The only other element that needs scrutiny is the starter pinion shaft and gears. With a little care and measuring, your starter will work effortlessly for years to come. Watch the installation closely.
Let's get to work: This application was chosen for a near-stock Evo Softail with no offset. Roger won the Free Bikernet Door Prize Giveaway that we post weekly. BDL has offset insert kits for their front pulleys from 1/4-inch to 2 inches.
We started by removing the primary cover on Roger's home-built custom Softail. For some reason, instead of oil Roger packed his inner primary with grease. The chain was loose as hell. It took a 1 1/2-inch socket to remove the compensator nut. We used the handle of an old screwdriver to jam the chain. Mailman grabbed a 9/16 socket and removed the chain adjuster nut, while I dug out a 1 3/16 socket for the clutch basket, which is left handed.
We stopped for a minute and removed his custom embroidered seat and the ground wire from the battery to the frame. You don't want to touch that starter drive with the battery connected–it will engage.
We removed the driveline as one piece and set the greasy bastard aside. With a screwdriver or wedge we bent the tab on the starter drive gear and with a 5/16 socket removed the long bolt from the starter jack shaft. We set this stuff aside in case we might need it for the installation, although the BDL kit comes with a complete starter pinion shaft and gear.
Here's the catch. If you're not running a stock starter, you may need some versatility when it comes to the installation. We did since Roger ran a Compu-Fire starter. Next, we removed the starter Allens from the right side and set them on the lift. The starter didn't need to be removed or disconnected, just backed out.
Note from a reader:First, the BDL installation guide is GREAT! There is, however, one VERY important part missing and I hope you can add a notation to the web.
After successfully installing my BDL, I notice a few drip of oil after every ride. Nothing major at all, but annoying. After pulling the drive train several time, I finally called S&S and learned that the Sprocket Shaft Seal needs to be installed the opposite direct as with wet primaries.
The Harley Part number is 12026B. It's an easy install, but a real pain to pull the entire primary, so this would be a very good tip to include EARLY in the guide.
Hope this will help anyone else installing an Open Primary…
Next we bent the locking tabs down around the inner primary bolts, then removed the bolts. Mail man saved Roger's engine sprocket shim and pulled the alternator rotor for inspection to see if any magnets were loose. It was golden, so we moved immediately into the installation phase.
First we placed the pulley/shaft insert into the front pulley. Here's where you'd be forced to find an offset insert for an offset drive line. We installed the Allens in the holes to hold the pulley in line (not permanently). There's a reason why they use roll pins and bolts and we discovered it later. If you need to remove the pulley, a puller is necessary and the Allens will need to come out. The roll pins hold the pulley securely in line. Using a drift punch we started the roll pins, then used a vice as a press, then finally finished the job with another punch. These slip into the unthreaded holes from the back.
Here's a key we forgot. It's easy, but don't forget to install the polished alternator cover onto the backside of the pulley with the three supplied button-head Allen bolts, with Loctite. We forgot and had to remove the pulley later.
At this point I crawled around Roger's bike loosening up all motormount bolts with 9/16s sockets and wrenches. Bandit has one wrench, heated and bent to a 90 degree angle for the left rear nut under the frame. Works perfect to get a grip on that sucker. Mailman removed the two bolts holding the top motor mount to the head, since we had a tough time reaching the top motor mount bolt above the carburetor. With the engine loose we checked the alignment of the rear pulley to determine whether we felt we needed to loosen the transmission. We eyeballed the rear belt to transmission alignment and the belt for wear.
With supplied Allens I bolted the inner primary securely to the transmission, after cleaning a rusty residue off the main shaft preventing me from slipping the bearing and inner primary into place.
With the inner primary securely in place we looked at the engine. It looked seriously out of line. We installed the front inner primary Allens and the engine sucked right into line. It fit like a glove. We checked it top and bottom, side to side with feeler gauges and tightened the Allens all around, then I tightened the engine back to the frame and Mailman tightened the top motormount down.
In the instructions from BDL they pointed out that no engine shaft splines can protrude from the front pulley. We dug around and found a .190-inch spacer and used Roger's .010 shim for pulley spacing. Suddenly the pulley seemed to be in just the right position.
