Steering Stem Removal

[Keizen89]

Hey guys, I need to replace the steering stem on a set of 35mm narrow glide trees and the damn thing is welded on.
Does anyone have any experience in dealing with this particular scenario?
Some direction would be greatly appreciated.

[JBinNC]

You will need a jig or fixture of some sort to hold it square when replacing it. This is not amateur hour type work, and if you are asking the question you may not be the man to do this particular job. Not to discourage you, but a bad job here could get you hurt.

Jim

[TriNortchopz]

What are you doing that requires replacement?
Was it damaged or just not fitting a different application?
Maybe its just getting a different tree.

Lots of knowledge and experience here, let us know what you are doing, or trying to do...details help.

[Keizen89]

That’s not discouraging at all when it’s true, I am totally out of my depth with this one.

[Keizen89]

What are you doing that requires replacement?
Was it damaged or just not fitting a different application?
Maybe its just getting a different tree.

Lots of knowledge and experience here, let us know what you are doing, or trying to do...details help.

I was transferring some parts off of a 82 FXE stock frame onto a Paughco Rigid and ran into my steering stem in the FXE being too short for the Aftermarket frame.

Funny thing is...I have a ‘95 narrow glide front end that does fit but...it has shaved lowers and I was really wanting to run dual disk, trying to find 39mm Dual disk sliders these days is ridiculous.

[garystaven88]

That’s not discouraging at all when it’s true, I am totally out of my depth with this one.

Consider a good used complete stem/trees. Cheap and plentiful.

Edit: just saw your reply posted seconds above with the issue being the stem length. Yup dont know.

[JBinNC]

I was transferring some parts off of a 82 FXE stock frame onto a Paughco Rigid and ran into my steering stem in the FXE being too short for the Aftermarket frame.

Funny thing is...I have a ‘95 narrow glide front end that does fit but...it has shaved lowers and I was really wanting to run dual disk, trying to find 39mm Dual disk sliders these days is ridiculous.

Any big twin tree should fit any big twin type Paughco frame. Even the mid-'80s XLs have the same length stem. Something doesn't add up here.

Jim

[Keizen89]

Any big twin tree should fit any big twin type Paughco frame. Even the mid-'80s XLs have the same length stem. Something doesn't add up here.

Jim

Jim that is exactly where I am with it.
How is my Mid 90s Sportster tree working and not this?

[JBinNC]

Jim that is exactly where I am with it.
How is my Mid 90s Sportster tree working and not this?

Does the threaded portion of the stem protrude through the top bearing?

Jim

[Keizen89]

Does the threaded portion of the stem protrude through the top bearing?

Jim

If my memory serves me correct, flush with top tree.

[JBinNC]

If my memory serves me correct, flush with top tree.

That's the way it is supposed to be. The top nut fits inside the tree, and is clamped by a cross bolt. Sounds like you are OK.

Jim

[Keizen89]

That's the way it is supposed to be. The top nut fits inside the tree, and is clamped by a cross bolt. Sounds like you are OK.

Jim

For fucks same Jim , I’m going to check in a bit here and I’m having a feeling you ain’t wrong and I’m gonna kick myself in the ass ��

[farmall]

Hmm.... I seem to have lost my anti-seize remarks in the editing. Anyway dry threads are still Satan's playground and if the threads get destroyed a bolt thru the stock nut into a drilled and tapped hole in the stem will retain the parts similar to the better 39mm setup.

Fab Kevin makes adapters to hang Jap sportbike calipers in place of the stock '77-"83 dual disc parts. I didn't see them on his website but I have a set so I know they exist.I loaned him the fork slider to use as a pattern. Still haven't gotten around to installing them years later but other bikes keep following me home.

As I recall (email him and ask) he offered them for larger rotors too which are a good idea and the result would match the 39mm with those rotors in performance which is decent. However there are two rotor bore sizes and the later 11.5" rotors ID is too small to fit larger OD Shovel mag hubs (or at least the one my 1986 FXRbro bought by mistake after bending a front rim for which I just bored the rotors for on my lathe). I've not memorized all the part numbers and cutoff years since I have enough books to look them up but if you're gonna mess with front ends homework pays off nicely.

Photo shows an old scrapped steel hub I sawed the good end off to use as a mandrel to bore later rotors for earlier hubs on my smallish lathe.

Noob lathe notes:
The flange bolt holes are larger so you'll have to indicate the rotor by lightly snugging your bolts and tapping with a brass hammer to center correctly. You may need to hit the rotor edge with emery cloth etc to smooth out any dings which interfere with accurate indication. If I were turning anything the full diameter of the rotor I'd machine a new mandrel with a larger flange or bolt it to a face plate, but this old hub is ample for boring rotor center holes. I didn't have a suitable boring bar (gotta mod one to fit my toolpost, my tooling is from mixed auction lots) but was able to use a turning tool by grinding some relief in the tool holder. Better to grind a custom tool or get the right boring bar for less hassle but the holes were correct and winning matters more than how ya won. Stainless steel eats cutting edges (and is stringy and smeary to machine) so use a boring bar with insert tooling.

[JBinNC]

Rust is nature's Loctite. (Red)

Jim

[Keizen89]

Seriously thank you both for the insight and wisdom, y’all are saving this projects life and getting me back on track!