D-Ring Fitment

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VintageTwin
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D-Ring Fitment

#1

Post by VintageTwin »

The stock aftermarket polished D-rings are usually a tight fit over the Pan covers. They shouldn't be a tight fit, as you'll read further on down the topic.
If your run a line of black Sharpie® pen (about a inch above the flange) around the cover, then push the cover ona nd off a few times, the pen line will be removed at places where the d-ring binds. Note: You'll put burnish marks on the chrome if you on & off the cover too much.
Keep in mind that any thread-stress to the D-ring screw holes in the head is instant damage, and if the screws are cocked because of the cover holes are eclipsing the D-ring holes, even the least bit, it will be hard on the head threads.
The D-rings fit snug, with contact points front and rear corners and at least one place on the side. Not good.
pancover02ur8.jpg
The covers are the problem. Elongate the holes to match the D-ring (bad if the screw holes at the ends of the cover require elongating into the cover cavity (since the holes at the end of the cover are already near the interior edge of the cavity) - promoting future leaks).
pancover01kx3.jpg
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Last edited by Anonymous on Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
fourthgear
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#2

Post by fourthgear »

vintagetwin
How does the gasket line up with all the holes ? do they (gasket holes ) line up better with the cover or the D-Ring holes ?
VintageTwin
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#3

Post by VintageTwin »

I'm going to go check them out again, but I think the D-ring holes match the cylinder head holes. The gaskets match the D-ring and head holes. It's the cover holes that are off, and they're Paughco too. Skin-packed Paughco :!: Boy howdy... :evil:....I'll get back to you once I've done some more research.
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#4

Post by john HD »

did you try flipping the rings to see if they fit better.

john
VintageTwin
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#5

Post by VintageTwin »

Oh yeah, that's another thing. You can't flip the D-rings, they are definitely directional. If you flip the ring it won't even seat to the bottom of the cover.
It's the cover holes that are off. Maybe 5 of the 12 holes eclipse the D-ring holes.
It's a known problem, these cover holes. I looked at the '07 V-Twin catalog and they have replica stainless covers now, with the caption "...produced by New Tooling for exact fit and shape". :lol:
Last edited by Anonymous on Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:15 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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#6

Post by VintageTwin »

I talked to Paughco and they said "... some of the holes have been off for a long time. There's a few of the holes you have to open up some, and the covers will fit".
I checked the gasket and D-ring holes against the cylinder head holes and the holes match. It's the cover holes that are wrong.
Last edited by Anonymous on Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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#7

Post by john HD »

vt

i was out in the garage today and checked all 6 of my pan covers against a set of cherry '55 only 6 hole D rings i have. even an oddball chrome 6 hole cover.

all of them would work in every position. they slip right over the covers.

your covers must be the culprit.

john
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#8

Post by VintageTwin »

checked all 6 of my pan covers against a set of cherry '55
all of them would work in every position. they slip right over the covers.
You mean you can flip the D-rings and they still seat and line up with the holes. Interesting. No way you can flip a repop and have it even seat, much less have the holes line up.

Look at the screw on the far right. See how close it is to the interior (cavity)? When you have to dremel a hole inward, you risk creating a potential leak later. That transition radius (at the apex) of horizontal to vertical, is known as a "crown weir" (trap seal dam) in plumbing.
pancovers01mj9.jpg
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Last edited by Anonymous on Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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#9

Post by fourthgear »

Thats interesting , I will take some photos of my 65 set that are off , I'm curious now . I didn't have to do any thing to my older Pan cover to D-ring fit and they are repop . They do have a tight fit , I think they only fit one way also . Going to check the 65's out .
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#10

Post by fourthgear »

VT
I took some photos of my 65's covers and D-Rings and the flash made them hard to see correctly ( it was Late and all that chrome ) ,But mine will go both ways with no restrictions at all . I know my older Pan are a push on fit but don't know if they will go ether way . The 65's have a top and bottom because of , what looks like indexing marks for diff holes on one side and I'm sure they are both repops. I will take some more photos in the sun today .
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#11

Post by Cotten »

Sorry to take this all the way back to the beginning, but....

"stock after-market"???
Nevermind.

You do not want a snug fit upon the sides of the covers, especially near the spring collars inside.

Since the aftermarket offerings from varied sources all seem to have poor quality control, it is obvious that each and every assembly must be uniquely mated and indexed.
Add grinding of the cover flanges flat as a matter of course. (Paughco's have always needed that, straight out of the bubblewrap.)
If the metal is thick enough, perhaps the sealing surfaces will be restored, slightly.

Is shop time part of your evaluation of the cost of these repop offerings? Makes stock covers seem a bargain at twice the price.

....Cotten
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#12

Post by VintageTwin »

You do not want a snug fit upon the sides of the covers, especially near the spring collars inside.
Add grinding of the cover flanges flat as a matter of course.
Is shop time part of your evaluation of the cost of these repop offerings? Makes stock covers seem a bargain at twice the price.


1. The tight fit is between the outside of the cover and the inside of the D-ring. The cover interior is not too small. It doesn't touch the spring retainer.
2. My covers are flat on the bottom.
3. Stock covers....where? Down at the neighborhood local Panhead rocker cover store? I bought Paughco over V-Twin's brand because with the Paughco name, I figured, "Why not pay a little more and get Paughco quality?"...............Not happening :!:
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#13

Post by john HD »

vt,

gotta go with cotten on this one, i understand what you are trying to do by using only repro parts.

however, pan covers are still plentiful. ebay is full of them, nevermind swapmeets.

heck even the super rare 6 hole ones are easy enough to find!

just for the one panhead i have i think i have 3 full extra sets, 6 hole rings, another spare set of 12 hole rings and one odd ball 6 hole steel chromed cover. (i haven't figured that one out yet)

not to mention the very nice set of chrome covers and rings i have on the bike now.

no wonder people use them for dog dishes!

john
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#14

Post by Cotten »

For clarity I must repeat myself:
It is undesireable to have a "tight fit (is) between the outside of the cover and the inside of the D-ring".

The clearance of the springcollar will differ with each valve,... unless blueprinted. Most Pans have had more than a couple of seat grinds, which extends the springpack closer and closer to the cover. Used covers without impressions of the collars are unusual.
And yes, when they hit, the cover moves with each stroke. Aluminum covers can actually find their own clearance, as long as the D-ring allows it.

Very few builders seem to have the patience to measure the clearances between collars and cover, which would make this whole point mute.

....Cotten
PS: Paughco covers are pretty decent, but they ain't flat.
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#15

Post by VintageTwin »

Paughco covers are pretty decent, but they ain't flat.

The ones I have from Paughco in a red skin-card have 11 of the 12 D-ring holes that are off. Top center hole is right on, but not the rest of them. It's almost like you'd think they used a mold, too long and that after a jillion stampings the holes started to "move". The fellow I talked to at Paughco last week said, "Yeah, some of the holes have been off for a long time...the covers are welded (as in welded, so they gets twisted during the process??) you know..?" Well that welded phrase of his sentence I didn't understand. I can't see how or where the covers are welded at all.
If I hadn't bought them from Tedd, I would have ask him to replace them. So it goes, I'll work with what I've got.
I didn't see any ding impressions on my old covers. I'd have used them again but the tops are rusted.
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