[AZroaddust]

I recently added 4 1/2" risers to my 883 XLH. I also moved the speedometer and indicator lights forward so they sit 4" directly above the hood of the headlight & just a couple inches in front of the handlebars.

I had noticed the bars were not 90 degrees to the front wheel when I first bought the bike, but with the two rods suporting the speedo the mis-allignment is pretty noticeable, although I did get it closer when I installed the risers and new vibration dampers.

Is there a secret to getting them "right on"? I have a keen eye and can see things just a degree or two out of whack and it bugs the heck out of me.

Thanks in advance for any good tips!

[AZroaddust]

Thanks LRG. I had a sneaking suspicion it would be as you said. Check, tighten, recheck, loosen, recheck, etc. It really isn't too bad and one heck of a lot better than when I got it. I'm getting a solid billet chromed top clamp for the handlebars and will wait intil I install it to do some more tweaking.

It's really a bear trying to get a 3/4" socket wrench on the bottom bolts to the risers. I'm going to buy a ratcheting box wrench and give it a whirl. It should make equally tightening them a bit easier. (I think)..

Good riding,

[gumby321]

If someone came up with an open end wratchitting wrench? OK all you machinists out there, thats a billion dolla idea. So get busy. GUMBY PEACE

[AZroaddust]

Originally Posted by gumby321

If someone came up with an open end wratchitting wrench? OK all you machinists out there, thats a billion dolla idea. So get busy. GUMBY PEACE

"Ask and you shall receive": http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/alden-wrench/

I bought a set of rel flat profile box wrenches with an angle on the ends and ratchet (No, it wasn't rat s**t) at Harbor Freight for like $4.00 and I think they will work fine - at least on my bike.

I know Harbor Freight is no Snap-on or Craftsman, but for the occasional home use I find their products perform fine for home use. If you are a professional mechanic, that's a different story.

Many don't realize that their better items carry a lifetime gaurantee - just bring it in for replacement like at Sears and their Craftsman, so you can't go wrong. Only problem is we are supporting the Chicoms, but many would be surprised by how many "US companies" are actually at least getting castings from China and doing the final machining and/or assembly in the US!

After you look at the above hyyperlink, do another Google search and get some price comparisons since there are others that make these I believe. My other motto is NEVER, like in NEVER EVER, pay MSRP for anything!

[gumby321]

If U.S.A. companys can go right over the border into mexico and get slave labor to do the work that americans were doing. I have no problem with going to H.F.
I go there for many things such as tapes,tools,paint brushes, and so on.
I don't know if you relize this but you can see all the big U.S companys right there on the border of mexico and the U.S.
Look at all these people who worked for companys all their lives and now they are not taking care of them. They took their pensions and health benifits. The problem is that our govt. is letting it happen. They found a loop hole and they are going for it. I am talking about viable companys now. Not dead ones. It really sucks if you think about it.
I have other thoughts on this but won't dare let them loose here.
Thanks for the tip. I will hit them up today sometime. GUMBY PEACE

[mwelych]

NAFTA was the culprit... Now it is difficult to find a decent job with bene's.

[CD]

Sounds like a soap box topic....

[AZroaddust]

Of all the country's to lose our work go to, China is the worst possible in all respects. I don't trust the Chicoms and they have as many nukes as we do.

With that said, I'm not sure we can blame our government for this. It has become a "world economy" and it started years ago even before NAFTA. The hydraulic pumps etc. we used to get from US companies were made in Germany, Spain, India, and eleswhere. They were forced to do so to compete on the world market.

Isolationism won't work, so I IHATE to say it, but as the 3rd world standard of living increases, ours will begin to decrease. Sort of like water seeking it's own level. An excellent example is that China is now on a major factory building campaign in Phenon Penh, Cambodia. The Chinese found out labor was even cheaper in Cambodia, and they will rape that country of their natural resources - or worse. They may just take it over without a shot being fired!

I really feel bad for hard-working people who lost therir pensions etc. I am NOT a socialist, but I think in those cases our government should assist them. Yes I know it's out of our pocket, but these are our working brothers and sisters. I thought Pension Pdid have governmentt protection, but perhaps I'm wrong. Or maybe you're talking about stock ownership which is different and always a risk.

Gad, I'm sory for the long rant, but you brought up a subject I'm involved with in many ways: From selling this stuff to try to earn an honest living, to building orphan homes in Cambodia. We just returned from there about 8 weeks ago.

[maxpower_hd]

I have a few "not used often" items from Harbor Freight but since I don't live near one, the lifetime warranty sucks. you have to pay the freight to send it back and you're out the tool until you get the new one.

[gumby321]

Originally Posted by mwelych

NAFTA was the culprit... Now it is difficult to find a decent job with bene's.

