My rebuilt early pan glide front end works great , but when I go over one of those quick drops or bumps in the road and the tubs crash to the limit . I don`t like this, it dosn`t happin often but when it dose?
Has any body had this problem? Is their a way to put rebound springs in these older forks like the newer ones have? Maybe update the damper?
thanks
Glide fork damper
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VintageTwin
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Re: Glide fork damper
Forks need a rebuild. Lower and upper bushings need replacing and honing. Bill's Cycles in PA does the work. V-Twin offers their Motor Shop service (60-0150) which will remove and install and size new bushings for stock tubes. You rebuild the tubes and install them into the legs yourself, to within the allowed 0.004" clearance. It is a merit-badge worthy task and one that delivers instant gratification upon completion. I wish my forks would wear out so I can rebuild them again, it was so much fun. Although now, looking at the '05 price sheet, I don't see the part number listed, so maybe you better call Bill's, or V-Twin to see if they're doing Glides these days.
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Rammy
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Re: Glide fork damper
plumber,
I think you misunderstood my problem.
My forks are all rebuilt and work great except for when they reach there outer extended limit they crash .
I think 49-76 are without damper springs and 77 up used damper springs to stop the very problem that I am haveing.
My question is can this newer damper sistem be adapted to the earler 49-76 fork tube?
I think you misunderstood my problem.
My forks are all rebuilt and work great except for when they reach there outer extended limit they crash .
I think 49-76 are without damper springs and 77 up used damper springs to stop the very problem that I am haveing.
My question is can this newer damper sistem be adapted to the earler 49-76 fork tube?
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VintageTwin
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Re: Glide fork damper
Got fluid?
I don't think anything is adaptable to '49-76 glide forks. One thing for sure, the spacer you see in the gray '54 parts book is not used. Use the '68 parts book as a model for what parts are used today.
I don't think anything is adaptable to '49-76 glide forks. One thing for sure, the spacer you see in the gray '54 parts book is not used. Use the '68 parts book as a model for what parts are used today.
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caschnd1
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Re: Glide fork damper
Rammy,
I'm not an expert on the old glide forks but I have rebuilt mine a couple times. The first time was when I first got the bike. I disassembled and reassembled after replacing a few of the parts that were beyond service. Compression dampening was good but rebound was just like you described. Every now and then (with just the right bump in the road) the forks would crash at the limit of their extension as if there was no rebound dampening. I found it really irritating and decided to tear into them and see if I could figure it out. The chrome on the old fork tubes was really bad so I figured I'd put on a new set of tubes at the same time. I ordered them from VTwin Mfg. When I got ready to install the dampers in the new fork tubes I realized that they would only slide into the tube about 1/2 as far as they did with the old tubes so I pulled em back out and looked at the ends of the tubes. If you look in your fork tube you'll notice that there is a shoulder machined into the tube a short was up from the bottom. The damper mechanism bottoms against this shoulder. On the new fork tubes this shoulder was only cut about 1/2 as far down the fork leg as with my original tubes (these were not orig H-D tubes but some 10" over tubes that were made sometime in late 60's early 70's). This difference distressed me a bit cause I thought maybe VTwin had sent me the wrong fork tubes. After tinkerin' with it a bit I realized I could still get the entire damper into the fork with the snap ring securly in place. So I thought I'd give it a try. The result has been both good compression *and* good rebound dampening!
It was a nice surprise. After figuring this out, I went and looked through some old parts manuals and found that there was a spacer listed that was not part of my original fork setup. Perhaps the guy who built it before me left it out? Looks like that spacer would have had the same effect of bringing the shoulder cut into the fork tube closer to the end of the tube. Just my theory, never held the part in my hand. I don't know if the spacer I saw in the parts book is the same spacer Plumber was referring to in his post. Looks like it would have done the trick for me with my orig fork tubes but was not needed with my new fork tubes. Good luck.
I'm not an expert on the old glide forks but I have rebuilt mine a couple times. The first time was when I first got the bike. I disassembled and reassembled after replacing a few of the parts that were beyond service. Compression dampening was good but rebound was just like you described. Every now and then (with just the right bump in the road) the forks would crash at the limit of their extension as if there was no rebound dampening. I found it really irritating and decided to tear into them and see if I could figure it out. The chrome on the old fork tubes was really bad so I figured I'd put on a new set of tubes at the same time. I ordered them from VTwin Mfg. When I got ready to install the dampers in the new fork tubes I realized that they would only slide into the tube about 1/2 as far as they did with the old tubes so I pulled em back out and looked at the ends of the tubes. If you look in your fork tube you'll notice that there is a shoulder machined into the tube a short was up from the bottom. The damper mechanism bottoms against this shoulder. On the new fork tubes this shoulder was only cut about 1/2 as far down the fork leg as with my original tubes (these were not orig H-D tubes but some 10" over tubes that were made sometime in late 60's early 70's). This difference distressed me a bit cause I thought maybe VTwin had sent me the wrong fork tubes. After tinkerin' with it a bit I realized I could still get the entire damper into the fork with the snap ring securly in place. So I thought I'd give it a try. The result has been both good compression *and* good rebound dampening!
