Long haul set-up???

[chopped850]

I want to set my bike up for some long rides. I've read through the forum till my brain was mush. I wanna know what you guy's and gal's have done to set your bikes up for freeway speeds around 75-80 and run them with no issues. My motor is 80 inches right now. When it finally shit's the bed it's gonna be bigger around 84 or 88. I'm running a Revtech 4 speed jockey. Has anyone changed to a 5 speed in that same case? If so what did it cost and entail? Just looking for engine and driveline spec's that are comfortable on the freeways of today! Thanks....

[BLKHEART]

To Chopped 850: What I did on my 63 FL bagger was to change Trans sprocket to 26 teeth and rear sprocket to 48 teeth. Gives you a very confortable cruising speed. Around town I'm in third gear most of the time. The down side is first gear is a bit on the high side but is no pig by any means from a dead stop. NO MORE BURN OUT PITS! As far as the 5 speed in a four speed case ,5th gear is the same as your fourth. 1:1 Just depends on your cash flow. Good luck!

[Bosheff]

A belt drive primary set-up makes for considerably less vibration at the speeds yer talkin bout. FL gearin will help down low if ya go tall with the engine and/or tranny sprockets, which is what you'll have to do to run the kind od speeds yer talkin. Keep in mind we're dealin with panheads here, and they were never designed to run the way you want run em....bosheff

[Kuda]

I want to set my bike up for some long rides. I've read through the forum till my brain was mush. I wanna know what you guy's and gal's have done to set your bikes up for freeway speeds around 75-80 and run them with no issues. My motor is 80 inches right now. When it finally shit's the bed it's gonna be bigger around 84 or 88. I'm running a Revtech 4 speed jockey. Has anyone changed to a 5 speed in that same case? If so what did it cost and entail? Just looking for engine and driveline spec's that are comfortable on the freeways of today! Thanks....

I do regular long runs on my pan, longest trip so far was just shy of 5k miles in 8 days. Biggest single thing you need is displine: you've got to check and maintain the bike every day. Things like pushrod adjustments, drive chain (and primary if still equipped with one), fluids (including changing them), tire pressure and condition, points and condenser, etc. You've got to remember that the maintaince interval doesn't change just 'cause you're on the road, and stuff does indeed happen. That fancy coil bracket that looks great and has worked well for years for little puts WILL snap from vibrations at the end of a 16 hour day at 75 mph. Etc, etc. You get the idea...

-Kuda
'49 panchop

[chopped850]

All good input. It's already running a belt primary. The thing that I will change is the rear gearing. I don't do burn outs with it anyway so that's no problem. My Q about the trans was who added a 5th gear into the 4 speed case?

[BLKHEART]

chopped850- Baker did the 5 into 4 speed case. fifth gear is the same as your four speed. 1:1 ratio. they also make a six speed in a a four speed case which has an overdrive in sixth gear but is designed for 1970 and up trannys. As your bike has a mechanical rear brake drum your kinda stuck stuck with your rear sprocket. no options available. Switch to late model wheel, add banana calipers and pick your rear sprocket to suit your needs. 51 down to 48 teeth are available. Don't sound like much but will make a huge differance with your four speed. Check your clearence with the ratchet top top on your trans with 25 or 26 tooth trans sprocket as it is close. Mine cleared with the 26 tooth set up. 80 mph with disc brakes is the way to go on your custom. Your possibilities are endless given the cash flow. Most all parts can be found at any good swap meet or buy new from j&p cycles. By the way, who makes that oil filter/cooler you have mounted on your rear axle plate, looks good and very functional, hav'nt seen one quite like it. Ride safe! BLKHEART

[Bosheff]

If yer gonna convert to rear disc brakes, do not, I repeat, do not use the JUNK banana disc setup H-D used from 73-80. Any disc setup is better than those. 83 and later H-D Girling discs are an excellent choice, and ya don't have to rebuild the caliper or replace the padpins every time ya turn around. The banana setups beat themselves to death because of a piss poor mounting design....bosheff

[chopped850]

chopped850- Baker did the 5 into 4 speed case. fifth gear is the same as your four speed. 1:1 ratio. they also make a six speed in a a four speed case which has an overdrive in sixth gear but is designed for 1970 and up trannys. As your bike has a mechanical rear brake drum your kinda stuck stuck with your rear sprocket. no options available. Switch to late model wheel, add banana calipers and pick your rear sprocket to suit your needs. 51 down to 48 teeth are available. Don't sound like much but will make a huge differance with your four speed. Check your clearence with the ratchet top top on your trans with 25 or 26 tooth trans sprocket as it is close. Mine cleared with the 26 tooth set up. 80 mph with disc brakes is the way to go on your custom. Your possibilities are endless given the cash flow. Most all parts can be found at any good swap meet or buy new from j&p cycles. By the way, who makes that oil filter/cooler you have mounted on your rear axle plate, looks good and very functional, hav'nt seen one quite like it. Ride safe! BLKHEART

The oil filter was on the bike when my uncle built it. It was hanging off the front engine mount area until I put the 2 inot 1 system on. I relocated it to the back where it is now. The left case front mount boss is cracked in 2 spots. I'm gonna have to pull the motor soon to get it fixed. When I do that I'm gonna punch it out to 93" with S&S goodies. I also put a juice drum on the rear and she stop's on a dime now! Anyone done the 93" kit yet? If so are you happy with it?

[58bob]

I would go the Baker 6 into 4 trans. They are now available with 3 different length mainshafts, one to suit '36 - '64 Knuckle/Pan mainshaft. It also comes in a case with no ears for inner primary, check out their website.
http://www.bakerdrivetrain.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. There is a section just for 'Shovel, Pan & Knuckle'.

[chopped850]

I've thought about that. I did go to the shop this afternoon to pick up the rear wheel and started pricing the parts. The old man at the shop thought I still had my shovel and forgot I now have a pan. So unless someone else has done the 93" kit let me know what parts you used. He told me to stay with the 80" motor but rehad it with a full balance, Andrews B grind, fresh topend and what ever else needs replaced.

[58bob]

Only problem i can see is the Baker trans doesn't have provision for a speed drive cable, you have to use an electronic kit and speedo from a later model.

[TimmyV]

Only problem i can see is the Baker trans doesn't have provision for a speed drive cable, you have to use an electronic kit and speedo from a later model.

Looking at the new 4 speed tranny from Baker it seems that they are set up for both "traditional gear drive set up and late model electronic speedo pickup".
http://store.bakerdrivetrain.com/Produc ... type=3&eq=

* scroll down & click the OVERVIEW button once you get to the link to see this information & all the other particulars .

[panhead_kicker]

Looking at the new 4 speed tranny from Baker

But thats back to a 4spd, I think they were talking about the 6 in 4.

I notice one of the things they tout is the transmission gears ride on needle bearings instead of bushings. If needle bearings in a tappet roller can cause big momo problems, I'd hate to be at speed if one of these tranny gears decided to regurgitate its needles.
Maybe Baker has determined needle bearings will outlast bushings? But when they do go...?

[Frankenstein]

The needles in a tranny don't get the "pounding" that a tappet roller needle would receive. The standard 4 speed tranny has had needles on countershaft, main drive gear since 36, without issues. If baker matches bearings to load, it should work fine.
DD