You see it really does not matter which knucklehead group is in office. The working class always gets screwed. I am retired now and don't have to worry any more about that stuff. I did my 30 years and gone. I had to worry about the motion picture biz. Canada was giving them so many tax breaks and non union workers it was hard for them not to leave the states.
They say that when you are buying drugs you are sending money to our enemys. Probably true but what about the lobbyists paying big bucks to get things passed. Then there is all our govt. workers SS package. You might want to take a look at that and see what they get when they retire. Plus what their wives get.
Then there are those raises they give themselves in the 12 th hour right before x-mas. That won't be contested. I can go on and on.
It is a very sad thing that in this country children go to bed hungry and live in shacks with no heat or a bathroom.
Then we are always at the ready to help other countrys whenever something happens. ITHINK THAT STINKS.....GUMBY PEACE

[hotroadking]

As noble and fantastic as protectionism sounds, it won't work, been tried for thousands of years it's almost broken countries.

It's not 1950 and we're not the big dawg in the economic world anymore.

China is huge, and they are a player, free trade while it allows more things into the USA also allows more of our products to go overseas. Our problem is the cost of living in the USA far exceeds those of third world countries.

Because many of these countries have things we need (oil) and have the potential for large markets, we have to work out some agreements.

Part of the problem is the retirement contracts negotiated years ago that hurt todays corporations. Nobody can pay retired workers pensions for years or paying laid off workers for years after a plant closing, it just adds thousands to the costs of the products. We know now that we would have been better off to provide 401K or alternative investments for those workers. Just ask anyone that lost a pension.

Unions while they had thier time only serve to badger corporations and take money from employees, I'm sure someone has been assisted and yes they had a place but not anymore, there are tons of federal labor laws in place that pretty much negate the need for unions. What would you have if your dues were in your pocket for the last 40 years plus the money that went into pension, had it gone into a simple stock investment portfolio you manage, you'd probably be worth a million bucks.

We are victims of our own greed both sides, and now we are paying the price. One day those third world countries may move out of the slave labor market as then need to grow sales internally, and if people don't make money they can't buy cars, tv's homes etc.

You have to understand how much farther down the economic growth cycle we are over the others.

As was noted, if a business can get the work done for less, and reduce the cost of the product they can make more profits, or, reduce the cost to compete.

No different than a consumer looking for a TV will choose Wal-mart over the local tv store to save $100.

When you need something to fix at home do you go to Lowes, Home Depot or the local ACE store. (Guilty as charged officer!)

The general assumption is that profits are being padded and exexutives are making all the money, but that's simply not the whole case. In many cases executives are under massive pressure to reduce costs by investors and customers. Remember if you sell a widget made in the USA and it will have double the labor cost of the same widget made in Mexico the company has to sell for higher prices and wave the flag or cut expenses elsewhere.

Remember, there will be a company that will import the Mexican product, so you have to match price or loose market share. Loose market share and you go out of business, consumers do not care about made in America except in chat rooms, boards, and at the coffee shop, when it comes down to spending the hard earned dollar we all go to the store that sells that product for the least price.

I've said before if you drive a Toyota and bitch about the problems you're part of the problem. If you shop at Wal-mart for your clothes and tv and videos etc, you are part of the problem. (Not that you have a choice but we have created our own problems)

Again though you really don't have a choice.

How many here would be willing to pay double for everything they buy if it said "Maid in the USA", everything, not just somethings, EVERYTHING.

[gumby321]

Yes you have made some points. The thing is that the companys that are screwing the workers out of their pensions and benifits are still in biz. and doing very well. I am not talking about failures here. They found a hole and kept digging. Our fathers and grandfathers are paying for this corp. greed. thats just my take on it. I worked for one company for 30 years and I am getting what I deserve from them. I also just got a raise also. They are giving me an extra 2 checks a year. I am a lucky one. I feel for those who put their lives into a company and now are getting screwed.

It all has ENRON written all over it. BIg biz. is just a pig. There execs. get bonues on top of bonueses. They fail to relize how important the working man really is. MY felling and My take on the matter. GUMBY PEACE

[hotroadking]

Gumby no doubt there is corruption out there, and yes many people get hurt when a few screw up, Enron for example, started out good and ended up bad, and some top level people were the problem, but more often than not that doesn't happen.

Glad you got one that works for you, it's a good deal.

I think a major part of the problem isn't that Corp execs want to screw workers and unions want to screw the company, both have to look out for the best interests of each other, except they took thier eyes off the rest of the world, and it passed them by.

They ignored China and Mexico as untrained labor, heck even Mercedes, Toyota, Nissan, BMW and Honda build cars here, but not in Major labor states like MI, IL and OH, they choose right to work states, KY, SC, AL.

You have to pick fights you can win and win for all three sides.

My dad said you have to look at deals like a stool, it can't stand on two legs, you have to find the third party and make sure you can take care of it as well. Years ago we just ignored the possibilities and thats taken a toll.

I'd rather buy American, Ford and HD for Now, I do what I can when I can but its just gotten so far out of our control.

[gumby321]

I was shocked one year when I went to make my spoke rims air tight. There is a place in calif. that did it and it worked. So I had tubeless spoke rims.
When I took the rim in and saw a sticker inside of my HD rim saying MADE IN JAPAN. I was a bit taken back. It's like you say though, we took our eyes off the prize. At least those companys are working in the states. Then we have american companys leaving the states completely. So then it's a loose loose for all american workers, union or not. No taxes are being paid by americans in Mexico. Thats why I am getting all the money I can that belongs to me from the govt. All that SDI taken out of your checks belongs to you. So I say go get it and use it. GUMBY PEACE