). And even allowing for Legend figures to be inaccurate, I don’t think a frame stamped A9+++ would have been used for a 1962 model. Instead I have to think it was used for 1963 production. However, I do not know for sure how H-D assigned the extra ID and one 63 Pan I know of has a frame with B1+++, a lower triple clamp with B2+++ and a trans with A7+++, all of which Pete Simet from H-D confirmed in writing as original to the bike.

Anyway, given the types of swingarms you have, neither of them are consistent with your frame regardless of whether the frame is a 63 model or a 62.
Eric
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