doing the conversion myself, suggestions welcome

[pcombe]

Great looking job. I wish I had the nerve to do it myself. Any idea of how long it took you to complete the job. Many pleasant miles of triking to you.

I am not really sure of the hours i spent in the conversion because i am not real fast at it.
Inexperience, would count as a factor because this was my first conversion, so i double checked most every thing i did. Also dealing with congestive heart problems and C.O.P.D slowed me down out of necessity. Danged Doctors just won't let me alone, However they did encourage me!

For the front drive gear pulley change out i spent about 4 days. Of course there are always parts issues as my bike is 24 yrs old.

For the front end i spent over a week, because my bike was so complicated to get at the triple trees and then reassemble it.

I know i spent a week on the rear end assembly, I learned that some parts you have to tickle together. I did have to do a little trimming on the body and champions pipes and mufflers were not a direct marry with my original header pipes despite what i was told.
Some one with a newer model would have no trouble i believe.
Once in a while the instructions would contradict them selves and i would wind up undoing something i had just completed to perform a step or two later in the instructions.
Read ahead of the present task and try to for see problems?
Never have the bikes original motor manual further away than arms length.
Check out my photo shots because some tools are indispensable.

I have drawings of how i removed the bottom neck bearing race, and i designed my own way to incorporate the air anti-dive system on the front end and i can tell you how to be able keep the newer bikes air over hydraulic front end.
I am smart enough to figure that out. but am too dumb to learn how to post it to my photobucket or this forum so you will have to shoot me an email at- pcombe@bresnan.net to see them!
I am told that many installers just eliminate that feature?
That's the nice thing about doing it myself.
I control quality and i don't necessarily give a damn what most installers do?
When they call some things good enough, I don't have to accept that as gospel.

[pcombe]

Attachment 8021

I just wanted to try and figure out nanas posting instructions with a couple of views of my new trike.

I got it once but i may not grt it twice?

[FLTR2008TRIKE]

Congrats on your successful build

[pcombe]

Congrats on your successful build

Thank you:
I wish i had a new road glide ultra to trike out.
I wonder why harley dosen't offer a fixed fairing version of the tri-glide?

My buddy that helped me in building mine would love to have my fairing on his trike.

[Papa Zook]

Paul, isnt it a good feeling to know that you did your own build and know that every nut and bolt and is torqued correctly and loc-tited, alignment is dead on and its all done right? If there is ever an adjustment that needs to be made or a part needs replacing you'll know exactly what to do. That's peace of mind brother.

On the other hand you now know why dealers charge what they do to do a conversion and rake install on a bike like yours. The ones that have enough experience to know what they are doing have paid a lot of dues conquering the idiosyncrasies of all the various makes, models and brands.

[pcombe]

Paul, isnt it a good feeling to know that you did your own build and know that every nut and bolt and is torqued correctly and loc-tited, alignment is dead on and its all done right? If there is ever an adjustment that needs to be made or a part needs replacing you'll know exactly what to do. That's peace of mind brother.

On the other hand you now know why dealers charge what they do to do a conversion and rake install on a bike like yours. The ones that have enough experience to know what they are doing have paid a lot of dues conquering the idiosyncrasies of all the various makes, models and brands.

Absolutely!
Just out of curiosity?
What would a dealer charge to do a bike like mine?

There were times i felt like i was doing it for a living.

[americanbadass]

Absolutely!
Just out of curiosity?
What would a dealer charge to do a bike like mine?

There were times i felt like i was doing it for a living.

You saved over 3 grand.....1800-2200.00 conversion labor...300-400.00 rake kit labor...and a lot of shops charge sales tax, and extra freight and handling fees. Plus you saved a buttload by painting it yourself.
Like Zook said, you have the pride and security of knowing it is done right.....that should be offsetting to the brain damage you incurred!

[Papa Zook]

Absolutely!
Just out of curiosity?
What would a dealer charge to do a bike like mine?

There were times i felt like i was doing it for a living.

Paul,
I'd love to get $2200 for an install but most shops I know of charge in the $1200 - $1500 range for the trike conversion tear-down and install labor with $1500 being the more typical range these days. I'm sure there are some who charge more, but I don't and most shops I know don't...that is UNLESS you hammer them really hard on the kit price in which case they may bump the install price a bit. The front end tear-down and rake kit install will typically run $300-$400 on a bike like yours and is worth every penny as it is a b**tch to do as you well know. Like any business, trike installers have to pay the rent, power, insurance, taxes and themselves a few bucks to in order to stay in business.

[americanbadass]

Those estimates I gave were based on my experience in Utah. Trike installers here won't even touch a conversion under 1800.00, doesn't matter if its a simple belt drive straight axle, or a CSC. Rake kits are about on par with Zook's estimates. No bargaing at all here because there are not many installers around.
On my conversion I saved 3600.00 by doing it myself.

