Dreamweaver build-off: HD Fatboy

[luky_13]

Originally Posted by aargee

I'm still wondering how you're going to manage one of the expensive part - clutch assembly!!! I'm sure you'll have tough time constructing the friction plates & clutch plates, how about the other parts such as primary drive & main drives?

We will come to those, the primary drive is a tough cookie. Just keep watching this space. The primary has given us enough trouble earlier on and we are hell bent on mastering it.

[luky_13]

Next, we mate the gear set assy and trap door with the tranny housing. The mainshaft goes through the drive gear and bearing, the countershaft seats in the needle bearing housing, making sure the gears don't bind and rotate freely.


We then install the shifter paw. This locks the shifter drum into place, while changing gears.


Tighten the bolts to the required torque spec.


Install the shifter dogs, making sure they seat in their respective grooves.



Next, install the shifter drum (not shown in pics) and as always, 'close the lid'. Install the speed sensor. Job done!


Note: The gear set assy was assembled onto the trap door earlier on, its a very elaborate process which I decided to skip on this thread.

[raj_5004]

Simply mind blowing buddy. Your hard work& attention to detail shows in your work.

Waiting to see the bike!

[aargee]

The parts looks so much in quality; the hard work that has undergone is clearly visible!!!

Originally Posted by luky_13

Install the speed sensor.

I couldn't understand this part & the necessity of it; some details is appreciated. Tks.

Originally Posted by luky_13

Note: The gear set assy was assembled onto the trap door earlier on, its a very elaborate process which I decided to skip on this thread.

If possible pls point some links or a small write-up to start googling. Tks.

PS - I'll be waiting to hear from you on the clutch assembly, primary & main gear drives

Edit - BTW, how does this part of metal looks black? Is it powder coating or something?

[black12rr]

I have a question , are these parts ,transmission (gears ),head , bore ,you guys built in house ? .Or where they bought separately(imported) and assembled here?

I love the tools you guys have .Could you tell me the size and make of this ratchet(http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attach...fatboy-g_6.jpg) .I have bigger 1 foot one , Need to get smaller one like this for smaller places .

Good work ,please post plenty of pics .

[luky_13]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

Simply mind blowing buddy. Your hard work& attention to detail shows in your work.

Waiting to see the bike!

Thanks.

Originally Posted by aargee

The parts looks so much in quality; the hard work that has undergone is clearly visible!!!

I couldn't understand this part & the necessity of it; some details is appreciated. Tks.


If possible pls point some links or a small write-up to start googling. Tks.

PS - I'll be waiting to hear from you on the clutch assembly, primary & main gear drives

Edit - BTW, how does this part of metal looks black? Is it powder coating or something?

The speed sensor is installed on the tranny and speeds are calibrated in the ECM (electronic control module) firmware.

The tranny housing is powder coated, Black Wrinkle finish.

Originally Posted by black12rr

I have a question , are these parts ,transmission (gears ),head , bore ,you guys built in house ? .Or where they bought separately(imported) and assembled here?

I love the tools you guys have .Could you tell me the size and make of this ratchet(http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attach...fatboy-g_6.jpg) .I have bigger 1 foot one , Need to get smaller one like this for smaller places .

Good work ,please post plenty of pics .

Most of these parts were bought off auctions, some were machined in-house like the shifter drum. This is a stanley ratchet, I'll pm the part no. to you tomorrow.

Thanks for all the appreciation, this is my FUEL.

[+rex]

I guess, we have already established what a great project this is and how great your pictorial chronicling of the assembly is. I'd like to compliment you for your wit and and the spirit with which you are approaching this task!
Bravo! We continue to follow you virtually and derive vicarious pleasure from your milestones.

[luky_13]

Originally Posted by aargee

Good question.

I'm under the assumption that @luky_13 has a workshop manual and/or parts catalogue of 88cu Fatboy. He must've purchased it from HD USA. I cannot ask him the question on how he managed to get a 88cu engine & that too last year

Edit - See my assumption is right, look at this post where he says...

Originally Posted by akshaymahajan

Wow.. You have determination and skill (lots of it)..
I just have one question : HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL THIS STUFF? I mean procuring each and every part and then assembling the whole thing?

The story goes like this. One fine evening in the Summer of 2005 I saw her, our eyes met and it was love at first sight. She was all gleamy and glittery, parked on a sidewalk. She was well endowed and voluptuous at the right places. I sighed! these were the first 5 minutes, a decision was taken. I wanted to have her. Soon enough reality dawned upon me, have her but how ... it had to be bought with a self-finance scheme without any finance (I think that's an oxymoron). Over the next 6 months I read anything and everything I could search on Harley's, Chopper's, Softail's. Their lineage, why, what, where, when. I read books on V-twin's, chassis building. Bought bike building video's and watched them again and again and again till I had the whole transcript by hard. I almost felt like I was preparing for some IAS exam, only difference being that I did this with truckloads of passion. I joined every harley and chopper forum I could google. Asked the dumbest of questions to experienced bikers and bike builders with a complete No Shame, No Ego, No Inhibitions approach. I was ridiculed, mocked at, people were amused at the thought of a 'wannabe Asian bike builder'. I did not care. I was looking for ways to build this bike in the meagre finance available and over the next 3 years I got to learn a lot through these forums-with-attitude, all my knowledge got assimilated in form of Notes, Pictures, Video's, Magazine articles, Service Manuals. In the course of building this bike I have made lots of mistakes, chosen the wrong parts, wasted money, spent sleepless nights on eBay, questioned my existence and of all faced my wife's rage. It was exciting the same way as being shot at is exciting. I acknowledge that I have committed blunders, what you see on the pages of this thread is an outcome of all those blunders.

