Back in 82 when I bought her, my 81fxef was our only transport for about 2 1/2 years, rebuilt her from the ground up 2 months after I bought her.( I mean down to the frame, which was powdercoated and engine down to the cases). And because the missus hated breaking down while balancing half a dozen Franklins bags I learnt pretty quick to sort the old Shovel out. Then I tinkered for the next 20 years I owned her, modifying, improving and fartassing around with her. Had a few mates that knew a fair bit about them and I learnt as I went. Broke my heart when I had to sell her. Sold it to a young bloke in Sydney, he brought along a mate who knew about Harleys and we worked out we knew a few people in common. The young bloke was looking for a bike with a bit of history and I was looking for someone who'd appreciate her. After refusing to sell her to a couple of wankers that had shown up he was the right bloke.
Got back on the road 2 years ago with my Heritage, and we are getting to know each other well.

Nice job with the re-wire Kymbo, I'll be doing something similar with my Heritage as soon as I can.

the fuse box is a great idea, and looks great. did you re-wire the whole bike, every wire? gunna do the same one day, i had to re do the kill switch as someone wired it straight to the ignition and by-passed the kill switch, took it in for the rwc and they picked that

Hi Kiwidave,
Hope you don't mind I use this thread to pass these on to Seaeagle, by the way, you still running indicators?
I took mine off on the Shovel and ran without them till I sold it. Just told the cops it was a pre 76 and I didn't require them.
Cris aka The Don



Wiring your Harley.

The first thing to do is to find the wiring diagram that best suits your bike.

1- Disconnect your Battery and remove. Earth wire first!! Remove you existing wire loom, if any. (You may be able to use some of the outer covering later.)
2- I’m assuming all your electrical components are in place, eg: Headlight, Horn.
3- Using a minimum 14 gauge strand Automotive type wires, select your colours for each component and route the wires connecting components. Work with only one wire at a time, and leave an extra 4 inches of length per side as insurance.
Tag each wire end and write WHERE IT GOES. Tape the wires to the frame so you have a rough wiring loom.
4-For the Battery and Starter Motor use at least 10 gauge wire.
5- Once you have all the wires laid out, route them so they will not be in danger of rubbing or dangling. You can now make a wiring loom and touch each wire end to the component it’s attached to. Without removing the tags, cut each wire down so you have 1 inch over the required length. Remove the loom.
6- You are now ready to affix terminals to your loom. Do it on a clean flat surface, make sure the soldering iron can be used safely. If you have kids this is a time you don’t want them around.
7- Avoid using spade or horseshoe type connectors, over time they have a tendency to open up or spread. Use eye type terminals that fit the studs or terminals on the components. These will tighten up nicely using star washers.
Don’t hook up wires without connectors, it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
8- Crimp or solder terminals well, I prefer to do both. Do not over crimp, excessive force will end up with a bad connection. Always use the appropriate size terminals for the wire gauge being used.
9- Avoid splicing wires in the middle of a circuit if you can run one wire instead.
10- You can now install your wiring loom, use tie wraps every 6 inches or so and route the loom away from contact with heat. You should be able to install it so it’s pretty much hidden from view.
11- After you finish and before connecting the battery, Double Check Every Connection! Better to be safe than sorry.
12- Connect the battery, positive first and test every circuit.

 

Hi Kiwidave,
I always try to keep the KISS(Keep it simple, stupid) principle in mind. We tend to forget
the age of the components on our bikes. I still find it hard to think of my 89 as obsolete.
To me, after owning the Shovel for 20 years it's a new bike!!! Well, it sort of is 'cause of
the motor being rebuilt and that. But other stuff, such as wiring, etc on it, is still original
(read 20 years old, Yikes!!!). I'll have to attend to that in winter, together with the new cam,
and other bits I want to change. Indicators were never a problem for me, the cops never
picked on that, I did ride till 92 without a helmet (I had an exemption) so they mostly hassled about that.
post 92 the buggers knew nothing about Shovels and just ignored me, (told them it was a 56 Pan
Ha,Ha, they never questioned it.)
Oh hell, the good old days, the older I get the better they were.
Regards,
Cris

Sorry to hear that Dave, I know you are pretty savvy with the Shovels and this may be a silly thing to say, but have you thought Compensating sprocket?
Cris

Sorry to hear that Dave,

Don't stress too much about it just pull it apart and get into it.

You know that there's plenty of help available on the forums and just think of how much more confident you will feel once you've done it.

I haven't done a bottom end so won't be much help but let me know if there's anything that I can help with.

And here was me felling sorry for myself when my clutch cable busted last Sunday on what was up until then a perfect ride.

Mark.

dave, that sux, if ya need any tools just yell out...
cris, thanks for the wiring diagram, all sorted now rwc done.

