Springer rocker slop fix?

[Blackbetty]

I've been dealing with a very aggravating clicking from my front end. I initially thought it was a timken cage snagging the lower cup set pin but upon further investigation I noticed both front and rear leg lugs appear to have worn causing the rocker to shift fractionally during steering. Adding more torque to the shoulder bolts does not help the problem, and frankly I'm concerned about putting too many foot lbs. on that hardware in case something shears going down the road from being over torqued.

I didn't have time to pull the springer apart last night, but I've been brainstorming. Assuming the holes in the front and rear leg lugs are wallowed, what would be the best way to repair? The bike handles fine but pushing it around and turning the bars will always produce an unsettling click that I really want to eliminate.

I'm thinking perhaps drilling and reaming the leg lugs one size up and getting new oversized shoulder bolts...

[VonWegener]

Drilled and reamed holes on the leg side and new machined bolts that are stepped to fit the new leg opening but are still dimensionally the same as before on the rocker side.

[Blackbetty]

OK seems like I'm on the right track.

Going to pull the springer down tonight and take a few measurements.

[M.O.Ther]

Since the nut is fairly thin, I would think that maybe the legs are threaded and the nut is a jam nut. But, if they're just holes, then check the fit, and if worn, drill and ream like VonWegener sez, and buy/make new shoulder bolts.

I would also think that the rockers would have some kind of bushing or bearing in them that could be pressed out and replaced. (stock pre-'58 Harley springers have replaceable bushings, my Denvers made springer has needle bearings in the rockers.)

You're gonna have to pull it farther apart to check these things and see where the slop is.

[govmule84]

Originally Posted by M.O.Ther

I would also think that the rockers would have some kind of bushing or bearing in them that could be pressed out and replaced. (stock pre-'58 Harley springers have replaceable bushings, my Denvers made springer has needle bearings in the rockers.)
.

My thoughts, too. I bet you have wallered bushings or a blowed-up bearing. My Randy Enterprises springer had needle bearings in the rockers as well. (Which is cool! Precision bearings in a jankity old deathtrap springer.)

[Blackbetty]

This particular springer uses bronze bushings in the rockers. When I had this apart last year the bushings felt tight and I have only put a couple hundred miles on it since. Either way I can press them out and replace if they're worn.

mother now that you mention it I think you may be correct - I seem to remember them being threaded. Will find out here in a couple hours...

[Zeeman]

It might use these bronze oilite self lubricating bushes. You can get them in most sizes, cheap and easy to replace when they wear out.

[Blackbetty]

So I went out back and pulled the springer apart. The rocker pivots are not threaded - there is a shoulder that simply slips into a 9/16" hole at the lug. The fit is pretty sloppy:






The threading is 1/2" and the shoulder is 9/16". The collar in the middle is 1/8" thick and the bushing shoulder is 11/16" od and 1" long. It's threaded about a half inch deep to accept a 7/16" bolt that fits on the outside of the rocker.

I was thinking a good fix would be to drill the leg lugs oversize to 5/8 and tap, and use a shoulder screw with a full threaded 5/8 shank and jam nut. Trouble is I'm struggling to find a screw with an 11/16 x 1" shoulder and 5/8 x 7/8" long threads, so I think I'm going to have to have to enlist my buddy with the emco.

I could also weld and redrill, but I'd rather not ruin the original chrome.

The bushings in the rockers themselves are runnable....I'm going to see if I can find a proper replacement. Or if I have to machine new rocker pivots anyway, we'll make them slightly oversize and ream the rockers to fit.

[JAWS]

Drill and tap so you can grease the pivot.

[jbfrmca]

i've got a springer with ford radius rods. the pivot holes were huge so i just made some sleeves and pressed them in. now the stud is nice and tight.

[Blackbetty]

That is an idea I also entertained - but I'm afraid I may be a bit too limited on material at the lug to drill for a sleeve. Going oversize to 5/8" from 1/2" is probably the most I'd feel safe doing, and I'd surely have to go larger than 5/8" to accommodate a sleeve, lest I use one with an incredibly thin wall thickness.

Threading the pivots and locktighting them in should produce the most robust results I'd think.

[Blackbetty]

Originally Posted by JAWS

Drill and tap so you can grease the pivot.

It's hard to see but the rockers already have zerks on the bottom side.

[jbfrmca]

about the zirks. i would think that they should be on top so that when you grease them the grease would hit the wear area first no? that's the way stock harleys are.

[JAWS]

^^^ kinda what I was thinkin. I see them now in those pics... Barely

Are the holes in the legs sloppy?

[flatman]

I was thinking. turn the stud down to the size of the od of the threads. Ream/ drill out the legs. Turning the stud down will give alittle more substantial wall to the bushing. 2cents

[Blackbetty]

To clarify, the bronze bushings in the rockers themselves and the pivot fit is acceptable. Those don't have any excessive slop - it's the holes in the bottom of each leg lug that have worn.

The 9/16 holes in the lugs appear to either have worn oversize, or were simply drilled sloppily to 9/16" without any thought of reaming to size. The shoulder of the pivot has a loose fit so no matter how tight I bolt it to the lug, under weight the pivot will move fractionally causing the click I keep hearing.

I think threading it in the lug as mother said many springers are designed will be the toughest solution.

[VonWegener]

What about a thin wall spacer like Jbfrmca suggested but make it out of a softer material and use it like a crush sleeve. You know a little wider than it should be and when the nut is tightened it compresses and fills out the opening completely. It would probably take a few tries to get it right but after that I think it could work.

[PhilipRides]

Originally Posted by VonWegener

What about a thin wall spacer like Jbfrmca suggested but make it out of a softer material and use it like a crush sleeve. You know a little wider than it should be and when the nut is tightened it compresses and fills out the opening completely. It would probably take a few tries to get it right but after that I think it could work.

I've done this before. It worked well for me but it does take a lot of time to get it right.