Disclaimer - The stunts performed on this thread have been done under the close supervision of a bunch of lunatics, please do not try them at home. But even if you want to you are most welcome, but be warned that they are emotionally draining and make sure you are not married.

[luky_13]

With the tranny and motor out of the way, time to focus on the frame. Parts that needed welding:
1. Front motor mount
2. Top motor mount
3. Forwards control (LHS & RHS) bracket
4. Gussets
5. Oil tank bracket
6. Shock absorber bracket

This is where we left the frame last.


Had to seat the motor to get the position of the motor mounts. I adjusted the forward controls to suit them to my comfort zone. The oil tank was seated to get the position of the battery, electricals and wiring harness correct. This is the full list


Welding was split into two parts, tack and final weld. We wanted to check out some dimensions before the final welding. Started with tacking the Top and Front motor mounts.


Then once motor mount references were available, we removed them and tacked the forward control brackets and all other parts.


Once all the tacking was over the frame was removed from the jig and flipped to weld under.


Finishing the weld on the front mount


Here shown the neck area with all the gussets etc.


And finally, the oil tank bracket


There was welding, welding and more welding. We welded the lefts the rights the tops and the bottoms, literally. Exhausted and exasperated we went back home and the next day morning, my eyes wouldn't open. I had been watching all the welding through the side of my eyes. More later.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by luky_13

One fine evening in the Summer of 2005...what you see on the pages of this thread is an outcome of all those blunders.

Amazing, simply amazing write-up. The best write-up without any exaggeration. I could feel the lust crawling on me. I'm writing this after I've settled down; I'm still searching for right words!!! Hats off to you

Originally Posted by luky_13

Disclaimer - The stunts performed on this thread have been done under the close supervision of a bunch of lunatics, please do not try them at home. But even if you want to you are most welcome, but be warned that they are emotionally draining and make sure you are not married.

I'm more concerned about how you're getting your work done from the lathe guys, unless you own the shop. Don't tell me you own it, that way, the job becomes 50% less headache. I got very few work done at lathe in my Rx build & I'm fed up with those guys. But with almost every work getting done there, I don't know how much patience you've.

Originally Posted by luky_13

There was welding, welding...through the side of my eyes. More later.

Yes, I can understand. How do you make a quality finish? Some finished outcome & their methods with pics is highly appreciated. Tks.

[luky_13]

Originally Posted by aargee

Amazing, simply amazing write-up. The best write-up without any exaggeration. I could feel the lust crawling on me. I'm writing this after I've settled down; I'm still searching for right words!!! Hats off to you

I'm more concerned about how you're getting your work done from the lathe guys...

Yes, I can understand. How do you make a quality finish? Some finished outcome & their methods with pics is highly appreciated. Tks.

Thank you sir, for your kind words. Yes we do own the machine shop. I will need to create a new thread to explain the intricacies of a quality finish, which i will once this build is over.

[luky_13]

This is how the frame was designed to look like...


...and this is how it eventually turned out to be.


Some differences between the design and development:
1. The down-tube angle was changed from 101 deg. to 104 deg. This was done to accommodate the excessive vibrations that the unbalanced twin cam engine produces at lower rpm's (mostly at idling). 101 deg was getting too close to the engine head, so we moved it further by 3 deg for safety.
2. The point where the forward controls get mounted was changed from a uniform arc to steps. This was done to simplify the front motor mounting. The forward control bracket were also modified for better driving comfort.
3. The drawing does not show the rear struts, the development does.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by luky_13

I will need to create a new thread to explain the intricacies of a quality finish, which i will once this build is over.

Please, that would be a real mind blower & educational series for ppl like me. I'm also awaiting at the edge of my chair to read about...clutch assy

Originally Posted by luky_13

The down-tube angle was changed from 101 deg. to 104 deg.

I remember you telling this somewhere in the previous pages & also quoted that you made this mistake & imagine how HD makes 1000's of these precisely at their factory everyday. Isn't this same as that one or something different?

How's this frame different from stock frame? Didn't the 88cu engines come in 2 variants? Regular 88 & 88B? I'm little confused.

Originally Posted by luky_13

This was done to accommodate...so we moved it further by 3 deg for safety.

So that the engine doesn't hit the frame quite often. Is that the reason or something else?

Originally Posted by luky_13

the front motor mounting

Err...is this the self motor or something different?

Originally Posted by luky_13

The drawing does not show the rear struts, the development does.

Also, I find the drawing's rake angle wider than the actual output of the frame or is it just my assumption?

[luky_13]

Originally Posted by aargee

Please, that would be a real mind blower & educational series for ppl like me. I'm also awaiting at the edge of my chair to read about...clutch assy

Very soon !

I remember you telling this somewhere in the previous pages & also quoted that you made this mistake & imagine how HD makes 1000's of these precisely at their factory everyday. Isn't this same as that one or something different?

Yes they do, but thats an obscenely automated facility with precise jigs and self aligning fixtures and robots doing most of the welding.

How's this frame different from stock frame? Didn't the 88cu engines come in 2 variants? Regular 88 & 88B? I'm little confused.

The stock softail frame accommodates a Twin-Cam B motor (balanced) which is slightly longer and has different mating/mounting. I had a Twin-Cam A motor (unbalanced) so had to make required adjustments here and there to fit it in a softail frame.

So that the engine doesn't hit the frame quite often. Is that the reason or something else?

Yes thats right.

Err...is this the self motor or something different?

We are talking about the Engine here.

Also, I find the drawing's rake angle wider than the actual output of the frame or is it just my assumption?

The rake angle is maintained at 34 deg. as in the stock setup.

[anku94]

Originally Posted by luky_13

Very soon !

YES. That would be awesome. As cool as thread is, an educational thread where a noob like me could make head or tail of things would be great.

BTW, how much % of the build would you say has been completed ?