Over the course of the year, we were fortunate enough to travel across the country to various events where we had the privilege of meeting many of you, our readers. One of the subjects you’ve repeatedly asked for is a compilation of technical tips that will save time and trouble on everything, from how to maintain your bike to making quick roadside repairs if the need should arise. What we’ve put together here are 101 quick tech tips that may help save you a moment of frustration-and a fingernail or two.

Hopefully, as you read this article, you’ll remember a quick little tip you learned or developed that you can pass on to the rest of our readers. If you decide the rest of us can’t live without your tip, and you send us one or two, or however many, remember to include any drawings or photographs along with your name, address, and phone number in case there’s anything we need to follow-up on.

Duct tape is always handy to have with you when you’re out on the road. You never know when you may have to fix a busted satellite. But instead of carrying a big bulky roll of duct tape, tear off a length and wrap it carefully around the handle of a screwdriver. When the need arises, peel some duct tape off the screwdriver handle.

If you’re using a set of Screamin’ Eagle XR750-style valve springs (PN 18200-79R) that were manufactured and sold during the 1996 calendar year…watch ‘em! They may “not” have been properly heat-treated! If the springs appear brownish in color, they’re properly tempered. If they’re gray colored when new, they aren’t. These springs also come in the following kits: PN 18210-84B, 16459-96, 16460-96, 25633-86A, 25647-91, 25493-89A, and 25490-87A. If you suspect a problem, call your H-D dealer and refer them to factory P&A.

When stopped in traffic or at a signal, shift into Neutral and release the clutch lever. Holding the clutch in puts unneeded stress on the small throw-out bearing in the clutch release cover and could cause your hand to fatigue.

For about six months of early 1990 big-twin production, Harley installed clutch release ramps with a shallow 15-degree angle. If you have a ’90 model and have difficulty finding Neutral, even when everything else is OK, check the ramps. The end of the three 15-degree ramps almost touch, whereas the proper 18-degree version has a space between the ramps as wide as your little finger. The good parts are PN 25452-87A (inner) and PN 25453-87 (outer). As long as you’re at it, check out your clutch adjusting screw. Yours may be two pieces, and you’ll want the one-piece version (PN 37090-84A) to complete the update.

To clear a fouled spark plug out on the road with your gloves still on, try pulling the spark plug wire off, holding it near the plug, and running the motor. The larger gap increases the voltage and just may burn the plug clean from whatever was fouling it. Don’t hold it so far away that the plug doesn’t fire, or you could damage your electronic ignition.

Non-weatherproof saddlebags can be “weatherproofed” by putting a trash can liner in first to keep contents dry.

Check your tire pressure every week. Low tire pressure will cause tires to wear quickly and unevenly, and contribute to making an ill-handling motorcycle, not to mention hurting your fuel mileage.

If you plan on working on your wheel assemblies, you can make a wheel-holding fixture out of a one-third size (19 gallon) oil drum and about 4 feet of old garden hose. Empty drums are usually available cheap or for free from oil distributors or the rear of car dealer’s service buildings (ask first). To make the fixture, remove the lid from the oil drum and clean it out. Then take the piece of garden hose and open it up by slitting it lengthwise. Slip the split garden hose over the rim of the oil drum, and trim the ends so that they meet squarely. You can use duct tape to hold the garden hose in place. We found that a strip of tape about every 6 inches around the opening worked just fine. Now when you want to work on a wheel, just set it over the top of the drum. The wheel won’t rock and roll while you work, and the garden hose will protect its finish.

When removing axles or pins, don’t hammer or force them; wiggle them free. Banging on them can mushroom the ends and ruin them, especially those with threaded ends.

When working on parts such as carburetors, metal baking sheets or pans make good work surfaces. They help keep all the loose parts in one place and are easy to clean afterward. Magnetic dishes are handy for holding small parts or screws, bolts and nuts on uneven surfaces.

Just finish installing some new exhaust pipes or mufflers on your bike and ready to fire it and hear the thunder? Wait, to keep your fingerprints from burning into the new shiny chrome, wipe the pipes and mufflers clean with a paper towel or shop towel and Windex. When new pipes get hot, the smallest amount of oil or grease will stain the chrome and be there forever.

