Here is engine swap tip “Old Bob” and I came up with. This is the second time I’ve done this on a Road King wreck that involved a frame change.
I saw something somewhere where the factory was putting a Twin Cam engine in a Road King frame on the assembly line. We got to thinking and said shit let’s try the Cherry Picker we have. We used the Cherry Picker mostly for Buell’s. Frame changes, swingarm recalls, shock recalls, and rear isolator bushing changes. The Cherry Picker gives you alot of control when wrenchin’ on Buells.
We pulled and installed the engine on the Road King and it saved a bunch of time. With the Cherry Picker we are able to pull the engine with the primary housing still bolted up, with belt still attached. All we take off is the swingarm, shock’s, and all the other stuff.
You need three jacks and those old trusty, musty, dusty 4x 6 (2) pieces wood chunks all H-D wrenches keep around for whatever. One jack for the rear of trans/oil tank, one for the rear of the frame @ rear crossmember, one with a small pc. of 2×4 under the crankcase. The two 4×6’s you put under the frame at the front on the ears that mount the forward foot controls. This will give support at all the “ah shit it dropped” point’s and helps big time when sliding that heavy sucker back into the frame.
Using the Cherry Picker you have to roll the engine to the right of the frame while dropping the rear of the trans/engine keeping front up some while slipping it into the frame. It takes 2 to 3 people, lot’s of “hold on’s”, let ‘er down’s, and pick’er up’s. It actually went pretty fast. It’s just a little Rockin’ & Rollin’ that’s all. It’s really just like pullin an engine/trans out of an old truck.
The better way to do this, might be using an electric overhead hoist. Not many shops will be lucky enough to have that. I think if you had the overhead technology you might be able to do this swap with the swingarm still attached!! Just removing the isolator supports from the frame.That’s it. It worked for us.
–Paul
