So Fix it

The outer fairing blocks the wind. The inner fairing holds the tachometer, speedometer, radio, speakers and ignition. And the fairings on all Harley-Davidson FLHs come apart the same way. The inner fairing on an FLHX is connected to the fairing bracket with pins, or what Harley calls "dowels." You literally pry the components apart with your hands. Before you can do that, you must remove the outer fairing and windshield and disconnect the electrical components. Most, but not all, of the fasteners you will need to remove are T-27 Torx screws.

Instructions

Outer Fairing and Lights

1

Protect the finish on the front of the motorcycle by hanging a throw rug over the front fender. Straddle the fender. Remove the screws in the middle, right and left of the outer fairing just under the windshield with a Torx socket and a socket wrench.

2

Put an extension on the socket, straddle the seat and remove the Torx screws just outside and below the speakers.

3

Push the handlebars all the way right and use the same wrench, extension and socket to remove the screw just below the left fairing cap. Push the handlebars all the way to the left and remove the screw under the right fairing cap.

4

Push the fairing forward far enough to reach the wiring harness connection on the back of the headlight assembly. Disconnect the headlight by squeezing the sides of the connector with your fingers.

5

Straddle the front fender again and pull the front fairing with the headlight off the motorcycle. Remove the windshield. Set the big pieces aside.

6

Disconnect the front directional signals and passing lamp connectors from the front wiring harness. Remove the passing lamp assembly from the front forks with the same socket, extension and wrench.

Inner Fairing

7

Straddle the seat again and begin to remove the ignition by turning the key left to "unlock" and turning the knob all the way right to "access."

8

Slide a small screwdriver under the left side of the knob and depress the small release button. Turn the key another 60 degrees past "unlock" and pull the knob straight up to expose the switch post and nut.

9

Remove the switch nut with an open-end wrench. Remove the socket and collar from the switch post.

10

Pull the skirt down and off the inner fairing to expose more of the front wiring harness.

11

Slacken the clutch cable by completely loosening the clutch cable adjuster nut and the clutch cable adjuster locknut with two open-end wrenches.

12

Pry the retaining ring on the bottom of the clutch lever housing loose with a small screwdriver. Pull the clutch lever pivot pin out of the top of the clutch housing.

13

Unscrew the lever clutch housing from the left handlebar with a Torx socket and socket wrench. Pull the clutch lever free from the lever housing.

14

Disconnect the clutch cable from the clutch lever and feed the cable through the grommet on the bottom of the inner fairing to the front of the bike.

15

Fashion a matchbook cover into a cardboard shim that is between 1/8 inch and 5/32 inch thick. Put the shim between the front brake lever and housing to protect the stoplight switch.

16

Loosen the right handlebar switch housing screws and front master cylinder screws with a Torx socket and a socket wrench. Remove the switch housing and master cylinder.

17

Slide the throttle off the right end of the handlebar and remove the two throttle cables. Feed the throttle cables through the grommet on the bottom of the inner fairing to the front of the bike.

18

Disconnect the cigarette lighter from the wiring harness. Straddle the fender again and loosen the speaker adapter screws on both sides of the bike with a Torx socket and socket wrench.

19

Remove the speaker adapters. Disconnect the voltmeter and fuel gauge from the front wiring harness.

20

Pull the lower inner fairing off the mounting dowels on the fork bracket. Pull the fairing bracket off the mounting dowels on the fork bracket.

21

Lift the fairing bracket and inner fairing together to clear the fork bracket. Pull the inner fairing and fairing bracket apart and remove the inner fairing.

Rear bumper dents happen after accidents, and are often difficult to remove. Sometimes the dents are pounded or pulled out with heat. Fixing a dent at home is less expensive than taking the car to a body shop for repair. The entire bumper is frequently replaced if the dent is too severe.

Instructions

1

Wash the dented area of the bumper. Remove all dust, dirt and debris.

2

Turn on the hairdryer; move it in a circular motion over the dent. Do not leave the hairdryer in one spot for more than a few seconds. The dent might pop out after a few minutes.

3

Tap the area around the dent with a hammer. Do not create new dents by hammering too hard. The tapping creates vibration; the combination of vibration and heat frequently pops out dents.

4

Move the hair dryer in a circular motion while lightly hammering. Do this for 10 minutes and the dent might pop out. Repeat the process if the dent remains unaltered.

Harley-Davidson insists that only the shock absorbers on its Softail models may be disassembled. All other Harley shock absorbers must be replaced as an assembly. Harley sells a Softail lowering kit that requires you to disassemble the Softail shock absorbers. And Progressive Suspension sells a press that helps with the disassembly of Softail shocks. Its also possible to improvise similar presses. Actual disassembly of the shocks is simple and straightforward.

Instructions

1

Clean the rear fork end of the shock near the shock canister seal as thoroughly as possible with grease remover and clean rags.

2

Place the flat end of the shock canister on wooden block or blocks if you are disassembling the shock on a hydraulic press. Leave two inches of space between the end of the hydraulic ram and the top of the long eye. The long eye is the rod that extends from the end of the shock canister.

3

Place the flat end of the shock canister in the canister container ring and lower the mechanical ram until it touches the end of the long eye if you are using the Progressive Suspension tool.

4

Compress the spring in the canister by applying pressure from the hydraulic or mechanical ram to the top of the long eye until the shock absorber keeper plate drops down from the retaining ring.

5

Remove the retaining ring with a dentists pick or a mechanics pick.

6

Release the mechanical or hydraulic pressure on the end of the long eye from the shock tool or hydraulic press. Separate the parts when the long eye is not longer under pressure.

7

Remove the shock damper and spring plate assembly from the canister

8

Line the jaws of a vise with aluminum vise jaw pads. Place the shock damper assembly in the vise so the long eye is secured in the vise jaws.

9

Heat the long eye and long eye lock nut with a heat gun to loosen the thread locker on the assembly. Loosen the spring plate lock nut with a wrench and spin the nut four or five times for clearance.

10

Unscrew the damper shaft from the long eye mount with a wrench. Remove the spring plate and lock nut from the long eye mount.