Harley FXR Build Part 1 | Twin Cam Swap | Engine mounting | Pivot Block install | Neck bearings

Check out the other videos of this build!
Part 2: • Harley FXR Twin Cam Bu...
Part 3: • Harley FXR Twin Cam Bu...
The bike is a 1987 FXRC. It had 43k miles when I bought it from the original owner.
I started this project a while ago but just began filming in 2021. So this series will mostly entail reassembly of this bike. The bike will be getting a 2001 twin cam and 2001 touring transmission as well as 39mm front end along with a host of other upgrades.
0:00 intro
1:00 Transmission block off plate for Twin cam swap
5:48 placing transmission in frame
7:00 placing engine in frame
7:52 front engine mount install
10:46 top engine mount install
11:56 Alloy art pivot block install
14:42 aligning front mount by eye
16:50 Neck bearing install
19:51 outro
Prior to deciding to film this, I took the bike down to the frame. I also build the twin cam from the cases up.

[@twinsmotogarage1866]

This video is awesome! Not much FXR build content on youtube, much less twin cam FXRs. One day I hope to have the skills and confidence to tackle something like this. Soaking up as much as I can till then. You got my sub!

[@EngineersGarage1]

Thank you!! I've noticed it's lacking some FXR builds. And this is by no means a How To or super in depth, but I'm definitely just trying to share my experience. This is going smoothly since it's not my first build. I've definitely learned by doing and mae my share of mistakes along the way, best way to gain those skills!

[@davidmiddleton9191]

Cool block off plate

[@Comm0ut]

I replaced the stock crossmember with a piece of 5/16" thick steel flat bar I can use as a jacking point and which protects the transmission. You can and I did to all the welding from below with drivetrain installed (which I did since I was just swapping in a bagger box on my Evo which is the identical situation). I previously installed a REAL (Panhead style) sidestand which bolted to the left fron peg mount (I used Shovel parts but raw adapters exist) highway peg mount. Dumping the bendy stock FXR stand was a joy.

[@AppleJack76]

Definitely opening up new markets for the "blue" painters tape companies. 😁

[@phdwinner]

I just want to add that there are several companies that make an actual twin cam to fxr oil pan. I have used 2 different ones and both were great. They are 1100 bucks but its worth imo

[@EngineersGarage1]

I do mention that in the video. I'm wrong on the price but was aware of it. They are a very nice solution as well.

[@retiredguyadventures6211]

I just saw an FXR that had a VROD engine in it at the 2022 Bike Week in Daytona. It was at the Speedway and there was an FXR show going on. I did not know about the show ahead of time so it was a pleasant surprise as I bought a 1987 FXR-SP back in 1990 and owned it for 20 years until I bought my Road King. I was a dumb ass for letting it go...

[@Rem700R5MN]

These videos are great. Thank you for making them. I have the same bike, a blue frame ‘87 FXRC that I am working on and I have had trouble finding info on it. Thanks again for the videos!

[@D_ambro0618]

Excellent painting skills, love this bike!

[@EngineersGarage1]

Thank you!

[@rolling_heavy]

Thank you for these videos, man! They are fantastic and a big help as I plan on rebuilding my FXRP over the winter. Pretty soothing to watch too haha.

[@EngineersGarage1]

Thanks man! I appreciate the feedback!

[@langora5804]

Great stuff.

[@EngineersGarage1]

Thank you!

[@jonz5978]

Great video

[@EngineersGarage1]

Thank you!

[@stizzoforizzo898]

Paint looks awesome. 👌

[@EngineersGarage1]

Thank you!

[@aucklandsadventures]

Dude. I can see why those plates are selling for $200. I’d pay that for the one you made. $40 for the metal but you put some time in to make it right. I don’t have the tools, skills or knowledge.

[@sergeyche1893]

Thank you for the detailed videos of your build - they help me a lot. Tell me, do you powder coat the frame or is it liquid paint under varnish?

[@EngineersGarage1]

I appreciate the feedback! It's just liquid paint. Since I knew I was going to be modifying the foot control mounts I wanted to do paint so I can touch up if any other modifications were needed. I plan to strip it down and powder coat it in the next few years

[@jackpierce6213]

I got a 85 blue frame fxr

[@usmcdoc2512]

Doing my first conversion on an 86 fxr but only the motor is getting swapped. Not having an easy time aligning the primary. Lots of loosening and adjusting 😑

[@louisgpascalliiii1795]

I just cringe when guys hack the cross member on a perfectly good FXR frame when doing a TC conversation 🤦🏻‍♂️ Excellent Blanking Plate !!!

[@EngineersGarage1]

Thank you! I'm not sure why people are adverse to running an oil bag, the fxr side profile looks wrong without it.

[@louisgpascalliiii1795]

Agreed! Plus the structural rigidity the member adds to the aft lower part of the frame rails.

[@EngineersGarage1]

@@louisgpascalliiii1795 absolutely

[@jimmyrustles8118]

@@louisgpascalliiii1795 Baggers dont run the same cross members as FXR's, and those guys run bulk HP through em.

