Fork leg drain screws

Mac1

Mac1

Club Member
Can anyone enlighten me to the size of the thread on the softail/tourer type fork bottoms please
 
Sometimes, an internet search on the part number will find such information.

E.g., finding a part number (not necessarily for your particular bike) on the Jersey HD website and searching for "harley 45858-77" found this:

Genuine James Fork Drain Screw Kit - 45858-77-K Harley-Davidson Motorcycle - Dennis Kirk

Find the Genuine James Fork Drain Screw Kit - 45858-77-K at Dennis Kirk. Shop our complete selection of Harley-Davidson Motorcycle parts and accessories including the Genuine James Fork Drain Screw Kit - 45858-77-K.
www.denniskirk.com www.denniskirk.com

5/16"-18 x 3/8" Button head bolts

(Whether you trust the source is another matter. :))
 
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garethr said:
Sometimes, an internet search on the part number will find such information.

E.g., finding a part number (not necessarily for your particular bike) on the Jersey HD website and searching for "harley 45858-77" found this:

Genuine James Fork Drain Screw Kit - 45858-77-K Harley-Davidson Motorcycle - Dennis Kirk

Find the Genuine James Fork Drain Screw Kit - 45858-77-K at Dennis Kirk. Shop our complete selection of Harley-Davidson Motorcycle parts and accessories including the Genuine James Fork Drain Screw Kit - 45858-77-K.
www.denniskirk.com www.denniskirk.com

5/16"-18 x 3/8" Button head bolts

(Whether you trust thd source is another matter. :))
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From my Year 2000 Softail Parts Book the part number is correct but strangely it doesn't give the size of the Thread. Any other Bolts (Screws) lists the dimensions and Thread size. :unsure:
 
Can I encourage you, before you start, to check up where to get new screws from as there have been a handful of folks (me included) who have found them to not budge and get knackered in removing. At least be on best tool handling behaviour and use your best ended tools.
 
Paul P. said:
Can I encourage you, before you start, to check up where to get new screws from as there have been a handful of folks (me included) who have found them to not budge and get knackered in removing. At least be on best tool handling behaviour and use your best ended tools.
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Good advice. The Screws I have are Philips headed and I worried about chewing them up but it turned out I had to replace the Fork Seals so I didn’t need to remove them. 😜
Might be a good idea to get some Hex head ones as replacements. A lot easier to remove safely.
 
Paul P. said:
Can I encourage you, before you start, to check up where to get new screws from as there have been a handful of folks (me included) who have found them to not budge and get knackered in removing. At least be on best tool handling behaviour and use your best ended tools.
Click to expand...
That is what i intend to do. Hence the question
 
softail898 said:
Good advice. The Screws I have are Philips headed and I worried about chewing them up but it turned out I had to replace the Fork Seals so I didn’t need to remove them. 😜
Might be a good idea to get some Hex head ones as replacements. A lot easier to remove safely.
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Good old style impact driver and sharp tap with six pound club hammer as it has a bit more weight and is less likely to slide off than a two & half pound ball pein with a long shaft!

I always replace them with Allen head, they only need to be nipped up, not really tight at all!

Screenshot 2023-04-22 085511.jpg
 
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I don't know about manufacturer of the forks but some are from Showa and will almost certainly not have a phillips head but a JIS head screw. I am sure JIS has come up on here by someone but a Phillips screwdriver is likely to cam out of a JIS screw damaging it.
 
SJC69 said:
Good old style impact driver and sharp tap with six pound club hammer as it has a bit more weight and is less likely to slide off than a two & half pound ball pein with a long shaft!
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That shifted mine with no drama (y)
 
Andy from Sandy said:
I don't know about manufacturer of the forks but some are from Showa and will almost certainly not have a phillips head but a JIS head screw. I am sure JIS has come up on here by someone but a Phillips screwdriver is likely to cam out of a JIS screw damaging it.
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Yes you are probably right. I tend to call any cross headed screw “Phillips” although I know there are other types. Why they couldn’t standardise the cross head type of screw is a mystery. Someone has earned a fortune out of replacing chewed up screw heads! 😂
 
Running (twisting-with-the-threads) a small-bore gun brush through the drain hole at overhaul is a trick I've found useful on scuzzy holes.
It might be useful to remember that, as screws come in all sorts of compositions alloy-wise, to chose replacement screws with a mind for those metals that will avoid corroding in the face of contact with the hydraulic fluid used. At any rate, I dab a vury small amount of 'TiteSeal' to the threads to prevent leaks and corrosion.
I'm about to pull apart a '74 Kayaba, a '75 Showa, a '78 dd Showa, and a '90 FXR dd Air Thing. On the Kayaba lies my chief ambitions/hopes that the internal wear of the lowers is not overmuch, as they are un-fixable, having no bushings to replace.
Wish me luck.

p.s.
Imho, THG is one of the finest things to show up on utube. Watched often over meals.... the economy of feeding mind and body at the same time.....
 
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If the Kayaba lowers are too worn could they be hard chromed and then ground to size ?
 
Ron said:
If the Kayaba lowers are too worn could they be hard chromed and then ground to size ?
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Mechanically possible no doubt, but I've not the time, resources nor dosh to see it through.
If the '74 Kayaba lowers are too worn, I've a nearly new set of 1975 Showa tubes & lowers to go right in... no muss, no fuss and period correct (having only one axle cap).
 
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