I was wondering if anyone can tell me if there'd be a reason to have the primary drive inspection cover on my 88' FXSTS sitting a 1/4" off the mounting surface?

Someone before me has put nuts between the back of the inspection plate and the mounting surface of the primary cover so that the inspection plate sits a 1/4" off the mating surface of the the primary cover?

Would appreciate any info on this and whether it's necessary to have the inspection plate like this for any specific reason, just doesn't look right to me?

Thanks Dave, yeah it's a belt drive alright, and the derby cover is a solid cover (not vented in any way see pic), so if I put the inspection cover back on with the air gap (roughly 1/4" will that be enough?

 

Dave would it be worth taking the 'O' ring seal off the mating surface of the Derby Cover and putting a thin spacer (say 1/8") under each off the screws between the cover and the primary case to pop the Derby Cover out a little bit to help vent the primary case and keep the belt cool, or will it be okay with just the inspection cover 1/4" off the mating surfaces venting the primary case to keep the belt cool?

I'll have a look at what available in vented covers as you suggested, better to be safe than sorry, and yeah I don't like the thought of spacing the covers out to try and vent the case.

Thanks, I looked a long time to find this bike, first saw them in a Brochure in 1989 when I was looking at buying my first HD but they were a bit too pricey for me back then. And yeah it is original paint and decals, it's the 85th Anniversary Model first of the return to the Springer front end. I love it because riding it reminds me of my first bikes (Engine, frame, wheels, seat & handlebars and not much else) I use to love riding those old beasts, the smell and the sound made them feel like a wild animal, they scarred the shit out of you but they were exciting to ride!

You want something like this

 

Yeah that's a good looking cover, I'll have a look to see if they have em for my bike.

should be still able to get them ,if not get a rough one of flea bay get out the dreamel ,diegrinder ,and make your very own 1 of a kind

yeah thought about doing that already after seeing that case, my case has a couple of scratches already so I might give it a going over with the dremel after I come up with a plan for it, thanks.

Maybe something like this mate

 

You could always convert it to a chain primary.

Yeah thanks for the suggestions guys, I think I'll put a vented derby cover on as well as vent the inspection cover for now, looked at converting it to chain drive and I might do that when the belt needs replacing.

Can anyone tell me what the pro's and con's of converting to a chain drive are? I don't ride the bike hard (I'm 60yrs old so I'm past my boy racer days) just cruise along now, so is there any benefit in converting the bike to a chain drive or would I be just as well off with just replacing the primary belt when it needs it?

Any info and opinions would be appreciated, thanks again to all.

Remove the cover all together, small belt guard, done !!!

Nice looking bike, they look best as originals. please don't put crap all over it, if your going to change it keep the original parts, or buy a new one, they have more "shiny/stuff/bling/crap" on them than you can poke a stick at.

I had the first deposit on the first one to come into WA 6 months or more before it arrived, but a business oportunity came up and I way out bush and asked for my money back. They said there were a dozen people in the que by then and it was not a problem. Always regret it and think of it every time I see one of these originals. Kicked myself so much years later, I felt like a one legged man in an ass kicking competition.

Still trying to figure out the exhaust, seat, wiring etc and the gear linkage in Hound Dog's picture. One chromed bit of wire looks like the pin out of a grenade or the three point linkage off a tractor, a lot of creativity there. You just cut out your own air vents and hold them in with a big washer?

 

Well whoever owns it has certainly done a job on it alright. When I was looking for a HD I was thinking of buying something that was a bit of a basket case and doing that to it, was inspired after I saw this nice old ute sort of half done and left looking a bit rough around the edges, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it, well maybe one day.