front fork questions

[Dave Beck]

First of all thanks again guys for the useful help on the frame numbers. I have the front forks removed and drained, the oil was yucky to say the least. I am going to have the seals replaced and was wondering what oil to run in tubes, fork oil or ???? second question, to me the bike sets up a little in the front and was wondering if I could lower it approx. 1 inch with a spring change. Lastly my lowers are chrome and the chrome is bubbling up in spots and would like to have them rechromed, since they are aluminum I am not sue where to take them to or send them to, any suggestions? there are a few chrome shops in OKC but not sure if they do aluminum, are new lowers available?

All suggestions and help geatly apprreciated.
Dave

[1950Panhead]

Fork oil

I use Dextron ATF.
Many use fork oil.
Read this My Hydra Glide Forks Pounding on Rebound *******Solved******

Fork tubes

Does you panhead sit higher then other panheads?
If it does you may have extended fork tubes and may want to change them to original or standard length tubes.

Chrome

Your bike came with polished aluminum tubes, you may want to consider this as an option, plating shops can stip the old chrome off.
If you want chrome fork legs you can check with guys that have had parts chromed, there is a wide variety in price and quality among plating shops.
If you can't get any opinions pick a plating shop and hope for the best.

Jerry

[Dave Beck]

Jerry,
As far as how it sets compared to other panheads, I have no idea. I don't have any in my neighbor hood to compare to. It just seems as it sets up a little high to me, the bike is just not quite level. I may consider seeing if they can strip the chrome off and just polish them back like they were original. Going to check with a few shops tuesday.

Does anyone know what the stock length of the fork legs are? Mine measue about 31 1/2" maybe 32 max. end to end.

[Hog54]

I think the tubes are 20 inches.

[FlatHeadSix]

Lastly my lowers are chrome and the chrome is bubbling up in spots and would like to have them rechromed, since they are aluminum I am not sue where to take them to or send them to, any suggestions? Dave

Dave, the aluminum under the bubbling chrome is probably just fine. You can have a chrome shop "unchrome" them, or you can do it yourself. A long time ago I built a '71 Servicar for my wife, the lowers had been chrome plated and they were ROUGH!, pitted, bubbling, you name it. I removed all the old chrome myself with a straight edge razorblade, sand paper, and various other means. After all the chrome was gone I simply polished the aluminum, they turned out like new. Here's a few pics.
mike

[Speeding Big Twin]

Dave, as an example of how your 62 would have sat when in standard form I have posted the 1961 prototype from Chris Haynes™ photo collection:

1961PanheadCopy2-3.jpg

Panheads with Glide forks used H-D slider tube #45950-48. And the same slider tube was used for 1966-early-77 FL/FLH Shovelheads. I measured one of my spares and it is 20-7/16".
Eric

[Dave Beck]

Thanks,
Mine sets a tad high in the front, but I am sure it is because it has had a saviour rear frrame section attached which probably lowered the rear. I had to replace the front forks as the internals werre totally shot. The chrome on the lowers was in bad shape also. I may try to change the front springs to bring it back level. Thanks so much for the pictures.
Dave

[rrhawg]

Dave,

Does anyone know what the stock length of the fork legs are? Mine measue about 31 1/2" maybe 32 max. end to end

If your measuring the tube assembled the measurement will not be the same as the inner tube that you have been given. Assembled you can measure from the bottom of the bottom triple tree to the center of the axel. This should be 20 1/2" anything longer than this would be how much oversize it is. The inner fork tube will also measure approximately the same 20 1/2"
Rich

[Speeding Big Twin]

rrhawg, one of the reasons I used the words slider tube was to make it absolutely clear that I meant the slider tube itself as opposed to an assembly involving more than said slider tube. I provided the H-D part number of the tube itself for a similar reason. And I also mentioned that I had measured one of my spares, again meaning a slider tube itself as opposed to an assembly involving more than just a slider tube.
Eric