Save the plastic caps from aerosol cans. They make great holders for nuts, bolts, and washers. We also put solvent in them and drop in small items for cleaning.

Washing your bike can often make it safer because it’s the perfect time to be looking for loose hardware, frayed wires, damaged hoses, frame cracks or other irregularities that might leave you stranded or worse.

When stopped at a signal with no one behind you, always keep the front or rear brake applied. This will keep the brake light on and help ensure that an approaching driver sees you, day or night.

Brake pads on new Harleys can squeal a bit while breaking in of galled metal on the pad. This is normal and usually goes away as miles accumulate. If you can’t wait that long for quieter stopping, try this: Pull the brake pads out of the caliper and file off any burrs on the edges of the metal backing plate, especially around the “V” notch on rear pads. Your local auto parts store can sell you a tube of compound made by Bendix that, when applied to the backs of the pads, can help stop the squeal. Reassemble with surgical cleanliness, and you can stop on a dime, without the whine.

Some steel-braided brake lines come with plastic coverings that prevent the lines from scratching expensive parts. But if you are custom-making your own lines or have purchased lines without this protective sleaving, use a piece of clear heat shrink tubing. Most heat shrink tubing is large enough to slip over the end fittings, and a quick blast from a hair dryer will make it nice and tight. You could even use colored shrink-wrap tubing to match your paint scheme.

If you don’t have the proper wrench for your spin-on oil filter, use a 11/42-inch-wide nylon or leather strap and a pair of vise-grips. Wrap the strap around the filter, and clamp the loose ends as close as you can to the filter with the vise-grips. Twist and presto!

When checking your fuel, never use a match or lighter to check the level in your tank. Eyebrows and eyelashes are extremely difficult to grow back, but much harder to explain the lack of.

When installing a washer and nut in a hard-to-reach area, first clean the parts with solvent, and then secure them to each other with a drop of super glue. Make sure they’re dry before you touch them or the only thing you’ll assemble is you to them.

Cut the bottom off an old oil container for a handy instant funnel. Old automotive-gear oil containers are even better.

Many readers recommend going to a donut shop before dropping your bike off at the local dealership for service. Yes, it’s bribery, but it seems to ensure that things get off on the right foot! Few mechanics can resist a good glazed or jelly-filled bribe.

If you have poor vision or find it difficult to locate the right wrench without digging through your entire toolbox first, consider color-coding your wrenches, sockets, and other assorted tools. For example, paint your 11/42-inch wrench and 11/42-inch socket red, paint your 71/48-inch wrench and 71/48-inch socket yellow, and so on. Colored vinyl tape is also good for this purpose.

If you have accessory leads or terminals on your bike, a trouble light is a simple and worthwhile accessory to include in your tool pack. Twelve-volt light setups are available at most auto part stores, or you can make your own using our July ’97 Quick Tech (page 104) as a guide. The test light we made was for testing voltage and grounds, but as a trouble light, the little unit can be used to shed light on any late-night roadside problems.

This tech tip is for California riders. If you own a ’93-or-later Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was originally sold in California and has the stock air cleaner housing on it, you may have problems riding your bike after a bump-start. If you do this, you’ll only be able to reach a maximum speed of about 40 mph. Your speed will be limited by a solenoid-operated butterfly valve on the bottom of the air cleaner that is designed to be closed when the motorcycle is not operating to prevent gas vapors from escaping the carburetor. The solenoid opens the valve when the starter button is pushed to start the motor, so that if you start the motor without using the starter, the butterfly will remain closed and the motor’s air intake will be restricted.

When replacing bearings, give them the hot and cold treatment. A hot towel on your wheel hub will make wheel bearings easier to remove, and freezing new bearings will make them easier to install. When using a punch to install a bearing, remember to tap only on the outer race’s edge and not on the inner race or you’ll ruin it.

If you play guitar or know someone who does, get a hold of some old guitar strings. Made from bronze, steel, or nickel, the strings are useful for cleaning spray can nozzles and carburetor jets.

To remove light rust from chrome, wad up a piece of aluminum foil and rub it across the rust.

When applying cleaners or finishes, shop towels tend to soak up liquids and can be difficult to use in tight areas. Try applying the liquid cleaners or polishes to the surface first, and then work them in while wearing a pair of rubber dishwashing gloves.