OK Dave,
Thought you'd probably check Primary/Compensator/Stator Rotor. Next as you say is Lifters, because of the way noise travels through the motor I hope the problem may be a collapsed hydraulic unit. That's not a biggy and can be checked without opening the cam case, next is roller failure and that one we need to check with cam case open, and account for all bits and pieces that may have fallen off.( I'd replace the whole lifter as a unit if that's the case.). If cam case side is clear, I'd think about wrist pin clip failure. I can't tell you specifics as I didn't hear the noise the motor was making, but big end failure would make little noise in it's early stages and mostly under power when taking off in first. By the time you heard it loudly, the bottom end would be viewable through the nice big hole in the bottom of the cases.(I'm not being funny, just trying to look at it as a plus. If you heard the noise loudly and the case is intact it's not that.) Wrist pin clip failure is next and is a pain, you may have to re bore and open her up completely to find and clean up any bits in the bottom end and also to check the oil pump for damage.
Hoping it's not a major pain mate,
Cris

Hi Dave,
There is a sneaky problem within the compensating sprocket assembly. Sometimes you check the nut for the right torque and the gauge says 80-100 ft/lb so you think everything's OK. Then you try to turn the assembly by hand and Bugger me. It Moves!!!. The nut is actually bottoming out and should be replaced. In Alternator Shovels till 82 a thrust washer shaped like a cup or cover as you put it, was used. with time this wore out and also caused the knocking sound. If you only replaced the cover thrust washer and not the nut it may still be the cause of your noise.
I'm just thinking that it's easier to also replace the nut and check again than to go full tear down first.
Regards,
Cris.

PS: If you can find a washer of the right size, place it under your existing nut and torque to specs and check it that way, saves buying a new nut if I'm wrong.

Bugger!!!! OK my friend looks like it's look at lifter time. ( Not being funny, but you did check if the stator rotor was ok?)

Well mate, sounds like you're getting into the cam case.
Things you'll need:
-Rubber mallet to gently bump the cover and break the seal, you might need to use an edge
tool to pry it loose, cutting in on the gasket join carefully. If it needs more persuasion than that
get the lifter stools out and reach in with a punch or a rod and gently tap the cover from the inside.
-2 jaw puller for the pinion shaft gear, (don't forget the pinion shaft nut is LEFT hand thread 35-45 ft/lb.)
you can use 2 adjustable shifters as a special tool to get the nut to turn, one on the nut and
the other on the first one's handle to turn it. Don't forget there is a key in this shaft, don't loose it.
-If you need to replace the torrington bearing B-138(not a bad idea to do it anyway, God knows you
don't want to have to get in there again soon.) you'll need a bearing puller, see if you can borrow
one. I haven't got one, but I'm sure you'll find someone.
- The rest are all normal tools you should have in hand.
If you get to the point that you have to also disassemble the oil pump let me know, I've got spare bits
and a few tips.
regards,
Cris

Have a good one Dave,
I'm off with the Fam down to the Central coast to visit some friends myself.
Staying at The Entrance, it's also my 27th Wedding Anniversary so got to do the right thing by the wife.
Regards,
Cris.

Hey all,

Good diagram Cris the only thing I would add and have is a 100amp fuse in the battery earth wire so when you have to work on your bike you can just pull the fuse not have to disconect the wire, hey i'm lazy work hard once and easy everytime after that . Hey Kiwi I've got next week off if ya need help let me know here and I'll give you a ring, also really interested to know what Harley shops here in Melbourne are good with Shovels .

 

Regards

Knocker

x2 knocker, dave if ya need a hand....would be good to see a shovel from the inside out, that wasnt mine....yet!

Just got my first shovel. What happened to this thread? No posts for five years?
What happened to all them shovelheads?

I just bought a 1979 FXE Shovel last week and was thinking the same thing

Hi Guys, 

have a look at these old threads, and the last site is where I uploaded a lot of stuff you may want to have a look at,

Cheers, Cris

http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&postid=92457&view=topic
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&tpage=2&view=Topic&postid=85919
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&postid=78368&view=topic
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&postid=89184&view=topic
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&postid=89928&view=topic
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&postid=97830&view=topic
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&postid=99364&view=topic
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&tpage=3&view=Topic&postid=150329
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&postid=106011&view=topic
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&postid=179399&view=topic
http://www.hdforums.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=71&forumid=19&postid=219203&view=topic

http://www.4shared.com/account/dir/mWghPw7P/sharing.html

Hi KiwiDave - I just bought a 79 fxe superglide with an S@S and a few other goodies on her - It was an import from USA and I got it off the importer and got it straight through rego and have cruising around slowly to check it out, I tried to put up a photo but that didn't work. I just ordered a set of fournales and looking at a set of forward controls. I have to lift my foot way of the peg to put my foot on the brake but I am just getting used to it so I see if I change it. 

Hey Kiwidave - I bought a 79 fxe superglide shovel with an S@S and a few other goodies - I tried to put up a photo for half an hour!