Rear Wheel Spokes Refurbishment Complete

Hi

I have come across 11 new rear wheel spokes in a spare parts box that came with the Harley-Davidson WL when I bought it.  These spokes were galvanised, but they were in a very good condition.  I just removed the galvanising and then painted the spokes matt black.  I have now managed to paint a total of 43 rear wheel spokes - this gives me an extra 3 spokes for in case a spoke or two snaps when the wheel is assembled

This coming weekend I want to focus on painting the rear wheel rim.  I can then send the rear hub, the set of spokes and the painted rim for re-assembly and truing.  This is not something that I want to attempt on my own.

Re-assembling the Headlight

Hi. 

This is what the headlight assembly looks like in the parts manual.

Exploded View of the Headlamp Assembly

I have received the headlight reflector (part 4922-35) and have installed that, along with the bulb connector (part 4935-35). 

Next I fitted a new 6V bulb.

Then the lense rubber seal.

I then fitted two clips at the 8 o'clock and the 4 o'clock position 

Voila! 

Another Overview

Fitting the Speedometer Cable

Hi. 

In order to 'lash' (Palmer's words) the generator to switch wire to the Speedometer Cable, I had to fit the Speedometer Cable.  Here are some photos. 

Refurbishment of the Rear Spokes

Hi. 

In between all the other work, I have been sanding the rear spokes and have managed to paint 21 spokes. 

Switch to Generator Harness

Hi. 

Next up is the switch to generator wire. 

This is what Palmer says about the wire installation.

I have fitted the green wire to the "Switch" terminal post on the generator and the red and black wires to the relay. Here is a photo. Note the wire clamp on the down tube to keep the wire in place.

I then pulled the wiring through the dashboard hole and taped it with friction tape to protect the wiring from chafing. 

Installing the Headlight Wiring

Hi

The first wires that I have installed are the headlight wires.   Here is a photo.

According to Palmer, the black wire with red tracer connect to the large screw and the red wire with yellow tracer to the small screw. I have the wires the wrong way around. I'll fix that tomorrow morning.

Re-Wiring the Harley - Davidson WL

Hi. 

I have started re-wiring the Harley. Here is a wiring diagram from the WLA Manual (for early models).

 

I have come across another wiring harness that is more correct for the WL's. 

By way of introduction:

• Firstly, I have tried my level best to obtain New Old Stock, or NOS (original H-D wiring manufactured in the 1940's) wiring looms.  But I have not been able to get hold of all of the wiring as NOS and had to fall back to using replica wires that used the correct H-D colour codes, were cloth-covered and with the correct connectors (some connectors were flag type connectors, some circular connectors, some were just the wires rolled into a circle and soldered).
• Before I installed a wire loom, I would read up on what Palmer has to say about the wiring loom, how it should be installed / routed, etc.
• I would also have a look at the various manuals that I have on the WLA.
• I also made sure that the connectors were soldered on correctly - meaning that the flag connectors were in the right places, etc.
• I would then use friction tape to tape the ends of every wire, to ensure that the cloth covering does not fray.
• Only then did I place the wiring loom on the motorcycle.
• I also made sure that the looms were going through the correct holes on the dash panel.
• Then, I taped the loom in the positions indicated by Palmer.
• And I would then place the correct wire clip in the position indicated by Palmer.
• Lastly, I tested the loom with a multi-meter to make sure that it functions properly.
• Then go to the next wiring loom / wire.

The first wires that I have installed were the headlight wires - see post "Installing the Headlight Wiring".

I then installed the switch to generator wire - see post "Switch to Generator Harness".

Next I fitted the switch to fork harness - see post "Switch to Fork Harness".

I then connected the rear brake pull switch and connected the wires - see post "The Rear Brake Pull Switch".

Then I installed the handlebar wires - see post "Handlebar Wiring".

I connected the battery - see post "Battery Installation".

That was followed by the the switch to coil harness - see post "Switch to Coil Harness Installation".

After that, I connected the dashboard wires - see post "Connecting the Dashboard Wires".

I have also connected the headlight wires - see post "Connecting the Headlight Wires".

