April 2, 2010 – The new style system from Glide-pro showed up today. I’ve installed a bunch of Isolators over the years in both Buells and Harleys. The failure rate on the front motor mounts on Harley’s is just insane in my book. My ‘06 Road Glide with just under 40,000 miles has had three motor mounts replaced. I just installed a Glide-pro on a 1999 Harley Bagger. This bike had a history of vibraton problems, just replacing the front motor mount with a Glide-pro motor mount cut the hand numbing vibrations in half.
So here is the test. My Road Glide has developed a vibration problem again in the floor boards. I’ve always just changed the front motor mount and it would go away. This last replacement motor mount only lasted 8,000 miles. I’m going to install just the front motor mount of the Glide Pro system next week. I’ll then ride the bike as much as possible, and give my feedback on just the front motor mount. Then the following week I’ll install the rear isolater system, and again give my feedback. The rear isolator system should cure the high speed wobble that Baggers are known to have from the first day of ownership. My personal ride only started getting the wobble after swithing to a custom wheel, and new front-end. I’ve since replaced the isolators with HD isolators and for the most part the bike runs great right up to 100 mph. (Yes I know that’s way over the legal speed limit!) I do however feel a kind of wobble or just a sloppy feeling in the rear of the bike in hard corning going into off ramps at speeds above 45 mph. I’m again hoping that this Glide-pro helps out and or cures the problem.
The first picture shows the new style motor mount made of Performance Urethane with a spacer that inserts into the middle. The mounting center bolt is bigger then the stock Harley 9/16 bolt. The new bolt is a 3/4 bolt and nut setup.
The second & third photos show the new swingarm pivot shaft, and Glide-pros new style Urethane isolaters with metal backing. When I remove the stock parts I’ll put pictures up showing the difference of each part. This will also help me show why this system is an upgrade to your stock setup.
Today I will show how you to remove your stock motor mount in your own driveway or garage. All you need is some basic tools, scissor jack, and a factory repair manual.
If you’re not good working with tools contact your favorite Shop, and have them do this for you. I do not recommend doing the swingarm kit unless you’ve had some training working on Harleys, and own a professionl motorcycle lift.
Okay I have the bike on it’s side stand. I have my jack, and a small block of wood. I’ve put the jack under the motor with the block of wood between the frame rails. I just jack the motor up a little bit to take some force of the motor off the motor mount.
The fisrt thing after I’ve taken some pressure off of the mount is to take a 7/16 socket and remove the two nuts holding the voltage regulator to the frame, one on each side of the regulator. I disconnect the wire connector plug from the back of the regulator and let the unit hang in front of the frame. I’ve also turned the front wheel all the way to the right to give myself more wrenching room.
The next step is to remove the bolt holding the tie-bar to the motor mount plate that is attached to the motor. This is a 9/16 bolt and it just threads into the mount plate. You can then push the tie-bar out of your way. Then, I just loosen the bolt going through the mounting plate and the motor mount itself. On my ‘06 Glide I used a 9/16 wrench and a 11/16 socket & ratchet. Just loosen it to the last threads at this point. I’ve also removed the nuts from the back of the bolts holding the motor mount to the frame. Use a 9/16 wrench on the top and a 11/16 socket to remove the nut.
Now I remove the nuts from the bolts holding the mounting plate to the motor. As soon as you have the second nut off, the plate pretty much falls off it’s spot on the motor and mount as you see in the second picture. Then you just lift the old mount out of it spot in the frame.
The simple part is to place the new Glide-Pro motor mount into the frame. Then make sure you have all the new hardware that comes with your new motor mount. Now place the two bolts that hold the motor mount to the frame into their spots. I then tighten them up till they are almost completely tight. You’ll need your 9/16 wrench and a 11/16 socket and ratchet for this part.
Now I take the mounting plate and put it back in place. I place the two Bolts through the motor and the plate and thread on the 9/16 nuts to each side. I don’t tighten them up all the way yet. I then attach the tie-bar back to the mounting plate until it’s tight. Then I install all the new hardware through the new Isolator. Pretty much all you have to do is make sure the small washer is on the top. The large washer goes on the bottom. Use your new nut and tighten.
You can see in the photo that the large washer and nut is on the bottom. The top should look like the last photo. Now it’s time to check all the factory torque values in your manual.
The first photo is how it should look at this point. Next you’ll torque the bolts that go into the motor and the mounting plate. Then torque the tie-bar. Then torque the bolts that go into the motor mount and frame. Then let down the jack and torque the new bolt and nut that goes through the mounting plate and the motor-mount. You now only have to install the regulator to complete the install. The ol’bike is ready for a test ride.
Filed under: Isolators - Reviews
Tags: « Glide Pro • Scooters garage • Stabilizling System »
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