Harley Crankshafts Explained by Zipper's

[@mrh3085]

My stock 120R was a POS from Harley. TMan Performance Installed a Timken bearing, lightened the flywheel, his Nikasil jugs, cams, etc. night & day difference. Sad that HD can’t build a quality piece but thankful for companies like yours, doing the research and providing answers to those of us who can never have enough horsepower.

[@Butch32002]

Thanks for posting this.....a HD salesman told me they were " bullet proof " while trying to sale me a used Harley with the 103. I'm still riding my 1340 Evo.

[@williamquire2115]

After my twin cam shifted the flywheels I fixed it sold it and bought another Evo. Ride on

[@milomanx6531]

The longer I have and work on my 2005 Twin Cam, the more I wish I had bought an Evo!

[@michaelmitchell5909]

Great informative video... Got a 2003 screamin eagle 103 in a cvo road king with 47,000 miles, it shakes like no bodys buisness...definately needs trued up and balanced. I'll keep you guys in mind for sure

[@cavscout62]

All I can say is DARKHORSE lowers and ZIPPERS uppers with a Kevin Baxter tune.

[@goodboyringo9716]

Darkhorse doesn't sell parts for anything before 2007

[@arthurcutaiar9994]

Bummer. I have an 88 that needs some balls​@@goodboyringo9716

[@tenwalls2428]

I've just started watching some of these HD lower end/bearing/crank,/oil pump/cam plate/compensator/cam and primary chain tensioner/over-heating/oil in breather videos. It's disgusting. From a newcomer's perspective, it appeaars to me that if Harley Davidson also owned and operated a majority of the repair shops in North America, they would have 1. had to close their factory doors years ago from unsustainable warranty/repair costs or 2. would have corrected each and every known issue during the initial manufacturing process. Instead, they've created the necessity for an entirely separate industry of shops and technicians just to correct all the manufacturing/design problems from HD factories. If these third party participants can true a crankshaft and assure an acceptable operating run-out condition, then HD can certainly produce that as well. For some reason, the company does not have to achieve nor sustain those tolerances. Nor, aparently, design an oil pump that meets application requirements. HD customers accept the bullsh*t substandard offerings, year after year. HD has been the luckiest corporation in the history of the United States in that their customers are paying for all the necessary repairs/upgrades instead of filing lawsuits. Most of these issues mentioned in the first sentence would be acceptable and understandable to occurr in a 10 year old bike with high mileage, but these issues are common in latest generation products. Totally unacceptable. And I really hate saying this because HD makes the most beautiful motorcycles in existance, but the only way in hell I'd buy a new HD motorcycle would be with a 50K mile parts and labor and towing warranty.

[@wilde.coyote6618]

They do a nice job with paint and chrome.

[@ThomasELeClair]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Your short story on harley production and quality is true,,,,,,,sad,,,,,,,.............We have the best racers and gearheads that formed aftermarket companies , for good equipment...........

[@02lowrider62]

It really is screwed up that we all support Harley and they can't even give us a product that we can depend on. I understand people like to modify there bike for extra torque and HP but we shouldn't have to worry about our cranks taking a dump basically at the get go it's a disgrace ! Harley get with the program

[@BFG100K]

02lowrider62 HD has been trying to cut costs for many years by reducing quality. Yes the paint and finish on things that you can see is great, but the important stuff like engine tolerances, mounting and quality control is a disgrace. Not even balancing of the wheels is done right from the factory. Company motto seems to be: “How low can we go and still get away with it”.

[@leh3827]

Long time hard rider friend says the new ones aren't impressive. Too bad but seems to be everywhere.

[@ThomasELeClair]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,been a mechanic for five decades............Worked on my first M 8 in 2023 ; the engine had a burnt and leaking head gasket........the bike was a 2018.........POS , would never own one , and would always never recommend buying new harley garbage................................

[@arthurcutaiar9994]

No, harley get lost! Go under already you ponzi schemers

[@Mike-jv8bv]

​​@ThomasELeClair was it stock or heavily modified?

[@alanwhiteside410]

I think if my 2016 TC engine ever goes bad I’ll be putting in an S&S and a Baker transmission. Heck S&S should build bikes!

[@richardpitts6284]

Used to , lap the Rod's big end , and reem the piston pin ends . We would twist and straighten rods also if needed ! Don't know if this is still done ?

[@dennism103]

I got the torque cam and the stage 2 in my m8 luv it!

