Triple Tree Identification

[craig60pan]

I have a lower triple tree that I though was an early pan because the number on the casting next to the tree is 45700-48.
Rubone informed me (thanks for that) that the number I was referencing was the casting number not the part number.
That said I may have a 60 FL tree after all - which is what I want.
As I said the number on the left next to the stem is 45700-48.
On the right side next to the stem it looks like 023
The stem appears to be offset about 1/8 inch toward the front of the tree.
I have attached a couple of photos to hopefully get confirmation on what it is.
I will put them in the photo gallery after that
The powdercoating makes them look nice but hides the details a bit
Any thoughts CJ

[Robert Luland]

Cj thats a swing arm triple tree. Look at the casting on the bottom of the tree. It's oval. 57 and down are round. I've never got an ansewer on why that one hole is tapped in the front. My searching has led me to believe that there are six differant version of trees all with the same casting number. Whats your top tree look like. Bob L

[RUBONE]

Bob,
I know that the horn mount on some of the models is screwed into that tapped hole!
When it started I do not know but it was used in the late '60s and '70s.
Robbie

[Speeding Big Twin]

The one threaded boss on the front of the triple tree accommodated the bracket for the 12-volt horn which appeared on BTs as of the 1965 models.

The triple tree has no provision for a padlock and said provision was introduced sometime after 1968, perhaps being first introduced for 1969?

H-D stamped additional ID characters on the outside of the BT left fork stop beginning with the 1962 models but they are small and may be hard to spot, especially under the powder coating. And they may consist of one letter followed by three or four numbers. If you find them please just tell us what the letter is and how many numbers follow it. Eric

[Bosheff]

1st year of the glide was 49. 1st year of the padlock plate welded to the lower tree was 69. Therefore, from 49 through 68 all yer glide lower trees should have a hole drilled in the stem for the neck lock, right? This would lead me to believe that what ya got is either a 69 and later tree that has had the lock plate removed or some sort of aftermarket piece. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, wouldn't both bosses on the front of the tree be drilled and tapped on trees from 49 through 59 for the headlight mounting bracket?....bosheff

[Robert Luland]

I asked Chris a year ago about the cuts on the frame stops and he said they started in 65. I didn’t even notice the frame lock hole not being there. There would be no reason to weld it up so I agree that that’s a modified 69/70 tree with the padlock bracket missing or as I call it. The first attempt at making a drunk rider mechanism. “If the padlock would just stop moving so I could get the little key in the hole for crying out load”!

[craig60pan]

There is a number on the right side (looking forward)
Looks like 2427000H
A little hard to read under the powdercoating but it is there
It does not look like it has been modified in any way - the bottom is all rough casting, don't see that anything was ever cut off.
On the bottom, to the left of the stem weld I can see a raised " M"

fork1a.jpg (122.37 KiB) Viewed 3123 times

No hole in stem
As to the top tree
The number looks like 56120-60
Thinking back - the bike had the brake on the right side when I first got it.

[UPSROD]

The 65 up horn mounts to the left side of the top tree to a tapped hole in the top of the tree

[Bosheff]

Lower trees with the padlock mounting bracket attached from the factory also had an identifier number stamped on the bracket. Removing this bracket would make a tree that was not kosher untraceable. When installed on the motorcycle, the lower tree that had the padlock bracket removed could pass as an earlier version that was produced before the factory started numbering them. The only way to tell if this was the case would be to pull lower tree and look for necklock hole in the stem, but a hole could always be drilled to cover the fact that it did not come from the factory with a hole. As for the top tree, it is for a 60 and later glide, as it has mounts for the 1 piece riser set-up which was introduced in 60. It may or may not be be genuine H-D. With powdercoating it's hard to tell. 99 times out of 100, whenever a part has what looks like a Pt. # on it, (26734-58 for example), it is a casting # and not a Pt.#....bosheff

[craig60pan]

Anyone have a picture of this padlock mounting bracket?
As far as I can tell nothing has been cut but then again I am not sure where to look

[KB65]

Her is a Pic of a Padlock mount... ( I could be Wrong ?? )
I picked this up at a swap meet a couple weeks back....

So the padlock mount dates this part Post 69' ?

KB

[craig60pan]

It's possible that this was cut off my tree
the only smooth area is where this would have been
Part/casting numbers are different 45700-48 and 023
There is a M and may be a W

[Bosheff]

Yes, this is in fact a 69 and later Glide lower tree. No hole in stem, padlock plate where it is supposed to be. If you look 1/2 way up the stem on the left hand side, you will see 2 characters, and the first number of the identifier number. Simply remove lock plate and there is no way to trace the motorcycle through the lower tree....bosheff

[craig60pan]

I think it is safe to say, mystery solved.
Thanks for all the input
CJ

[Robert Luland]

Craig I also own a 60flh. I’ve been looking for a set of proper trees for quit a while. I’ve managed to buy two sets of the wrong ones with no problem. The first thing is that the terminal board mounts in the center. (There will be a #10 threaded hole dead center top and bottom) Not to the right side as ridgeds and later glides. As far as I know the indentation on the top tree in the center is not there as on later models. It’s flat. There should no taped holes were the ridged head light or later 65 horn would mount in those castings. And the most important (This is were I got screwed for not paying attention) No cut out on the frame stops. Another thing that gets over looked in the excitement of a score is make sure the crowl mounting castings at each end of the trees hasn’t been shaved off. You got to see the looks I get at meets down on my knees staring up into the things. Good Luck boy, Bob L
ps: Bring a flash light!