Motorcycle joints are just as important as human joints to a rider. Be sure to keep footpeg hinges, swingarm pivots, kickstand pivot bolts and lever pivot pins properly lubricated.

Use carpet remnants to create a work area for your bike. Choose a light-colored piece that is 2-3 feet larger than the footprint of your bike. The carpet will do a good job of catching any dropped small parts or fasteners, soak up oil spills, and provide cushioning for your feet and knees while you work.

For long and prosperous rear belt life, make a habit of cleaning the belt and pulley teeth with hot soapy water and a toothbrush. To reach the front transmission pulley, you may have to duct tape the toothbrush to a screwdriver blade.

To clean corrosion off your battery terminals, pour a little carbonated cola drink on them-things go better with Coke.

To protect that expensive paintjob on your tank while it is removed from your bike, use an old tire as a “tank” stand.

If you’re one of those impatient Harley owners who changes plugs while the engine is hot, try using a 6- to 8-inch piece of rubber gas hose slipped over the spark plug-once it’s been loosened with a wrench-to remove it from the hot engine.

If you’re adding electrical items to your bike, keep track of how much current they draw. The total draw from the ignition system-all lights and other accessories-should not exceed 80 percent of the total rated output of your model’s charging system. This allows a minimum of 20 percent of the output for battery charging.

If the shifter rattles on your FL, try sticking a pushrod cover spring (PN 17947-36) over the spacer behind the shifter levers.

When using chrome hardware on your bike, put a drop of antiseize or thread-locker on the bolt threads before screwing it in. These will act as a lubricant and prevent the threads from galling and ruining the hardware or the part.

As of October 15, 1996, you shouldn’t use car oil in your hog. That’s because oil companies began using the new API (American Petroleum Institute) SJ service rating. SJ-rated oil, among other things, has been formulated for water-cooled auto engines, to improve fuel economy and prevent damage to catalytic converters. The EPA has also slashed the allowable quantities of sacrificial additives, like zinc and magnesium, that roller-bearing V-twin engines desperately need for long-term health and reliability. Water-cooled engines generally operate at less than 200 degrees F, while Harley’s can pop up to 250 degrees or more, and average between 180-220. Put simply, the new oil formulations for cars may be inadequate for your Harley. In fact, H-D says if you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere and can’t find H-D oil, use diesel oil (CE, CF, CF-4, or CG-4 rated). We say if you’re one of those who thought oil was oil, now you know it’s not.

If you’ve installed adjustable pushrods in a motor that has hydraulic lifters, you need to be careful when adjusting them. As you adjust the pushrod, it lengthens, which causes the inner sleeve of the lifter to sink into the middle of the lifter body where it is designed to operate. The thing is that the lifter’s inner sleeve doesn’t sink as fast as you are adjusting the pushrod. It needs time to bleed down to its operating area. Prior to the lifter bleeding down, the pushrod holds its corresponding valve off its seat in the combustion chamber. If you’re using a high-lift camshaft and you rotate the crankshaft prior to the lifter bleeding down, you could have the problem of a valve hitting a piston, which could result in bending the valve. The rule of thumb is this: After you adjust the pushrods for a cylinder, let the motor sit for 15 minutes while the lifters bleed down before you rotate the crankshaft. You’ll know the lifter has bled down when you can spin that pushrod between your fingers.

Owners of ’86-’92 Sportsters need to watch out for the positive battery cable chafing on the battery tray to the point where it can short out the system. You can prevent this by taking a 3-inch piece of fuel hose cut lengthwise, and sliding it over the battery cable where it comes close to the tray.

Stator plug won’t stay plugged on your early model big twin? You can buy a retainer like Harley’s (PN 45095-85), or take a razor blade to the plug itself. Use the razor to cut back excess rubber on both the male and the female ends of the plug. Cut the stator side until it’s flush with the sockets and the regulator “boot” side until it bottoms out completely when plugged in. Come to think of it, why not trim the plug and install a retainer? You can’t be too careful these days, and you’ll get a charge out of it, to boot.