[@125saito]

I'm getting the same done in early Sept. 468 cam, lifters, pushrods and updated oil pump. JD's Cycle Works, Nazareth, Pa.

[@arthurcutaiar9994]

Yeah they're nice.when they oly have 300 miles on em.

[@tomharvey704]

Nice video!

[@neil4602]

What about M8s? Same crank design just balanced?

[@elusivesambar8657]

What are the symptoms of a crank with excessive runout, and are these symptoms exacerbated if you install a big bore kit like an s&s 124ci ?

[@ricaurandt6713]

Oil pump failure, stator failures, broken output shafts, excessive vibration, camshaft wear, etc.

[@gjames57]

Dang Danny haven't seen you since the 80s were all getting old.

[@ThomasELeClair]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Danny,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,thanks for the zippers racing legacy you left us.........I was a customer and friend of the late great builder , Jim Simpson ; back in the early nineties we left an Atco meet.......Jim said we are meeting with John Zeynor [ forgot correct spelling of john's last name ] ,,,,,what a thrill for me to be near the best and top people in Ironhead drag racing.................................

[@gimmecom]

Increase the crankpin diameter and not the output spline? WTF!

[@buykeralsnyder9899]

Can you replace the compensator splined shaft on a twin cam

[@championm1356]

I am looking for 2006 dyna street bob (GX) refurbished crankshaft

[@CMFS101]

What do you think of the S&S Crank that is an option for the Zippers Muscle kit?

[@fmanion24]

Do you need to rebalance the crank when you change pistons?

[@Sedge1962]

no

[@creigmacc]

The run-out issue is due to wear, or improper manufacturing?

[@Sedge1962]

rather the last one

[@ClovisPoint]

shit engineering

[@mopar340dave]

Do you have any recommended shops near Daytona?

[@jackwilson4197]

Harley bottom ends have THE worst ratio of connecting rod Journal size and pinion and sprocket shaft size in the industry

[@wilde.coyote6618]

There is a shop in Redford Michigan, they made 1 piece billit h.d. crankshaft. It used big block Chrysler rods. Im sure in a stock application, it would be a worth while investment.

[@Stoney-Lawson]

IS it truthfully this common on a stock engine?

[@Mike-jv8bv]

Ive looked everywhere for this question. I think its not as common as drama queens say it is on the internet. Otherwise, you'd have a massive class action on it.

[@theslowride66]

SOOOooooo, Ya really dint tell why its got 20 & 50 Thou run out or how to fix it.

[@killer2600]

The two flywheel halves that are pressed onto the crank pin moved and are no longer running true. The fix is to rebuild the crank and weld it to prevent it from happening again.

[@theslowride66]

@@killer2600 Thanks for the reply. What happens if the metal moves while welding? I've heard this about twin cams. another reason to love my EVO.

[@killer2600]

@@theslowride66 The crank pin is pressed/secured as usual. The welding backs up the press/secured fit to ensure the parts don't/can't shift while in use. So the parts shouldn't shift while welding, if they do then you do it over again.

[@bodeine454]

@@theslowride66 Are you wondering if they would press and true the crankshaft/flywheels and then weld and send them out without checking to make sure they're still true after welding? If that happened they would probably basically start over again and re-press, re-true and re-weld until they got it right.

[@ThomasELeClair]

@@killer2600 ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,even after welding,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the crank will shift from perfect alignment when the engine is under racing type loads.........................

[@CactusJack252]

Sportster motors don’t have this issue. Long live the EVO!

[@MidnightExpressMC]

The later Evo Sporties also have pressed-in cranks…

[@jackwilson4197]

Its not new the press design xr 1000 had press together bottom end

[@ricaurandt6713]

All harleys have had the 5 piece press fit bottom end since 1903.

[@jimsomers7182]

@@ricaurandt6713 NO. Both are incorrect. All 5 piece HD cranks have been taper lock pins and shafts. The pressed crank pin bottom end came from the HD XR 750 flat track racer back in the early 1970's. Those engines spin at 9000 rpms and they flex like f while delivering 100+ horse power to the rear wheel. But for 40 years they stayed together under full load and power. The only ones that came apart on the race track were ones that were incorrectly assembled, balanced and trued. On the XR100 - It was a conventional sportster engine with a fitted XR750 top end. The crank was the conventional five piece taper pin crank. The factory opened up the head counterbore for the cylinders allowing a larger cylinder sleeve so a 3.1875" bore dia. from 3.125" dia. could be attained. They also relocated the cylinder studs in the cases to allow all this. The 1/16" bore increase took the engine to 1000cc's displacement from the 750cc's of the factory racing engine. The XR1000 motorcycle came out in 1984. To my knowledge they only made 1000 of them - not much more than that if I'm wrong.

