Triple Tree Identification

Information about the identification and numbering of frame, motor belly, transmission and other parts
craig60pan
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#16

Post by craig60pan »

Thanks Bob
I feel your pain (and I will keep your advice) Some things seem to be getter harder and harder to find at any price.
The tree and the guts of the rear shocks are on my list for the 60. It's not 100 original by any means but it gets closer over time.
For the 51 it's finding a delco 16 horn. Saw a trashed one go on Ebay today for $350! A little too rich for my blood.
CJ
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#17

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

Bosheff, well spotted re the (missing) lock provision in CJ’s stem. Eric
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#18

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

CJ, are you sure about the casting number on your lower tree? You've mentioned your lower casting number is 45700-48. But that appears in my 1937-1949 H-D catalog as a part number and is shown below. Are you sure your casting number isn't 45705 48 as per KB's casting number? Eric
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#19

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

Bob, you mentioned your searching led you to believe there are six different versions of (lower) trees all with the same casting number. Is that casting number 45705 48? And what years does that casting number span, judging from the amount of lower trees you’ve identified so far?

I’m using genuine 1974 H-D FL Shovel trees (upper and lower) on my Panhead but I can’t spot the fifth number as it’s hidden by the head cup so I can only see 4570 48. Eric
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#20

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

Quote from UPSROD: 'The 65 up horn mounts to the left side of the top tree to a tapped hole in the top of the tree’

UPSROD, I see you have a 65 FLH. If the 65 up horn mounts to the TOP tree to a tapped hole in the top of the tree, do you know how many years that applied to? And when did it first mount to the bottom tree? Eric
craig60pan
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#21

Post by craig60pan »

Can't see the casting number so can't say for sure
my notes say 500 but it has been awhile and I may have noted the part number instead of the casting number.
On another note if I want to use this stem until I find the right one where, how deep and what diameter would I need to drill to use the neck lock?
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#22

Post by es225 »

The clamping bolt thread is another aid in identification of the lower fork bracket:
3-8" UNF stud with nut : 1949, part # 45700-48
3/8" UNC bolt : 1950-1954, part # 45700-48?
7/16" UNF bolt : 1955-1957, part # 45700-48A
as above, off-set stem : 1958-1959, part # 45700-58
as above, for 5 gallon tank : 1960- , part # 45700-60
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#23

Post by UPSROD »

Eric, I dont know when they went to the lower mount. I think some time in 68 they added arubber donut to keep horn bracket from breaking....Rod
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#24

Post by Robert Luland »

Speeding Big Twin wrote:Bob, you mentioned your searching led you to believe there are six different versions of (lower) trees all with the same casting number. Is that casting number 45705 48? And what years does that casting number span, judging from the amount of lower trees you’ve identified so far?

I’m using genuine 1974 H-D FL Shovel trees (upper and lower) on my Panhead but I can’t spot the fifth number as it’s hidden by the head cup so I can only see 4570 48. Eric

It’s not that there are different casting but what they have done with them. How many tapped holes and where? When and why? One year will have a hole in the lower tree off center for a ground wire and the next year it’s gone etc. Every time I see an original, datable front end come up for sale. I ask for some close up pictures of the trees. To date nobody has complied. They think I’m a nut. I can’t really blame them. 58 and up are a differant tree from ridged and carry a differant casting number. Like I said earlier. Look at the bottom of the tree were the stem is welded in. The casting on ridgeds is round were swing arms are oval. I've offen wondered if they changed the rake slitly when going to shocks? Bob L
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#25

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

CJ, thanks for your reply. Sorry, but I can’t help with the exact location of the steering head lock provision in the stem. Eric
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#26

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

Thanks, Rod. The picture at left below is from my 1958-68 catalog and bracket 25 has a 65B suffix in its part number. Is that a similar type of bracket to what you've got mounted to your top tree?

The other picture is from my 1961-71 catalog. Plate 32 and rubber mount 33 both have a 65 suffix but bracket 35 has a 68 suffix. Ground strap 41 has a 65A suffix and could apparently be used back to late-1968. So maybe the horn went from the top tree to the bottom tree in late-68. Eric

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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#27

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

Thanks, Bob. Yeah, I realise the changes usually relate to what was done to the tree rather than a change in the casting itself. And there were certainly several changes over the years as you indicated. I know what you mean about some sellers. Sometimes I get a good response and the photo I asked for but some sellers don't even reply.

You mentioned the difference in the bottom of the trees where the stem is welded in (rigid versus 58-up). But what’s the casting number for lower trees used for the rigid bikes?

Regarding the possibility of the rake changing because of shocks, I don’t know. Eric
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#28

Post by UPSROD »

Eric, the tripple tree on my 65 is original to my bike as per Harley Davidson, it has the left front hole tapped. The hole serves no purpose on a 65 to my knowledge. My 58-65 parts book lists #45700-58A to fit 58 to 65 . I am guessing -58A is the 65 part that will retro back to 58. Also does anyone know when #45700-58 started in production? The original 49 part #45700-48 started in 48 for the 1949 model year. Does #45700-58 indicate that production of that part started later in the model year? All archive information on 58s was destroyed by AMF. The 58 prototype in Palmers book looks to be the 49-57 tree with more rake. There is also a inset photo of a 58 in the archive book that looks to me to have the longer rake. As Bob L. stated, I to think at some point in 58 they de-raked the tree because when even the mythical 150# solo rider sits on a swingarm bike the rake changes to the greater.....Rod
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#29

Post by Bosheff »

If the rake on a lower tree is changed, the top tree must be machined accordingly, therefore a different Pt. # would be assigned to the top tree also....bosheff
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Re: Triple Tree Identification

#30

Post by UPSROD »

Yes Bosheff it changes to 56121-58. Rod
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