VLXAFL-5 Knucklehead Chop Part 4

Yesterday was strange. While working with the MRF on a congressional resolution for Scientific Transparency, my son in Austin, Texas said Elon Musk proclaimed the sun will expand and we are all doomed. I better hurry up with this project. Then I asked when will this happen, next week or in a billion years? Inquiring minds need to know.

So, under a modicum of pressure, I escaped to my shop and attempted to shift my mind from treacherous doom and gloom over to mechanical freedom. I needed to finalize, or sorta finalize my rear brake system, and shift linkage.

With the proper, old frame, S&S transmission case, Irish rich, Carl Pussar and I started to piece together a 5-speed transmission. Rich had the detailed S&S instructions. I had a brand new JIMS countershaft (turned out to be the wrong one, a 6-speed counter-shaft), and I found out S&S no longer makes these transmission cases. Ah, but there was hope. JIMS bought the pattern and they are starting to reproduce a case that will fit in any old 4-speed frame and house a tough-as-nails 5-speed Evo transmission.

The instructions called for shortening the shift shaft .200 and shortening the hardened steel JIMS countershaft .280. Rather than challenging my new, rattling, Chinese built, Smithy Lathe, I took both pieces to Clauser Machine in Spearfish to have the job handled professionally. Besides, this shop has been in business 41 years in the same location by the same husband and wife team. S&S recommended grinding rather than trying to cut the hardened shafts.

We also ran into a glitch everyone should know about, especially if you are trying to build a transmission from a box of gears. There are two types of gears now, full mesh and semi-mesh gears (high-contact, introduced in 1994 and Low-contact 1981-1984) from the factory, and you’re not supposed to mix and match them. Rich has a formula and supposedly we have the gears to make it happen.

I can imagine screaming down the highway and two gears are engaged and don’t match. Suddenly they build tremendous heat and the transmission explodes, so watch out. I could be left alongside the road where only the buffalo roam.

This topic brings up another shop story. We discussed all the rigid frames and engines perched on benches all over the country, never reaching the road for a variety of reasons, from finances to divorce. But Rich joked recently about all the daunting options available to builders and how frustrating they can become, sorta like this transmission effort. Take for instance the number of tranny plates available today. It can confuse even experienced builders.

And hell, early 5-speed transmissions had tapered main shafts, not splined. I’m in that boat with this Evil primary drive, which has a tapered clutch hub, so instead of finding a splined mainshaft I have to have a tapered one. Fortunately, my transmission locker contained the shaft we needed.

I also needed to chase down a 24-tooth sprocket. Another search effort, but I finally found one for an ’80-’85 Harley. There’s like four different trans sprocket configurations. I’m still searching for a ¼-inch offset sprocket. No luck so far. The one I ordered from Dennis Kirk was wrong, but they have a terrific return policy. I discovered, no one makes a 24-tooth in the correct configuration, so I ended up going with a 23-tooth. Let’s see if the next one is correct.

End of this week, I could have an operating transmission, but wait, we ran into another issue.

One of my biggest challenges with this bike has been the oil tank. I came across this foot warmer from the turn of the 19th century and became determined to make it my oil tank. That’s where the challenges started. I thought I would mount it vertically. That didn’t work. I struggled until the Redhead came into the shop and said, “shelf.”

I was trying to work from the top with leather straps. I’m still trying to incorporate leather, but now a shelf will support the tank.

Next, the battery tray. I had a plan and a piece for the battery housing. I’m using a Paughco tool box mount and James Simonelli at Tucker gave me some Shocker battery recommendations. I ran into major issues trying to buy batteries on line.

I’m attempting to make a Paughco vintage spare sparkplug holder work for my circuit breakers and ignition switch. I will use a Spyke solenoid button for the starter button.

Regarding the battery. Where the hell was I going to put it? And as usual the battery size and number of cranking amps was critical. Here’s what James Simonelli, from Twin Power recommended based on the battery space I had:

A standard YTX-14L which is the size for 2004 and later Sportsters is 6 by 3.5 and 5 ¾ inches tall is good if you can squeeze the extra ¾-inch height (part number 781152 for Shocker AGM, 781232 for Shocker gel) 220 cranking amps.