[@STAYHUMBLE302]

What are some reasons to run the twin cam over the evo ???? Great build series keep it up 👊🙌

[@Comm0ut]

Tons of cheap takeout engines, easier to build big inch engines, MUCH stronger engine/transmission connection that doesn't crack inner primary covers and integral oil bag. (I converted to a bagger box on my Evo to get rid of the retarded stock oil bag, the crossmember mod cost me like five bucks for the bolts and no way I wouldn't do the same for a Twinkie swap since it greatly eases maintenance and declutters the bike.

[@robertwood7443]

Hi love the video Was wondering if you can give me some advice . Can I run a tc motor with my 5 speed fxr box and just get an adapter plate or do I need to use engine and trans from twin cam Many thanks

[@EngineersGarage1]

There a few companies that make adapter plates to make a 99-05 tc bolt up to the FXR Evo 5 speed. That's a very straightforward swap. You'd need an "A" motor from a dyna or touring bike, a Softail won't work. 99-02 engines have tapered roller bearing in the case, commonly referred to as "timkens". They're preferred but it's not a deal breaker. Vulcan works makes an adapter plate to run your stock fxr 5 speed with a 06 and newer twin cam. I'd personally say it's not worth the trouble since the primary bolt pattern needs an adapter too. Not to mention you'd have to convert that 06 and up motor from fuel injection to carbed, adding cost. All in all it's much cheaper to stick to 05 and older TCs. Option 2 is what I did. You can get a twin cam motor and trans combo from a touring bike and it will bolt right in, but then you need to make a block off plate for the trans, cut the bottom of the frame, or buy a custom oil pan. One of the benefits of the engine and trans combo is a very strong engine to trans connection.

[@Comm0ut]

I modded my frame for a bagger box (same mods as TC conversion so I can drop one in if my S&S goes boom) and relocated the sidestand to the left highway peg mount to use a proper Shovel era classic stand rather than the bendy stock FXR part. I made the new crossmember much stronger (it also acts as a skid plate, my local roads are nasty) and easy to unbolt so I can pull the oil pan (like ya could on trucks and cars back when access mattered) without removing the gearbox. Kits are reasonable but any non-retarded weldor can do the work very easily. The best five speeds were in the Twin Cam era bikes anyway and are popular upgrades when doing the spline shaft upgrade to early transmission cases. See the FXR Cheat Sheet group for every possible way to do the TC swap to get what YOU prefer. It's your ride after all.

[@leom761]

Sick build ! Looking into doing this for my FXR one day. Are you willing to fab another block off plate and sell it ?

[@EngineersGarage1]

Thanks man! Since I'm just a manual machinist it'd probably cost too much to make another with my labor. Gigacycle makes a really killer one for a reasonable price.

[@Broken_Spoke]

really great content, if you had the opertunity would you run the Custom sump ?

[@EngineersGarage1]

I probably would have ran one if my budget allowed. They are very nice

[@DuchParts]

did you ever change the original frame of the FXR? if I install a dyna 08 TC96 for example, is it very different from what you are doing with this 2001?

[@phdwinner]

I installed a 2008 dyna 96 on mine but you will need a touring tranny. Otherwise the engine is identical. You won't have any issues.

[@davidmiddleton9191]

1300.00 deviant products sells that pan for $1,300 bucks I bought it for my FXR conversion my twin cam FXR conversion

[@ashtonnelson9474]

If you don’t mind me asking. Roughly how much did just the motor and trans swap cost ya?

[@EngineersGarage1]

It can likely be done for 2k-4k depending on what your tolerance is for reusing stuff. Like if you get a donor engine and trans from a bagger with a carb and ignition on it, you can find that for 2k with some searching, then you don't need much. I went overkill, built the engine, re gasketed everything, new covers, bolts etc. so it cost me closer to 5k in the engine and trans

[@jacobdurham7219]

What color and brand powder coat did you do on the frame. I also have an 87 fxrc and long story short, I got screwed and my frame is bare metal now and I don’t have a color to match anymore. I would definitely appreciate any help buddy.

[@EngineersGarage1]

It's actually paint, had the local paint shop match it before I stripped it down.

[@jacobdurham7219]

@@EngineersGarage1 dude you sent me your pivot block. I’m wolfman on the fxr alpha page lol

[@Junior-fd8ux]

Def bring it to a paint shop. Iv looked an bought so many of Harleys touch up paints online, visited two Harley dealers, and asked a bunch of people for the color name or code an nobody can tell me either. Harley doesn’t even list the color.

[@frankkubik851]

What year Bagger engine would work for an fxr swap? And would it be possible to keep the evo transmission?

[@EngineersGarage1]

Any "A" series twin cam engine from 99-05 is easiest to swap in. So bagger or dyna engines, no Softail engines. If you want to use a transmission from a twin cam, it needs to be bagger transmission, preferably 99-01. If it's a 02-05 it's not a deal breaker but you need to change the pivot shaft from 5/8 to 3/4 inch. It's possible to keep the Evo transmission but I don't see it being worth it personally. A big reason to go with a twin cam is the fact the engine and transmission are bolted together, taking the stress off the inner primary.