[@mikemurphy8327]

Is a final end play of .004 after timken conversion acceptable

[@johndsmith7785]

Not for gear drives

[@thomasheer825]

Can describe a HD crankshaft in one word "Obsolete". Sorry the last assembled crankshaft on high performance bikes was in the 70's with Suzuki. They went away from assemble crankshafts because they shuffle around and beat themselves to pieces. Sorry I will stick with other brands.

[@thomasheer825]

@@PeterAngles-ks9fp BTDT and got the T shirt on that one. On a side note, look how many aftermarket manufacturers are out there with an alternate performance crankshaft, tells me volumes.

[@thomasheer825]

@@PeterAngles-ks9fp got to agree with you, have been riding BMW or OMG a Goldwing for the past 40 years, and various other brands since the late 60's. Have had exactly 2 Harley during that timeframe and BOTH were problems going somewhere to happen. Now several of my BMW's have had over 300k put on them, all not so easy employment, and only have had 1 that almost wouldn't get me home. Had a shift cam spring break so the transmission was stuck in second gear. Got me home but rather slowly. The Goldwing alternator stopped alternating, but again got home with some creative roadside bubble gum engineering. Hell, my old 1967 Triumph TR-6 650 only got trailered home once, well Lucas "Prince of Darkness", ignition failed. Now for the Harley, they got more trailer miles than self-powered miles.

[@thomasheer825]

@@PeterAngles-ks9fp agree with you totally on that one. These guys are also well known to foist off Routine Maintenance as basically anything under a major overhaul. Things like cracked rear cylinder head, major oil leaks and I mean a steady drip not weep, primary chain failures, cam drive system failures and such were in their "Routine Maintenance" category. While on bikes like my BMW R1150RT and Goldwing, major repairs consisted of changing out the battery. Yes, on the Beemer it is a pain to change the battery, someone was not thinking about that one. And on the Oldwing, changing out that damn cam belt every 50k miles was a dealbreaker. Actually on the Wing that cam belt change was about an hour job if you could remember "Righty Tighty, leftey losie".

[@dennisschell5543]

Harley doesn't have a "crankshaft" they have flywheels....

[@bussah14]

💪🏿💪🏿👍🏿

[@samwittstruck.6685]

1920's technology. V-Turd.

[@A-37Bdragonfly]

Harley davidson the FORD yugos IN THE MOTORCYCLE INDUSTRY..I will never buy garbage

[@EazyDuz18]

only a fool would buy a POS harley

[@goodboyringo9716]

I call it Harley junk !

[@omarsalgado9715]

You're very dedicated to bash H-D all around YT. Do you even ride or have a motorcycle? Seriously, if you were happy with what you ride, if that's even the case, you wouldn't mind if a brand of motorcycles succeeds or fails.

[@goodboyringo9716]

@@omarsalgado9715 .... I'm dedicated to getting my money worth . I don't feel that a company should be charging 20,000 for a bike that is build cheaply and need repair 10,000 miles or sooner . If you watched the video you'll know Harley crankshafts are junk. They are pressed together and shift causing run out in the pinion shaft in-turn killing the oil pump. Harley has many other problems, primary chain adjustor , compensators, cam bearing in the 1999 twin cam brand new engine , and more. So don't give me your sorry ass story that I bash Harley and that you don't know if I ride . Harley is the fault of their own crap not me . Go cry on Harley's shoulder not mine.

[@omarsalgado9715]

@@goodboyringo9716 Haha, ok, just don't cry. Those problems are well known. But guess what? There are thousands of H-Ds running strong after all these years. People like you just magnify them to feel special and important about their money. Yes, your happiness is linked to money. Now I see the root of all your jealousy.

[@goodboyringo9716]

@@omarsalgado9715 .... You talk a bunch of shit but don't know anything . Go ride your mini bike and be happy with that 5 hp

[@goodboyringo9716]

@@omarsalgado9715 ... Those problems are well known ? What about the problems with Harley's M8 , people are changing out the oil pumps and cam plates because they are junk my friend . You need to get your head from your ass .

[@car5car5]

pregnant?

[@johnjohnson2855]

Harley Garbage. If you want quality and longevity buy a Honda Goldwing. I have 389,000 on my 98 Goldwing and it’s still going without any major issues just routine maintenance.