Sidecar Tug maintenance

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panhead_kicker
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Sidecar Tug maintenance

#1

Post by panhead_kicker »

Cooler weather approaching and I’ll be separating
My 69 FLH and sidecar for a thorough maintenance. I don’t see much in the the 59-69 service manual regarding special maintenance required for sidehack duty. I will note I’ve recently experienced what I believe to be the compensating sprocket slipping for a moment during takeoff, unless I really feather the clutch. If I perform a 2000 and 5000 mile maintenance on the bike, am I likely to catch everything, or are there Additional specific areas to pay attention too?
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#2

Post by RUBONE »

Brakes, wheel bearings, and spokes.
RooDog
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#3

Post by RooDog »

How can a compensator "slip"?
Iv never had a comp on any of my bikes except for a hundred miles ,or so, and took it back off as I saw no benefit to the contraption. They just seem to be a troublesome item, and now, on the newer machines, they are causing major problems.
Is yours the one with the coil spring, or with the stacked belville springs?
....RooDog....
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#4

Post by panhead_kicker »

RooDog wrote: Sun Sep 13, 2020 7:36 pm How can a compensator "slip"?
Iv never had a comp on any of my bikes except for a hundred miles ,or so, and took it back off as I saw no benefit to the contraption. They just seem to be a troublesome item, and now, on the newer machines, they are causing major problems.
Is yours the one with the coil spring, or with the stacked belville springs?
....RooDog....
Stock coil spring. Here is picture of same setup. Notice the 3 interposing rounded teeth on each side. The chain sprocket spins free on the motor shaft, The outer cam interlocks and turns with the motor shaft . So the way I figure it, normally the motor turns the outer cam with sudden torque, it will cause the opposing cam and sprocket's rounded teeth to ride up and push away from each other, allowing some give to the drive train without banging anything in to action harshly. Too much sudden torque can overcome and compress the spring, and "slip" to the next of the three tooth and valley arrangement.
When I let the clutch out normally and give a bit throttle from a dead stop, I believe from the "drill ratchet" noise I hear is several of these slips occuring PDQ.
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#5

Post by RooDog »

I'm thinking to either tighten the spring with a shim washer, or totally eliminate the cause by going to a solid sprocket.
Shovelhead and Evo comps, a swap meet item, with the belville spring pack are a direct replacement for the coil spring sprocket assembly, if you are stuck on running a compensator, .....

I even have one I would most likely never use, but would gladly sell.....

Don't neglect the idea of going with a belt drive, either....
....RooDog....
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#6

Post by VPH-D »

Check the swing arm bearings, too.
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#7

Post by panhead_kicker »

The time has arrived. So far I've tackled the rear brake system, which really needed attention...
The rear wheel came off tonight for a new tire. Looking over the hub and brake shell, and the bearings all feel smooth so that's good. Drum brake surface good, shoes got life.
I did find that the sprocket was slightly loose. It would spin about 1/8" on the drum. Two of the 16 rivets had lost their peened side, (probably during a chain "excursion" a couple years ago). The previous owner did not install the 4 dowel pins, but did bother to put three weld tacks on the sprocket to the drum (now broken but still hanging up ). Note that a cheap Harbor freight air hammer with a sharpened chisel attachment makes short work of the heads. So 16 rivets and 3 welds later I've got the sprocket off. Compared next to a new one, it still looks very good. I believe this is only the second sprocket I've changed, the other being my Pan. I do not have any proper tools to set rivets. I think for my Pan I may have squeezed them flat in a vice... any other nifty suggestions?
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#8

Post by RooDog »

Is that sprocket on the wrong side of the drum?
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#9

Post by panhead_kicker »

RooDog wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 5:21 am Is that sprocket on the wrong side of the drum?
Nope.
This is the 67-72 shovel drum, are you thinking Pan?
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#10

Post by RooDog »

It was just a question. I've done pressed steel Panny drums, but never the CI drums for a swing arm.
I do have a new sprocket and rivets to sell for a juice brake, but will have to determine the application before posting it on eBay....
....RooDog....
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#11

Post by panhead_kicker »

VPH-D wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 3:16 pm Check the swing arm bearings, too.
VPH-D
All good.
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#12

Post by Bosheff »

Runnin a belt set-up (primary) doesn't work with a hack. The extra weight of the side car and frame will have the belt pulling itself apart in short order. Runnin a rigid mount sprocket on the motorsprocket shaft will wear out primary chains bout as fast as you can put em in. Good luck....bosheff
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#13

Post by panhead_kicker »

Bosheff wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 1:05 am Runnin a belt set-up (primary) doesn't work with a hack. The extra weight of the side car and frame will have the belt pulling itself apart in short order. Runnin a rigid mount sprocket on the motorsprocket shaft will wear out primary chains bout as fast as you can put em in. Good luck....bosheff
I'm still a firm believer in a duckworth and 22 tooth compensator for this application.
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#14

Post by Bosheff »

Ya, a 22 on the motor is a must to get the damn thing rollin from a stop, but it cuts yer top end down considerably. Compromise is the name of the game....bosheff
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Re: Sidecar Tug maintenance

#15

Post by Raytag »

panhead_kicker wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 2:23 am ... I think for my Pan I may have squeezed them flat in a vice... any other nifty suggestions?
IMG_3341.JPG
And that worked ?
:shock:
Not being an expert on riveting here but you flatten both ends only when imposing a continues force without the stud expanding and locking both parts with each other IMO


Bosheff wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 1:05 am ....Runnin a rigid mount sprocket on the motorsprocket shaft will wear out primary chains bout as fast as you can put em in. Good luck....bosheff

So a compensator is a reasonable choice ?
Are there any for tapered shafts too ?

Ray
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