Yuasa YTZ-14S is 6 by 3 7/16, by 4 3/8 tall. It’s more expensive and 230 cranking amps. But it afforded significantly more space. Part number 581383.

For an electric start big twin, a 14AH battery is absolutely the smallest I would recommend for an Electric start. The ’04 and later Sportsters and the Pan America use a 14AH and it is marginal. Softails and 4-speed FXE models use a 20AH battery and late dressers use a 30AH for comparison.

So, how did the 14S Yuasa battery compare. I was confused as usual.

Initially, I tried to work with a 310 cranking amps battery from the Salt Torpedo. This Knuck engine has much less power and size, at 93 inches and moderate compression compared to our JIMS 135 inch Twin Cam in the Salt Torpedo.

Based on James recommendations, some experience I’ve had with Evo batteries and my custom/outlaw approach, I decided to go with the 230 cranking amps Yuasu battery. But first I mounted the Paughco tool box strap after I shortened it.

I had a chromed side cover from who knows what. I sliced one inch out of the center going both ways. I attempted to TIG weld it, but TIG is sensitive to chrome or nickel with copper. I ended up brazing the pieces together. I used chunks of wood, cut to the size of the battery, to mock up the battery space.

The battery arrived pronto from Dennis Kirk, and I tested out how well my battery pan worked. I brazed brass strap rings and will have a leather hold-down strap made.

I attached the vintage sparkplug holder and took the lid off. It contained two sparkplug clamps, and I believe I can make one hold a 30-amp circuit breaker. I’m working to fit in a 15-amp for lights.

I dug around and found a toggle switch for the ignition.

Irish Rich is building a chopper for a customer and mentioned that he was close to tearing it down for finish welding. He wants the bike to be completed for the Black Hills Custom Motorcycle show in May. He’s a couple of steps ahead of me, but by the end of next week, I may be ready to tear down the Knuck and perform final welds. That would be exciting. Then off to the powder-coater and Tim, from the flat earth for pinstriping…

Randy Cramer gave me a card for a powder-coater down the street from Dakota V-Twin in Spearfish called KB or Kandy Bikes. Interesting.

I always get a little edgy trying something new. Fortunately, all the resources and experts in the world are at our fingertips nowadays. Just go to YouTube and search for what you need. Presto, an expert or 14 experts will tell you how it’s done all about products and tools—amazing.

In this case I’ll be plumber-soldering fittings to my copper oil tank. I’ve brazed steels and soldered wire forever, so why would this be an issue? I’ve watched plumbers solder pipes, but I’ve also seen sloppy soldering jobs, plus this is slightly different. I’m soldering brass fittings I machined to the copper tank shell.

I bought some brass fittings and discovered they won’t work. I needed to machine tank inserts, so the fittings could be removed, if the oil can needs to be removed. So far, I’ve machined one and tapped it with 1/8-inch pipe threads. So far so good.

Then came the kickstand. I bought a weld-on mount for ’57-‘84 Sportster kickstand. Then I discovered I had one still sealed in it’s plastic container. It was slightly different.

I discovered that the way they wanted it mounted would run into the primary, so I flipped it over. That meant I had to reconfigure the kickstand action and reweld the spring anchor plate. It worked, and then I welded the spring plate on wrong and had to punt. It worked and I tacked it to the frame.

I ordered a kickstand on line but it was back-ordered. I found a used one on ebay. It came complete with the spring and pin, so I went for it. I’m trying to use stuff with old rusting and chipped chrome for a weird patina effect.

I need to finish the oil tank, install the transmission and check driveline alignment, finish installing the rear fender, handle coil mount and cable guides, and then I can think about final welding and off to powder. Keep your fingers crossed.

I drove over to Irish Rich’s, Shamrocks Fabrication to build the 4-5-Speed transmission, but we ran into issues. We need a completed transmission in place and a complete alignment check before final welding. You’ll see the transmission rebuild with modified counter-shaft and shifting-shaft in the next episode.

–Bandit

Sources:

Atomic Dice