1974 KAYABA babble

[Skip]

Anyone run one of these; 1974, single (non-banana) disk front end? There's little to less in the Scriptures about this one-year-only configuration; I know the small caliper was used 74-77, but on the SHOWA, first used in '75, the way that the caliper mounts is very much different than the same caliper uses on the '74. '75 and later use a lug on the slider to mount it. The '74 uses a bracket that mounts (with screws) to the slider leg.
I've just dropped a 50 note on a 70-74 Service manual, hoping that it'll have the breakdown, if not the p/n's I need. But I really do need the p/n's for the '74 bits if anyone knows them.

*note the dottard line is a SHOWA fork.
Finding the p/n's for the bits may require a '74 parts book, if such things exist....

 

[Skip]

Fergot to ad:
I've spent hours going through pdf type parts books with supplements looking for the '74 bits.... nothing...; the only print I have is a '71-'84 FX (only). No one would think it a new thing to find that an omission in the illustrations was carried forward un-corrected through the subsequent editions; Of all the things MoCo didn't do, I think neglecting the accuracy of their parts revisions is the stinking cheeze in the cupboard of MoCos heritage.
The serv. man. I ordered ought, by the logic behind neglect stated above, show the '74 bits as they were in 1974. Hoping so, the manual can be returned but I somehow doubt I will. This bike seems to be drawing 1974 parts & bits to itself in a fun way that I'm tempted to describe as a bit cosmic.......

 

[kevscrivener]

I can't remember if you subscribe to the dreaded Facebook or not, but there's a page on there called The Shovelhead Garage. It's an offshoot of the Ironhead Sportster Garage and is run by the same guy, a retired service tech with an encyclopaedic knowledge of Harleys, considerable resources, a pathological hatred of choppers and no sense of humour. The latter I put down to him being American......relax, I jest.

I can ask the question for you on there or you can go ask yourself if you do Facebook. They do have access to pretty much every MoCo parts book on the planet as well as some dealer-only stuff, so might be worth a try.

 

[Ron]

Hi Skip, Donny Petersens Iron Head Sportster book has what looks to be the same exploded diagram as you show above with 74 part numbers but not the shadowed fork leg. It's on page 905. He does not think much of this brake and has some warnings.
If I can get some clear pictures I'll send them in a email.

Ron.
The email will be coming from my wife, Bev's email address as she has a much better camera on her phone.

 

[Skip]

Thanks for the replies.
Kev: Would you, pretty please, ask the person-of-limited-humor? Pics & p/n's most helpful. I find it more than passing strange that any mention of the anchoring bracket, spacer and screws on the '74 Kayaba is not to be found anywhere in the Service Manual as far as dis-assembly goes, tho the '73's get proper attention.

And here's a thing to note: in all this research that included hundreds of hours scanning ebay, out of the 200+ sliders I examined that were advertised as "74" or "1974", not a single one of them was an actual nighteen-hundred-and-seventy-four "KAYABA" having the necessary indent for the anchor bracket, they being about evenly divided twixt banana (two-lug) and Showa (one-lug).

Ron: the pisc came through just fine; Many Thanks. The info in Donnie's indicates a recall on the faulty allens, the cross-cross-hatched ones, holding the caliper halves together. Oooh, not good; a lack of shear-strength there. But then, the bolt recall only affected some '75 XL models with the Showa front end.

Never mind, for the bolts will be replaced anyway with AN/MIL SPEC hardware, as is every nut, bolt, washer, wire, terminal & cotter pin possible on all my bikes; medically, a condition known as terminus aviaitis afflictus.

I haven't spilt the caliper yet, holding my breath about the condition of the piston and will it even come out!!?? Well, there's a new piston and caliper half in my slopping cart.
I'm also replacing the '74 back banana with a '84-later Girling set-up, for I cannot abide those ill-designed, misshapen, poorly performing things that needed one service bulletin after another.

The f/e was a bit pricy as these things go... but, save for the later issue tube-caps, it was all there and original down to the risers, ground wire and wheel spacer. I normally wouldn't have made an over $500 purchase on the strength of one pic, and it was returnable.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/372313835144

 

[topper]

Have you tried Warrs. They were running the service for obsolete parts with a discount for club memebers .

 

[kevscrivener]

Thanks for the replies.
Kev: Would you, pretty please, ask the person-of-limited-humor? Pics & p/n's most helpful. I find it more than passing strange that no mention of the anchoring bracket, spacer and screws on the '74 Kayaba are not mentioned anywhere, tho the '73's get proper attention.

Will do buddy. In order that this messenger avoids being shot, would you be so kind as to inbox me the question you wish to ask in exactly the form you would ask it yourself? I'll then cut and paste it on the page, "asking for a friend".

Leigh....Skip's in the USA.

 

[Skip]

ok, back.
Leigh, politely and with all sincerity mate, you have no idea just how badly I do want to call there in person. Full Stop.

Kev, I'll include a gif of a Class III.a.2 BPV in case he's spring-loaded to the pi**ed-off position.

The 1970-1974 Service Manual pic shows a Showa ghosted in for 1974. Nothing in the texts. A puzzling paucity of pictures in here. The F/E section uses a 73 banana to show the whole thing.





edit: (put brain in gear; spell-check names)

 

[Skip]

*1974 Kayaba fork tubes (23.5") are the only ones with an internal circlip at the very bottom and no holes or annular indents at all along the length.

I'll give you a qualified statement: Internally, the '73's & '74's use the same damper rod.
Here's where the doubt arises; I recently bought 2 damper tube assemblies OEM, NIB, same p/n. One came with steel valve parts, the other with aluminium.

There are valve kits
The valve kits, alum & steel, have exactly the same P/N!

The mfg. date of the steel one was 11/79, long past the tube and brake system it was made for. So, by the late date of manufacturing, can it be supposed that the steel valve is a sort of corrective perhaps? Or was it a matter of giving the rider a bit more choice in ride control, i.e., was the f/e too bouncy with the alum valve. I suspect the latter.
The answer to the difference may lay in a Service Bulletin.
Also noted: the upper stop screws on. DIY drill & pin. Didn't know that till I bought the more complete steel kits. I ordered a tool from DennisKirk to hold the damper still while I go for the bottom attach screw (it's why the roll-pin I figger). Not so fine perhaps, as the Factory tool,
but adequate

also, a discrepency is noted; the complete (alum. valve) damper with same upper stop as kit with steel valve?? Curiouser and curiouser.