2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

[Animosity]

To chase a slightly different look, I've decided to go down the path of converting my 2012 Sportster 72 to a springer front end. The plan will be to run a build thread as I go through the process, noting that I couldn't find a great deal of info that covers the conversion from start to finish (apart from here: springer how to) so I thought I'd document it here for anyone else thinking of doing the same. Note that this is not a simple bolt-on option! There's a bit of mucking around to get it mounted up and few areas to remove on both the frame and forks to get them to work so if your squeamish about cutting shit off your bike or new parts then this isn't for you. I've already cut bits off the 72 like the stupid forward seat mount so I'm happy to bring out the angle grinder...

Being Aus based, springers can be an expensive purchase due to shipping, etc from the normal suppliers in the US, but I came across a great little Aussie firm Meatballs Springers who offer an early-style reproduction of Harley Davidson’s Springer forks as used on their big twins from 1936 to 1948 (early-style springer). Meatballs Springers have been fantastic to deal with and the quality of their products is second to none.

For this build I've gone with a black with chrome springs 20" setup to match the current lowered stance and which will compliment my lightly modded 72 nicely. Here's the current setup that I'll be starting with for the project.

[TriNortchopz]

cool, be good to read.

Here is a build thread of a +4 Meatball springer install on a Pan, by Prof at The Chopper Shed in SA:

Pan upgrade and meatballs 6 over springer...

"First up is a Meatballs 4" over springer and three degree raked headstem bearing cups.

Step one. Put her up on my truing stand. Step two remove the front end..."

http://www.choppersaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=8538&sid=96870e7a704c5b65a93e49fdeaf5d8a7

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

cool, be good to read.

Here is a build thread of a +4 Meatball springer install on a Pan, by Prof at The Chopper Shed in SA:

Pan upgrade and meatballs 6 over springer...

"First up is a Meatballs 4" over springer and three degree raked headstem bearing cups.

Step one. Put her up on my truing stand. Step two remove the front end..."

http://www.choppersaustralia.com/for...3e49fdeaf5d8a7

Thanks TriNortchopz - some great info in there!

[Animosity]

Before we get into the build, a quick post which I’ll keep updated for the list of parts, etc used during the build including must-have bits and anything optional (OPT):

• Early-style 20” Springer (standard length)
• Top Clamp – OEM Style (can use other styles)
• 1" HD Drag Bars (to be cut up to mount in the top clamp)
• Head Stem Nut Set – Early Style
• Headlight Mounting Bracket - Low Style (OPT)
• Wheel Bearing Reducers (25mm to ¾” for newer Sportsters)
• 1” ID x 2mm headstem washers (QTY 2)
• Chrome Screw-in Fork plugs (OPT)
• Fender Mounts (OPT)
• DNA LHS Brake Kit (lots of brake options to choose from)
• Aris Style Headlight (OPT)
• Speedo Relocation Mount (OPT)
• Bar Mounted and number plate LED indicators (OPT)
• 3mm Roll Pin and Safety Wire (OPT)

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

So a quick look at the Meatballs Springer that’s going on. Again, build quality is fantastic and the small details such as grease nipples for easier maintenance point to the time and effort Tony puts into his products. The headstem is 1" and fits the standard 2012 Sporty neck/headstem bearing set-up.









The springer comes with a 3/4" axle set-up so you'll need to either swap out the bearings or use reducers like I did to convert your wheel to accept the reduced axle - 25mm to 3/4" in my case.

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

Cutting time!

Early-style springers have steering stops on the back of the rear fork. These prevent the forks clearing the 2012 frame during assembly and need to be removed. No removal = no fit.



While you’ve got the grinder out, the factory steering lock prevents the forks turning to the right and this also needs to go. Drill out the retaining pin to remove the lock, cut off the majority of the lock stem and then blend into the frame. Once this is gone there’s plenty of clearance lock-to-lock. To prevent crap getting into the headstem I filled the cavity with body filler, sanded and then painted it black. I also touched up the forks while I had the paint out. No pics of this but you’ll figure it out…

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

Once you’re at this point the springer can be mounted up; however, you need to add a 2mm spacer to the headstem post top and bottom so that the forks don’t bind on the headstem when you tighten everything up. The order is 2mm spacer, dust cover, lower bearing – fit the forks – upper bearing, dust cover then 2mm spacer.