It was a nice surprise. After figuring this out, I went and looked through some old parts manuals and found that there was a spacer listed that was not part of my original fork setup. Perhaps the guy who built it before me left it out? Looks like that spacer would have had the same effect of bringing the shoulder cut into the fork tube closer to the end of the tube. Just my theory, never held the part in my hand. I don't know if the spacer I saw in the parts book is the same spacer Plumber was referring to in his post. Looks like it would have done the trick for me with my orig fork tubes but was not needed with my new fork tubes. Good luck.-
VintageTwin
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Re: Glide fork damper
Yup...same spacer. You don't need them anymore. Rebuild the fork from the pix in the '58-68 (red & white) Spare Parts Book, the spacer is deleted in that book.
That deleted spacer in the fork assembly is 46045-49. If yours has them, don't use them in re-assembly.
That deleted spacer in the fork assembly is 46045-49. If yours has them, don't use them in re-assembly.
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mbskeam
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Re: Glide fork damper
hello,
I had the same prob. Did you put the guts togethor right? I did not the first time, and it had the same clunk. When I was fixing a leak. I found that the spacer was holding the dampner assy in the wrong spot.all I know is that the front end came up almost 2" when it was put back, and it is quit now.
mbskeam
I had the same prob. Did you put the guts togethor right? I did not the first time, and it had the same clunk. When I was fixing a leak. I found that the spacer was holding the dampner assy in the wrong spot.all I know is that the front end came up almost 2" when it was put back, and it is quit now.
mbskeam
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caschnd1
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Re: Glide fork damper
Maybe I assembled mine incorrectly the first time too. Don't know for sure.
I thought the difference in the way the fork tubes were manufactured was interesting though. Plumber, have you seen two different types of fork legs for early glides? One has the shoulder machined into the inside of the tube about 3 inches up from the bottom and the other has the shoulder machined about 1.5..2 inches from the bottom. Since they were purchased sometime between 1969 and 1972, I didn't think there were that many choices (other then length).
I thought the difference in the way the fork tubes were manufactured was interesting though. Plumber, have you seen two different types of fork legs for early glides? One has the shoulder machined into the inside of the tube about 3 inches up from the bottom and the other has the shoulder machined about 1.5..2 inches from the bottom. Since they were purchased sometime between 1969 and 1972, I didn't think there were that many choices (other then length).
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VintageTwin
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Re: Glide fork damper
No shoulders have I seen on fork tubes. I ordered raw steel, stock tubes from V-Twin. There were problems with fork tubes on Glide Big Twins over the years. The chromed ones fouled up re-assembly because of the 0.020" of chrome coating. Start from scratch. Some of this China stuff, they've been making for so many years (like fork tubes)....that they finally got the bugs worked out. Other people may have seen shouldered tubes though.
Nice machine you have there.
Nice machine you have there.
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Rammy
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Re: Glide fork damper
Hey guys,
Thanks for the tips. My fork tubes are stk replacement from J+p with new dampers. I think I will now take them apart and check things out a bit
Thanks for the tips. My fork tubes are stk replacement from J+p with new dampers. I think I will now take them apart and check things out a bit
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VintageTwin
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Re: Glide fork damper
Careful with that top cap Eugene! Spring-loaded.Fasten the tube down-lower in the bottom tree. Secure it with the bottom tree pinch-bolt. Put the top plate (secured w/ stem nut) over the capped tube, leaving about 1/4" of space. This allows the cap to pop-up and hit the bottom surface of the top tree.
You already know this, but pilgrims won't.
Spring-loaded.Fasten the tube down-lower in the bottom tree. Secure it with the bottom tree pinch-bolt. Put the top plate (secured w/ stem nut) over the capped tube, leaving about 1/4" of space. This allows the cap to pop-up and hit the bottom surface of the top tree.You already know this, but pilgrims won't.
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Rammy
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Re: Glide fork damper
Plumber,
I got the adjustable rake front . Thanks for the tip.
How much oil and what kind works good?
I bet I put this fork together wrong, there is very little dampening if any on rebound :
Well nows the time before spring ;D to check it out...
I got the adjustable rake front . Thanks for the tip.
How much oil and what kind works good?
I bet I put this fork together wrong, there is very little dampening if any on rebound :
Well nows the time before spring ;D to check it out...
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VintageTwin
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Re: Glide fork damper
7 os. of Harley Type E fork oil if you're filling new tubes. 6.5 oz. if your re-filling old tubes. Harley dealers still stock the Type E oil. You don't need the funnel contraption made from a coffee can like Harley suggest (all though I did make one, in the old school spirit, I guess!), just compress the tube into the leg and funnel the oil in as you release the leg. Go slow, try to get all the oil sucked-in on the first attempt.