Here’s an easy way to install the jiffy stand spring on a Softail: Remove the top bolt and lock washer that holds the leg stop in place and remove the stop. Pivot the jiffy stand forward (this will allow the spring to be removed from the two mounting holes), hook in the new spring, and reverse the process to reassemble.

Eat before you work. Concentration and patience diminish as the hunger pangs increase, and the potential for injury is increased. Besides, you won’t be able to hear the engine over your stomach growling.

When aligning your rear wheel, measure both sides from the center of your axle to the middle of the swingarm pivot. The marks on the chain/belt adjusters or swingarm are not usually accurate. A piece of welding rod with a short 90-degree bend in one end and a tie wrap around the rod makes for an inexpensive checker. Put the bent end in the end of the axle and slide the tie wrap up the rod until it’s centered over the middle of the swingarm pivot shaft. Check the outer side, and then adjust the axle as needed.

Older Ultras (’90 and earlier) fry rear brake switches with alarming regularity. That’s because if they don’t already have one, they need a relay kit (PN 77043-91). Once installed (it takes a couple of hours), your rear brake switch will stay alive, and you won’t hear that weird popping through the radio speakers when you use the brake, either.

When riding long distance, make regular rest stops even if you’re not tired. Fatigue is often cumulative, and taking a few minutes to stretch and relax can help keep you alert and refreshed. It also helps to prevent muscle cramps from sitting in one position for long periods of time.

Turn signals that mount to the bottom of the rearview mirrors have a tendency to malfunction on bikes that get washed a lot or live near a large body of water. Why? The ground for the lamp is via that nifty swivel mount and corrosion often forms there, interrupting the electrical flow. If your signals won’t blink, squirt some WD-40 on the mount and wiggle it back and forth until it scrapes the crud from the metal. Ground re-established and flash!

If you want to prevent cracks in the back fender of your ’94-and-newer Sportster, install an invisible support brace (PN 59671-98) to bridge the rearmost fender strut area. This little devil comes stock on new ’98 XLs and adds strength to the fender while preventing cracks that occur from vibration peaks at certain rpm.

When installing a new ignition system, make sure the cam’s endplay is correct. On some aftermarket ignitions that replace the stock rotor cup, the new parts could come into contact with the points’ cover backing plate if there’s too much cam endplay.

If your starter acts funny right after a rebuild or any time it has been removed and reinstalled, it might be because it’s binding. It’s all too easy to over-torque the mounting bolts or the jackshaft retaining bolt. Try backing off the fasteners slightly, and then tighten them evenly, and see if the starter miraculously recovers. If not, disconnect the battery, drain the primary, and pull the cover. On the jackshaft retainer bolt, bend the lock tab back, remove the bolt, clean the threads, apply blue Loctite (#242), replace, and torque to 3-5 lb-ft. Now reassemble and get started.

When assembling a group of parts that use a Woodruff key-way, like the pinion shaft and gear, oil pump gears, or transmission mainshaft and clutch hub, here’s a trick way to keep the Woodruff key from slipping out while you put the parts together. Before you insert the Woodruff key into its slot, put a drop of Loctite, blue or red, in the slot. Then set the Woodruff key into the slot and let the Loctite set up for a few minutes. To get a good bond between the Woodruff key and the slot, make sure they are clean first. With the Loctite holding the key in the slot, you should have no problem with the key pushing out of the slot as you put the parts together.

When installing the screws that hold your derby cover in place, don’t use thread-locker on the threads. You might not be able to remove them next time because the small Allen wrench will not exert enough force to break the thread-locker loose and you’ll end up stripping the bolt head.

If your bike’s transmission has a tapered mainshaft that uses a Woodruff key to engage the clutch hub (’89 and earlier), here’s an assembly trick. After you’ve set the clutch hub onto the mainshaft and the Woodruff key is properly engaged, install the mainshaft nut and run it down finger-tight. Now take a large, deep 11/42-inch drive socket (a 111/44-inch worked well for us), set the socket over the mainshaft nut so that its outer edge contacts the clutch hub, and give the end of the socket a couple of gentle taps with a light mallet. After this, retighten the mainshaft nut finger-tight, and again, using the deep socket and light mallet, give the clutch hub a couple more taps. Repeat this procedure until the mainshaft nut can no longer be finger-tightened after tapping the clutch hub with the socket and light mallet. Finally, torque the mainshaft nut down to the spec in the service manual for your model bike.