With a wire brush we cleaned the splines on the transmission mainshaft and slipped the entire clutch package into place. We checked the alignment with the front pulley with a straight edge. It was cool so we removed it partially and slipped the belt into place and attempted to install the front and rear pulley/clutch. It was guitar string tight and we fought it until Bandit stepped up with a handmade spreader tool made up of two 2-by-2 pieced of 3/4-inch thick wood to protect the pulley surfaces. Pressure came from a large coarse thread, 5-inch, 1/2-inch bolt and large washer stuffed in a 3/4 deep socket. It worked like a dream to hold the pulleys aligned while spreading them slightly.
We slipped the entire driveline in place then discovered that we forgot the rotor cover. We used a common puller for the front pulley (with Allens removed) and a JIMS puller on the rear for the clutch. Slipped right off. We installed the polished aluminum rotor cover and replaced the driveline (don't forget to dab the mainshaft splines with red locktite to prevent vibration wear on the shaft or pulley), then using a straight edge we double-checked pulley alignment. It was golden.
Mailman installed the left handed clutch nut with seal, clutch pack, pressure plate and clutch springs, then the snap ring and pushrod adjuster. We installed the engine pulley nut (right-handed threads) and snugged it down for final alignment checks.
With every thing in place and running cool we installed the clutch cover with supplied Allen countersunk socket heads and the front pulley cover. Both these beautifully polished aluminum billet covers come with bearing races pressed on the noses. Mailman made up the bearing plate, aluminum stands with threaded studs and screwed them into place.
“The stands tighten themselves,” Mailman said who is an avid racer of dragster Sportsters. “They're tightened from both ends.”
Next we installed the stylish polished aluminum outer cover that contains two massive bearings. It's held in place with four stainless doomed Allen bolts that Bandit polished for a chromed look. Bandit made a comment about how he liked the original BDL system without the outer cover, but Mailman straightened him out.
“This system is similar to top fuel systems,” he said. “It supports the entire driveline with this plate and bearings. Adds alignment and strength.”
We installed the final bearing caps and turned to the Starter pinion gear from BDL which is designed for stock Harley starter motors.
They also supply two long bolts with every belt drive, 1/4-20 by 2 1/2 inches long for '90 to '93 starters and a 10-32 by 2 1/2 inches for '94 and up. It comes (in order from the starter out) with a spring seat, then a spring, the pinion gear (or jack shaft), then a pinion gear tube (small diameter first). It fits into the pinion gear from the outside, then a bolt collar and the bolt (don't forget Loctite).
With all the elements slipped over the starter drive shaft, we tightened the bolt down. Giggie from Compu-Fire taught us how to check the drive play or air gap between the starter drive gear and the clutch ring gear. The gap is intended to be between .075 and .125. We learned to check it with Allen wrenches. A 1/4 Allen is .250, so a 1/8 is .125 a 1/16 is .062. We checked it since, if it's too close the starter doesn't get a chance to muster full momentum. If it's too far the starter gear is flying and doesn't want to engage with the ring gear. We slipped various Allens between the two gears and checked the clearance. It wasn't right (there's shots of this operation in the Shrunker FXR tech on installing the latest Compu-Fire Starter).
Here's where we ran into a glitch since Roger's bike was installed with a Compu-Fire Starter. We ultimately used the coupler and drive gear from his original jack shaft and it worked out fine. We greased the brass bushing in the starter gear cover and slipped it into place and bolted it in with the supplied 5/16 Allens. This monster fired right to life.
The EVO-3000 is also available as a retro-fit through a BDL kit. It will retro fit to all BDL Softail and Dyna drives. The support plate keeps the engine and trans shafts from flexing. This plate is a must for all large engine, wide tire applications. The BDL Retro Kit includes a polished custom billet support with bearings pressed in, polished pulley covers with races, new pressure plate and hardware. Modifications must be made for fitment.
There she is. A thing of beauty. It's not only cool, but strong and supportive for performance, wide tire bikes, or any bike for that matter. Bandit pointed out that it's happy hour.
Let's Ride.
–Wrench
