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Linkert v S&S

46K views 229 replies 54 participants last post by  Cotten 
#1 ·
a '56 pan i'm looking to buy comes with either a m74b linkert OR an S&S e carby. cant have both. apparently it starts and runs better with the S&S but my question is which one should I go for and why?
 
#49 ·
Linkerts on both my pans, a 59 and a 61, going on 40+ years now, no problems. Have an S&S on the shelf, never used it.
 
#52 ·
Just for clarity, Folks.

Modern reproductions of common Linkert models have been recently produced out of California, Holland, and points eastward.

Just look in Tedd's.

Far beyond that, there have been exquisite reproductions of L-L barrel carbs as well.

That's too serious for even me.

....Cotten
And Eman!

Aren't you going to redeem yourself by pointing out that the Lake injector was a performance option for early '80s H-D's?

.....Cotten
 
#55 ·
Aren't you going to redeem yourself by pointing out that the Lake injector was a performance option for early '80s H-D's?

.....Cotten
I was more familiar with the versions for Triumphs. As far as I could tell, they were pretty much carbs with no float bowls that just continually dumped fuel. Didn't pay to forget to turn the petcock off. How well did the HD version work?
Also, I misspoke when I said lake injectors in the first place, I was referring instead to the early 'Lake' carburetors that just relied on fumes being sucked off the top of the gas 'puddle'.
 
#57 ·
Cotton: I may have failed to read behind the lines, but can you elaborate on reproduction Linkerts.

What's wrong with polishing the bowl. I know S&S says not to polish their carbs because of polishing scuzz being created and and clogging stuff. Is this is the reason on a Linkert? I still don't understand why one shouldn't polish the bowl itself, and then rinse all the residue inside very thoroughly.
 
#59 ·
Cotton: I may have failed to read behind the lines, but can you elaborate on reproduction Linkerts..
Sporticus!

Mas Classics of California produced the first reproductions nearly a decade ago, followed by 45PartsDepot of Holland. The Tedd offerings are probably from further east.
I have only inspected Mr. Mas's prototype; None of the others have crossed my benches.

What's wrong with polishing the bowl.
Its worth too damn much.

Polishing ruins it for the savvy market.

You must decide if either you are 'into' the History of a vintage machine, or you are into screwing it up.

....Cotten
 
#58 · (Edited)
This thread is completely subjective. Run what you're comfortable running. If you know and can fix S&S on the side of the road, run S&S. If you know Linkert, or any other carb for that matter, run that.

Pick whatever you're comfortable with. Other than that you're just going to listen to a bunch of grown men pushing their opinions. If you asked what carb originally came on my bike, you'd get an objective answer, not on this subject however.

Me, I'd probably run a Bendix. No reason, I just like Bendix, no better or worse than any other carb. They work well(like any other carb), they're economical and they're infinately rebuildable and you can get parts for them almost anywhere which is nice when you're 500 miles from the parts boxes in your garage.
 
#62 · (Edited)
Trent!

Then I would bet that they were not assembled with ordinary Tedd inventory.

The first thing I would wish to inspect is the idle bleed slot in the body, as the production of hundreds of thousands with such precision, in such a difficult spot, confounds modern technologists.

I find it as enigmatic as the building of the Pyramids.

....Cotten
 
#70 ·
Buckman!

If we use ebay for a measure (I am not registered, by the way), then H-D Linkerts are decidely cheaper than other vintage carbs.
I doubt we shall soon see a $3600 Linkert, raw.

Not only are they relatively common, the savvy market won't pay big money for molestations.

....Cotten
 
#78 ·
I swear by linkerts on stock to mildly hopped up pans and a reason that I have not seen mentioned yet is the fact that Linkerts really do suck better than an S&S on a stock to mildly hopped up pan motor.

They work better because the linkerts throat diameter is smaller but longer than the s&s which results in a "stronger" vacuum signal at the idle circuit and the main nozzle, this suits the stock panhead since they are only capable of flowing so much air.

The s&s has a shorter but larger diameter throat which needs an engine that is capable of sucking more air to create a strong enough vacuum signal to pull fuel from the main nozzle and make it atomize properly.

Will an s&s work on a stock pan? I see them all the time but are they benefiting from what the s&s has to offer.....nope......

Im running a M74B on my 50 pan that is stroked to 80in with T&O torque monster wheels, a little over 9 to 1 compression and an andrews F grind cam. It starts one kick cold or hot....
 
#83 ·
I'm in need of one for a 45" fatty...
Looking for a three bolt 1-1/4"
Dragstews!

As I posted previously,
You shall wish to shop for the exact model for your fatty,... whether you intend to modify it or not.

It pays off in the long run.

Folks,
Bruce Palmer III's "How to Restore your H-D" (Motorbooks International) is the best general Linkert reference back to '36 or so...

....Cotten
 
#101 ·
Buckman...I believe you mean something like this:



It's just a Branch manifold and an S&S manifold married. I then cut the linkert flange at 2.5 degrees to account for the vertical butterfly favoring the front cylinder (you have to cut front and back to make a flat bolt surface. You're right though as there are none commercially available.

Dragstews....the 66' specific DC is kinda rare but not really THAT rare (I don't think anyway). They're almost all the same save for the DC1,2 and some other odd birds and can be jetted to work on a shovel or whatever. I think the air cleaners are way more rare than the carbs are. Case in point: I have about 6 DC 7's and 12's and no air filter assemblies. The DC bodies are reversible if you're boring them out for the 9X butterfly, you just unbolt the body from the throttle plate and flip it.

 
#102 ·
Buckman...I believe you mean something like this:



It's just a Branch manifold and an S&S manifold married. I then cut the linkert flange at 2.5 degrees to account for the vertical butterfly favoring the front cylinder (you have to cut front and back to make a flat bolt surface. You're right though as there are none commercially available.
Exactamundo!

Interested in making another? if so, PM me.
 
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