Throw the headstem nut on and tension up to spec.

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

I’m waiting for the early OEM style top clamp to arrive so I’ll move to the guard and front brake install.

To mount the standard guard, I bought a set of fender mounts that clamp onto the front leg and used a length of garden hose to set the correct height so that nothing rubs.

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

There’s a heap of brake options out there – I went with a DNA 4 piston kit in chrome which comes with a set of axle spacers and a brake stay arm (but no mounting hardware). Your rim/brake set-up will determine the layout of the spacers – just make sure that the wheel is centred, the disc is centred in the caliper, the caliper bracket is able to rotate and doesn’t bind, and nothing rubs or fouls. The spacers are meant to have the copper washers either side of the mounting bracket but that order moved the bracket too far inboard in relation to my brake rotor and I had some binding.



I mounted the brake stay arm on the outboard side of the caliper bracket to maintain a straight run of the arm and reduce the width of the spacer needed at the rear fork mount (I spaced mine out 6mm). It’s best to maintain the brake stay arm as parallel as possible to the bottom rocker.

NOTE: Depending on your stay arm specs, you might need to insert a bush into the rear leg mount which is a 1/2" diameter. My stay arm used 3/8" heim joints so I added a bush to bring the 1/2" hole down to 3/8" (no pics sorry).







Here’s a look at the setup (off the bike) to show the relationship of the rocker, brake stay arm, and fender mount. It’s all neat and tidy and nothing fouls during suspension travel. Ignore the brake hose – I’ll be running a 20 degree banjo fitting to lower the line down more than the standard fitting…

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

There are a few options for the top clamp – I went with the early OEM style as I wanted a clean look (no risers) and I can run internal bar wiring that gets hidden down the front of the clamp.

Trial fitment had the clamp sitting about 6mm higher than the top of the rear legs and minimal threads for the headstem lock nut. To fix that the headstem nut needs to be cut down at the bottom – once this is done the clamp sits at the right height and the lock nut has plenty of threads.

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

The next step is to sort out what bars you’re going to run and getting them welded or bolted into place. The clamp accepts 1” tubestock - I cut down a set of HD drag bars that I had on the bike previously. I don’t have a tig or the skills to do a nice weld around the clamp/bar joint, so decided to go with a rosette weld in 3 spots per side. Simply drill 3 decent holes in the clamp, insert your bars, and then weld. No pics of the final welds as they were fucking ugly (but worked).





While I had the grinder out cleaning up the birdshit welds, I also took off the top light mounting area of the clamp to clean up the lines a little. Here’s how it all looks on the bike. My plan was to get the clamp powder coated black but the raw look is growing on me so I might run it naked instead.

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

Waiting on some parts to come in to finish the bars so it's onto the headlight. The meatballs springers headlight mounting bracket works as advertised and does the job, but I wanted to mount the slim Aris-style triangle headlight as close to the springs as possible so it was out with the welder and grinder to modify the bracket to suit. It's not perfect but does the job.

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

Time to finish off the bars. The meatballs springers early OEM style top clamp comes pre-drilled for internal bar wiring. Assuming the bars you’ve welded in are setup for this, running the wires is straight forward and a neat way to clean up look of the springer overall.

Routing the brake line, clutch cable and wiring was a pain to get right but I managed to get everything neat and tidy while avoiding binding when turning lock to lock.

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

To make the bike legal I need to run indicators; however, the standard HD indicators didn’t look good installed onto the springer upper friction-clamp mounts so I went with fuck-off bright mini-LED’s there instead. To ensure I’m seen and not run over by a turning bus I also fitted a pair of mini-LED indicators on the mirror mounts.

[Animosity]

2012 Sporty 72 Early-Style Springer Install

To avoid ruining the clean look the springer gives the front end by mounting the speedo and idiot lights, I went with a side mount off the front cylinder.