That was followed by pulling the brake light harness through the channel in the rear fender - see post "Fitting the Rear Light Harness".

Then I connected the horn button and the headlight toggle switch - see posts "Re-assembling the Horn Button" and "Re-assembling the Headlight Toggle Switch".

After that, I fitted the front terminal plate and connected the wires to the horn terminal plate. I also ran an earth wire to the horn terminal plate - see post “Fitting the Front Terminal Plate and Wiring“.

I then connected the above-mentioned earth wire to the dashboard base and completed the wiring of the dashboard.

I then test fitted the tanks and the dashboard to see if I have to shim the dashboard - see post “Test Fitted the Dashboard Cover and Tanks”.

Lastly I connected the two rear harness wires to the tail lamp - see post “Fitting the Rear Light Harness”. 

An All Original Guide Headlight, Reflector and Socket

Hi. 

The headlight of my Harley - Davidson WL  has Guide stamped on the shell. When I sandblasted the headlight it was clearly visible. The paint has partly hidden the logo.  Here is a photo. It looks like the shell was repaired at some stage and some of the stamping has been removed. But the motorcycle went through the 2nd World War for Pete's sake! She is entitled to have some scars! 

Palmer says that the original reflector has a full groove around it's edge for the seal to fit into. 

Here is a photo of the reflector that clearly shows the edge for the seal. 

In this photo I have fitted the seal - to show that the edge actually does accommodate the seal. 

Lastly the headlight socket. Palmer states that the factory used either a two or a three wire system. 

This photo shows that my WL has a 3 wire system. I have not refurbished the socket, as it was still in a reasonable condition.  The wires are clearly old.  Also visible is the ground wire riveted to the socket. 

Lastly, note that I have replaced the screws with the correct screws - the screws that were used when I dismantled the headlight were not the correct screws. 

The motorcycle did not have a lense when I bought it. I have managed to get a Guide lense on eBay.  

Headlight Reflector Restoration

Hi 

I am busy with the restoration of the headlight reflector. Here are a couple of 'before'  photos. 

And this is what the reflector looks like after sandblasting and painting. 

This coming week I will have the reflector re-coated to a mirror finish. I'll post a photo once that is done. 

Headlight Fitted.

Hi

She really is starting to look like a Harley - Davidson. 

Refurbishment and Re-Installation of the Front Fork Ride Control

Hi

The early Harley-Davidson's were fitted with a springer front-end.  But the problem with using springs is that there is nothing to dampen the up- and down-ward movement of the springs (the primary function of a shock absorber is to dampen this movement).

To overcome this issue, Harley-Davidson installed a ride control.  The ride control could be tightened by hand to restrict the movement of the springs as the motorcycle travels over bumps and ditches.

Exploded View of Ride Control

Today I sand-blasted the ride control and re-painted the various parts (except for the actual sliders) and then re-installed the ride control.  The sliders are made from stainless steel and is normally not painted.  The rest of the parts were painted black.  Here are some photo's.

Before

Disassembling the Ride Control

The Rod Sandblasted

The Rod Painted

The Ride Control Fitted (Front)

The Ride Control Fitted (Right hand side)

The Ride Control Fitted (Left hand side)

Both Front Fork Acorn Nuts are Original.

Hi

Both front fork nuts are original.  Palmer states that the original front fork acorn nuts comprised of a nut that were wrapped with an acorn shell.  But I can't find the photo - the book is 1020 pages and the index does not point me to the acorn nuts.  When I do come across the reference in the book, I will add it to this post.

Re-assembling the Front Fork

Hi

I have started with the re-assembly of the front fork. 

Exploded View of Dront Springer Fork

At this point I have fitted both the small lower fork springs and the larger lower fork springs - making sure that each spring was seated correctly.

Following Palmer's advice, I used a large clamp to compress the lower fork springs.  I then slid the spring rod bushes onto the rods and fitted both the small and the large upper fork springs - again ensuring that each spring as seated correctly.

I then fitted the fork nuts.  In this photo, one of the fork nuts has taken.

Both front fork nuts have been fastened.   I then fitted the fork acron nuts.