Question about after market parts

[gunwish]

I am starting to do more of my own scooter maintenance. I have a 2016 HD Dyna Wideglide 103 TC with 39000 miles.

My next big (for me) project is to replace and rebuild the forks and neck bearings. The only thing that I can't do is press in/out some of the neck bearings.

I am looking at parts now and looking at different brands. I am close to a HD dealer and can order from them, but they can take awhile to get parts and can be pricey.

I have had good luck with Drag Specialty brand parts. Quality seems descent, price is good, and can be ordered online or from most independent shops.

What are your experience with after market parts?

Should I stick with stick HD part?

Or just don't worry about the brands, just get the right parts?

[docmel]

At only 39K, why change out those bearings? Regardless, if you want to change them out, remove the bearings and take them to your local bearing supply store (Do a local search for a Bearing Supply Store): On the bearing are numbers that they can cross ref. or they can take the measurements and source them. WAY cheaper than anywhere else that you can buy them. Bearings are like the most over priced items out there IMHO

[docmel]

On another note, I would not bother with rebuilding the forks unless its really needed (I doubt it at 39K) More to it than you might imagine

[gunwish]

At only 39K, why change out those bearings? Regardless, if you want to change them out, remove the bearings and take them to your local bearing supply store (Do a local search for a Bearing Supply Store): On the bearing are numbers that they can cross ref. or they can take the measurements and source them. WAY cheaper than anywhere else that you can buy them. Bearings are like the most over priced items out there IMHO

Thank you for that idea. I had not thought of that. There are plenty in my area

[gunwish]

On another note, I would not bother with rebuilding the forks unless its really needed (I doubt it at 39K) More to it than you might imagine

I am trying to go through my bike and replace items before they become an issue. The service manual says to rebuild the forks at 50k. I was wanting to do everything at once and just get it over with

[JBinNC]

No sense in rushing the service schedule by 10K miles. I think you will be happy with the fork seal kits and so forth that are available in the aftermarket. For the fork bearings, a clean and repack will probably be all that is necessary. If the races happen to need replacement, that requires some special tools.

Jim

[farmall]

Overhauling systems which don't need it should have a well-studied reason. Forks which don't leak or otherwise malfunction do fine with periodic fork oil replacement (which is often neglected) and can go many years before needing overhaul.

If you have money to spare the wise way is buy tools and equipment in advance of anticipated need (prices aren't getting cheaper) and put together a personal bench stock of consumables like a gasket and seal kit, complete charging system, complete ignition etc which can also be used for troubleshooting.

[10scDust]

In my experience; neck bearings should fair well with just a cleaning and repacking of good grease. If you want to tear into it that far.
The main reasons I ever found them needing attention was from contamination or races pitted from poor pre-load adjustment neglect.

If it ain't broke. don't fix it!

[docmel]

The OP has a good point Prices and quality. Price doesnt mean quality, and I can understand where he is coming from.

Bottomline, shop around on the net when you need a part. I have found there is a TON of dif prices for the same exact brand and part. And dont forget, shipping charges really vary as well. My response doesnt answer who makes the best parts, but I can say, the highest prices doesnt always make for the best quality part

Remember, the little baggy or envelope that has a HD brand and part number on it is most likely not actually made by HD, and the markup tends to be huge

[Whoremonger]

I would worry more about the shoes to the twin cam chain tensioners. They have been known to grenade a motor when worn out. I think recommended service is 45k miles. Not sure exactly what years this applies to, was a problem with the early twin cams i think.

[farmall]

They were supposedly corrected but I've seen pics of worn ones like

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/twin-cam-motors/1327443-2012-103-cam-shoe-wear.html

so certainly cannot hurt to inspect.

Nice opportunity for a camshaft upgrade while in there. I'm not a late TC guru but there are plenty of those on hdforums, vtwinforum and Harley Tech Talk.

The reason HD shitcanned the perfectly good 1930s lower runout design is purely because the more complex CNC machined parts are much faster to assemble because the work is partially automated. IMO those responsible should be stabbed in the dick.

If crankshaft runout is good (easy to inspect) then a gear drive cam solves the shoe problem by getting rid of them.

While precautionary replacement is generally pointless replacing wheel bearings when replacing tires is a good idea as the later non-tapered bearings don't seem to live as long as the tapered parts. The noise worn bearings make is distinctive "whirring". They're best removed and installed with the correct tool.