Rear brake and drum '37-57 BT

[VintageTwin]

've been trying to match rear shoes with drums. Only the backing plate assembly with shoes are available from V-Twin. The shoes I received on the plate were too thick to fit in the new V-Twin drum. Just got shoes from through Kick-Start M/C Parts (616) 245-8991. M-F 10-5 p.m. (EST). Posted a comparison pix of them under "Replica". They look thinner, like they might work in the V-Twin drum. You might want to build your own plate and shoe assembly through http://www.paughco.com/2003_catalog/page189.htm
The shoes from Kick-Start have the correct linings. Don't forget to taper the back brake's rear shoe lining at the bottom leading edge, 5/8" back from the end. The factory Knucklehead '40-47 Service Manual has the best illustration pgs. 20, 21. The factory rigid Pan Service Manual has a pix, but not the wording, on pg. 51.
There aren't many obstacles left to building a replica rigid Pan. The rigid rear brake was one of them. Now that's remedied (thanks to Kick-Start).
Generally speaking, when you see somethng offered as a "complete kit", it may contain parts that are being "dumped" on customers under the "no scrap parts" policy. Chrome parts are usually included. The unwanted parts are pieces on a skin pack, so you can't just keep the parts you need and send the rest back. You'd need to send the whole skin pack back.
The '49-59 Hydra-Glide "non-adjustable" forks must purchased as individual pieces. Order legs, trees, s/s slider covers, axle assembly, etc. separate. If you order the "complete fork assembly" skin-card, you will be getting parts for the '60-up "adjustable" forks. IT PAYS TO READ AND STUDY THE CATALOG BEFORE YOU ORDER. The "suits" don't want to make it too easy for you. "Planned suffering" is part of the re-pop dichotomy. Make a buck selling parts nobody really needs, but lose support from customers in the process? Go figure it, because I can't.

Another trap is the year(s) listed the part will fit. If you see a part in a catalog that says '48-85, continue to look in the list for the part that is specific to your Knuckle or Pan. Stick with parts that are called out as '48-59 or '37-57, etc. If you see a part that's '48-85 ("universal fit", it may not be correct, but it will fit) go look for the part elsewhere. Some of the parrts vendors sell to all the mfgrs. You can't tell sometimes what is right for you, unless you can talk to the rep that's selling it to you.