[Papa Zook]

FYI, the Champion Harley Trike kits use the stock drive belt so the HD primary doesn't have to be broken down, new belt installed and reassembled, fluids and gaskets changed, etc like the longer kits do, longer being Roadsmith, Hannigan, CSC. This is definitely a consideration when I'm pricing a HD trike kit install. The new longer belt is included in the long IRS kits but the gaskets, fluids and extra labor are not.

[pcombe]

FYI, the Champion Harley Trike kits use the stock drive belt so the HD primary doesn't have to be broken down, new belt installed and reassembled, fluids and gaskets changed, etc like the longer kits do, longer being Roadsmith, Hannigan, CSC. This is definitely a consideration when I'm pricing a HD trike kit install. The new longer belt is included in the long IRS kits but the gaskets, fluids and extra labor are not.

Dear zook and ABA:
That gives me fair estimate.
Thank you both for responding.
I see what ABA is talking about. There is only one dealer that doe's conversions for champion that i could find in Wyoming.
The surprising thing is it's in a small town in the mountains,n Lander. Wyoming instead of a sizable town such as Casper Or Cheyenne.
Here in the western five state area we have very limited resources, And as a result services seem to cost more in many instances.
Its a wash between paying what is demanded or traveling a few hundred miles to save some bucks.
As a general rule Wyoming dosent produce much for shipment out of state, so the shipping can be higher due to less large trucking co. located inm the area.
I ordered a speedo cable from the Harley shop today and am told it will take two weeks to get it.

One thing i can very much agree on is the pride in workmanship i have in doing my conversion.
But i have to admit i am really tired,and need to recuperate some strength.
The small details can wait a few days.

Thanks to all who helped and encouraged me.

Paul

[pcombe]

pepper two weeks after the build i have had no problems with my conversion.

The 80" motor is fine for now, I have plenty of power, I wish i had a sixth gear on the transmission just to ease R.P.M. ( because i have always babied my old tour glide) but my trike runs really comfortable and levels out at about 72 m.p.h. and i don't personally need a race ready bike.
I haven't decided whether or not to take the motor down next year and build it into an 88" or leave it 80".
I have it in mind to run the highway to the sun in Glacier Nat. Park in Montana this summer.
I also plan to run The Locksaw range and Salmon River country in Idaho before long. That will tell me more?

I ride with guys who have much bigger motors, but they can go ahead and run the way they want.
I built mine and know i will be along directly.

[pcombe]

Champion Trike Kit with Broken Swing Arm Shaft
I bought a new 2005 Electra Glide Harley Motorcyle and triked it with a Motor Trike Kit. I rode the trike for 23,000 miles. I then changed the #trike to a #Championkit and rode for less than 4,000 mikes. The trike then started vibrating and bottoming out. I took it to a mechanic and it had the right threaded end of the swing arm shaft broken off in half. The middle of the transmission and the transmission casing were shattered.
Our mechanic has replaced 1 other broken swing arm shaft on a Champion trike. Champion definitely knows of a third incident and also there is one on the internet making 4 total incidents recorded. You decide! Is it the #Championkit or is it the Harley with swing arm shafts being weak. Champion says that Harley transmission cases are weak. The case didn't break the shaft, the shaft snapped breaking the transmission. Why are swing arm shafts snapping in half anyway? How does a weak transmission case break a 3/4 inch shaft in half? In my opinion, something is putting pressure on the shaft and someone needs to address the problem instead of pointing fingers and putting lives in danger. SERIOUS #DANGER!
Champion says 4 shafts is less than 1% of trikes sold. How many were fixed and not reported? My mechanic built 12 trike kits within 2 shafts broken, my math says that is 10%.
PS: I have a trike for sale.
Larry Hughes, NV
http://www.triketalk.com/forum/harle...ion-case-3650/
Not so Great Warranty..Champion IRS Trike Kit - General Motorcycle Discussion - Goldwing Technical Information - North American Goldwing Forum
Champion Trikes

I had heard of some of the problems.
I wasn't aware that Harley had any of the issues i thought was confined to gold wings.
I also thought it was only concerning the IRS kits. (i guess i learned something)
I will be be removing the body next winter to check everything out, but in the meantime i will watch for it.

My tour glide had about 85,000 miles on it when i triked it and i insisted on new bushings for the swing arm and champion provided and pressed them in for $100.00.
They were a heck of allot stouter than my original bushings.

I only mentioned the bushings as a contributing culprit?

[pcombe]

On my 1991, I had to cut the hard air lines for anti dive and reroute/reconnect with fuel line hoses and clamps. Had to do some grinding on the fittings, I believe. I worry about the same ignition switch going out on my 1991 tourglide, the switch is not reproduced and unobtainable. I have seen them sell used on ebay in the $200 range. Hope someone will start making them. Have you figured out how to make your front brake lines work yet ( I am assuming your triple tree kit had extended slugs to go in tubes). Does your fork lock still line up with hole in frame and work?

Hello Buster: I just thought i would let you know that i seen an ignition switch like ours from a 1995 electra glide on an E-Bay store called savage city cycles for $80.00