Use compatible tires. Mixing different compounds and different tread patterns can produce different handling and braking characteristics.

You own a Harley with a secondary beltdrive, and you want to check its tension. More than one rider has incorrectly checked drivebelt tension and then mistakenly adjusted it. There are several things to remember when checking drivebelt tension on a Harley, one of which applies to all Harleys; the others are more specific to Sportsters and big twins. Always check the drivebelt’s tension with the belt cold; this applies to all beltdrive Harleys. Sportsters are checked with the rear wheel off the ground, and big twins are checked with the rear wheel on the ground and the rider, or a person of the same weight, sitting on the bike. For the exact amount of deflection and where on the belt to check it, refer to the appropriate owner’s or service manual for your model.

Before and after a long trip, check the electrolyte levels in your battery and top them off with distilled water. There have been instances of batteries drying up completely during a long, hard trip where the charging system was putting out maximum amps. Better yet, step up to a new maintenance-free battery.

Read the instructions, and read them completely before you screw something up. It could save you from big headaches later.

Use tools for their designed intention. Wrenches, ratchets, and hands do not make good hammers, nor do screwdrivers make proper chisels, pry bars, or gasket scrapers. Using a damaged tool on a chrome fastener or near a painted part is asking for trouble-one slip and it’s all over but the crying.

Looking for a wheel-bearing seal for one of the older enclosed drivechain dressers? Harley PN 47519-83A is used on all current production but won’t work correctly on the enclosure side. It’s fine for the brake side.Use PN 47519-72 on the chain side.

If the brake light has a tendency to stay lit on your ’97 model, install a small ball bearing (PN 8856C) between the brake plunger and the spring in the front master cylinder. This boosts spring pressure and allows the lever to return better. It’s especially helpful to dresser riders with cruise control that can’t stand having the cruise disengage when they hit a bump or barely touch the front brake lever.

	A broken mirror doesn’t have to mean bad luck for the next seven years. You can still use it to inspect the underside of your bike or look for dropped nuts and washers.	One of the handiest tools for the toolbox or next to the drill press is this hand-powered countersink/deburring tool made from a countersink that’s been brazed onto an old screwdriver.
If you’re like us and own only broken power tools and have to resort to hand-filing your handmade custom parts, rubbing some ordinary blackboard chalk on the file first will prevent the file from clogging up with the metal filings, especially on aluminum.aluminum.	Some Allen bolts are in the tightest places. You wonder who ever thought of this particular design because you have to disassemble half of the bike to get a standard Allen wrench in such a tight spot. An alternative is to cut a short length of the Allen wrench (the long side), dress the cut end, and use the same size wrench to remove the Allen bolt.	We wrapped our 10mm wrench with some masking tape to prevent the possibility of the wrench shorting out the battery while we were disconnecting the battery cables.
This is an inexpensive automotive master cylinder bleeder kit. It comes with seven different fittings and a couple of lengths of hose.	If the occasion ever presents itself where you find yourself short of hose clamps, a short length of solid wire will do nicely.	Have you ever needed to hold a nut where your fingers wouldn’t fit? An easy way to hold the nut in place is to smear some grease on the end of a screwdriver, stick the nut in the grease, and go for it.
To keep the nuts on your battery terminals from disappearing into the black hole of dropped hardware, cut a section of the overflow tube off and wedge it between the battery nut and case.	By combining the end housing from a Harley generator, a shovelhead head bolt, and a couple of thick washers, you can make the perfect tool for removing the pressure-plate snap-ring on late-model Evo clutches.	One of the toughest nuts to reach on a Harley is at the left rear motor mount. We found a used 91/416-inch wrench at a flea market, heated it up with a torch, and bent it to fit down behind the engine inside the inner primary cover.
ZEP Battery Coat is available in most auto parts stores in spray cans and works great at preventing corrosion on battery terminals, circuit breakers, and starter solenoids. The cost is $4-$5 a can.	Dielectric grease is the greatest invention since electricity itself. Dielectric grease prevents corrosion inside lightbulb sockets, spark plug wires, darn near anyplace where electricity flows.