[Jim Posey]

Man what a surprize. Ignition module(made in Japan stamped on it) went after 11 years started this long over due project. Wound up with bare frame to get to the rust found hidding inside rear frame mounts for rubber vibration isolators. Where the steel mounts bolt to frame the threaded lugs in frame section area was a mess. Required a bunch of grinding and welding to repair. Dont know if you have ever run across this but Im told its a common problem thats not caught in time in most cases. It's from the inside out, so when you see a hole its not the only one believe me. There were bleed holes from factory that allowed water in but not at bottom to let out. When I got done I left one bleed hole at bottom on both sides. I sprayed rust kill solution into void. I was a Nuclear Certified Welder for over 20 years. Small area such as that is hard to seal weld , it will build pressure from heat and blow weld puddle onto your welding lense. Ill will post some pics tomorrow, to late tonight. I wound up repainting frame then doing all the things an eleven year old bike needs. Swing arm bottom where you cant see or get too also rusty as hell. Oil pan hides the very front of it. New stainless Brake lines all round, pads. New Andrews Cam,Top end tear down, Replaced the damn leaky paper gaskets with James metal on cyclinders and Rocker Box's, Accel Programable ignition Kit, wires, plugs, super coil, single fire. Carb recal kit, Vance Hines true duels into Porker Straight Pipes. Wheel Bearings, Seals, Motor Mounts, Push Rod Tubes, Lots of other odds and ends and what ever else needed. Oh yea, Nice stage 1 Arlen Ness breather. No more plastic crap in the way to adjust carb and much better preformance. Also changed out useless air temp gauge in dash for OEM Oil Temp gauge used on twin cam dressers, it will work on the 97, you have to provide a place in oil pan for sending unit. My chrome trim ring fit gauge also. Same face in black as other gauges.
With top end removed was able to walk bottom end assembled out of frame with Primary and Trans whole. Used 2 floor jacks, wood blocks and some red neck shade tree engineering. Back in same way, not a scratch on new paint.
Broke in new cam after a couple test rides blasting 2 hrs each way to Daytona to pick up a new 2 lb Carbon Fiber Helmet, dot cert too. Bike ran real nice. Lots more power. EV26 Andrews cam. Sweet with stock heads on evo. 2000 rpm to 6000 now is strong pull all the way.
First time tank has ever been off this bike, some rusty places under there to but just surface. Florida for ya. I live 2 miles from beach and parked at Nuc Plant when I worked, its on barrier island. Not to often due to salt but enough evidently. Any body interested ask questions and Ill try and help. If you have this frame design beware of hidden rust.
JP

[cowboy]

Jim Sopunds like you did a good job , I have'nt heard of the front section doing this , But have heard of the rear part of the swing arm doing it , I have heard it from tire changers , say when they take a rear wheel off the end of the swing arm falls off , On many of the Flh models from the mid to late 90's Your bike looks good