[@stueestuart4869]

@@EngineersGarage1and bare knuckle performance makes the sleeve to where you don’t have to change your pivot shaft over too ..

[@jefflaberge13]

what did you do for your real swingarm? Fxr pivot shaft with bushings through the trans case?

[@EngineersGarage1]

All the stock bushings and shaft fit up. Dimensionally the transmission(99-01 years, mine is an 01) is the same width and diameter hole so it's possible to use all the factory fxr parts. I upgraded from cleve blocks and a 3 piece shaft to spherical bearings and a one piece shaft(from CCE). I used new, but stock rubber isloates. 2002 and new touring trans have a 3/4 inch hole and require a bushing or larger pivot shaft.

[@jefflaberge13]

@@EngineersGarage1 good information. I have a 04 trans in mine with bushings. Not super happy with the setup. I'm trying to decide what route I'll be going with while redoing this swap. I am in the process of redoing the whole ordeal with a new (non butchered) frame and I stumbled across your videos, really good btw. I'm on part 3.

[@user-xv7nz7xi8d]

What ignition system you going with?

[@EngineersGarage1]

I'm using a Daytona Twin Tec 1008 and the universal harness they sell.

[@marcussiriotis5324]

Can I ask you what is the color code for the factory color ... I have number 700 of the same bike and can't find the color code to have the frame repainted

[@EngineersGarage1]

I never got the color code unfortunately. My local paint store just used the swingarm to scan the color off of it and mixed me a batch of it.

[@brettmeyer707]

What year is your bike? And what size pivot shaft is in your bike?

[@EngineersGarage1]

Bike is an 87. Pivot shaft is 5/8.

[@TheOriginalemoticon]

Where’d you buy those billet parts from? Motor mounts

[@EngineersGarage1]

Alloy art makes them. A lot of vendors sell them.

[@TheOriginalemoticon]

@@EngineersGarage1 awesome build. Are you a professional mechanic?

[@EngineersGarage1]

@@TheOriginalemoticon No sir, just a hobbiest

[@danquintero2969]

Stock swing arm?

[@EngineersGarage1]

For now, I plan to maybe build a swingarm one day. I had a MJK adjuster and axle for a stock FXR swingarm in my stash I wanted to use.

[@kennyirish5021]

Hey rious why a twin c...Why not a 124 or bigger evo? What am i missing? Old vid but yeah you can enlighten us man. Cause I want way more power than a 111evo ; )

[@EngineersGarage1]

A few reasons. First is I like to build stuff on my own and had a ton of NOS twin cam engine parts in my possession. Second, I like short stroke motors. The 124 is 4-5/8 stroke, the 111 is 4-1/8 which would work for me. But the 88(punched out to 95 in my case) is 4.00, which means at piston speeds of 4600 fps(6700rpm) i can rev the engine out to make up for the lack of displacement. I do like evo's, nothing against them. This option just made sense for me.

[@thegnostic33]

What year were the blue frames

[@quimby_sbc4614]

1987

[@thegnostic33]

@@quimby_sbc4614 thanks

[@thomaskirkpatrick4031]

Why no bike lift, or at least a bench?

[@EngineersGarage1]

Just don't have the space for it at the moment. When I finish up the truck project in the middle of the garage I'll be getting a lift.

[@retiredguyadventures6211]

Sorry I didn't watch the whole video yet but did like it. I know you used a 5 speed 2001 tranny, but what year engine did you use?

[@EngineersGarage1]

The engine is a bit cobbled together. The cases are a 2000 I believe. The crank is a NOS 1999. The heads are a 2006. Any 1999-2001 twin cam is what I prefer to use.

[@retiredguyadventures6211]

@@EngineersGarage1 So you chose an 88tc. Any reason for that choice? I know the heads are an upgrade from the previous years. I have an 06 Road King and had Andrews tw26 cams installed. The are mid range torque cams and I really like them.

[@EngineersGarage1]

@@retiredguyadventures6211 it's now a 95ci, but I chose an 88 twin cam to start for 2 reasons. The timken bearing bottom end, and the shorter crank stroke. I prefer to make my power up top, shorter crank throw lends better to higher RPMs. The timken bearing bottom end can be overcome on later engines with a Jim's kit. It was just eaiser and cheaper to start with an early 88ci.

[@retiredguyadventures6211]

@@EngineersGarage1 I am considering a 95ci kit for my bike as well. I understand the 88tc's have more torque due to their higher rpm but I'm not a wrench so it's just what I heard. I love the torque on my Road King though. I'll have to look into the "Jim's Kit" for the bottom end bearing when the time comes that I might need one.

[@EngineersGarage1]

@@retiredguyadventures6211 yup, torque is a function of rpm, more you can squeeze out the better

[@mtheman1963]

Total cost of the build ? Seems very expensive…

[@EngineersGarage1]

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 15k I'd say.

[@lesrinehart933]

Bad A