Drive chain replacement

Thanks for all your help Chuck!
I wish I had the tools you have.

Look at the Oring chains.....
Make sure you know which size you have too.

Here is a example

RevTech O-ring Chain | 600-833 | J&P Cycles

I'm not sure but if you pulled the rear wheel, swingarm , primary and maybe a few more parts you might be able to get the chain off with out breaking it. It wight take an extrat two days to replace the chain that way.
Unhooking the master link hooking the new chain to old then feeding the new on while pulling the old off is the easy way.

Let's see if this will work. Looks like it does, learned some thing today, wasn't a total loss.
81 FLHT with a little over 7800 miles. Got to get it broke in.

Nice looking ride

Does anyone know where I can get some of the safety wire that is inside the primary? It is attached to the 2 rear bolts that hold the primary onto the engine on my 1983 FXE. You can it in the attached photo.
Thanks guys!

Thanks guys.

How do you like the dash on that bike?? I looked at an 89 tour Glide and it had that type of instrument panel and I wasn't so sure about it???

I really don't have an issue with it, seems to be OK

It looks like the dash from a Mustang.

have you had anything go out on that? Curious about how it is to change something if it were needed??

Seabee, 7800 miles and needs a new chain? That seems a bit on the short life side of things. Did you just recently get the bike. If the PO didn't maintain the chain, what else did he not maintain?

You needed to read the first post. I am doing away with the enclosed/ oiling chain because the the mess it makes. When I do so I want to put a sealed chain on. The only problem with the bike is the plastic chain cover.

seabee, I wouldn't be in a big hurry to dump the enclosed chain set up, your rear sprocket is very rare and hard to find if not impossible to find, that set up was only used for 3 years, when the sprocket wears out you'll also have to change wheels,because a regular sprocket won't fit on your rear wheel.
If you use a coating of RTV silicone sealant to the chain cover and chain housing mating surface, you may be able to stop the leaking,or like said earlier use a good quality chain lube and spray it through the oil fill hole(at the top front of the sprocket housing)
Some guys have run them with the bottom cover off and left the top cover on as a chain guard.
Do you have the factory service manual for the bike??It'll tell you how to maintain and service the set up.
here's a step by step on how to check tension and how to replace the chain

To check for chain tension

Remove the bolts that hold the upper chain cover in place and slide the cover forward to expose as much of the upper chain run as possible. Use a bungee cord to hold the cover in place.
Turn the rear wheel and check for the tightest point. Mark it and turn the wheel so the mark is on the upper chain run midway between both sprokets and check free play,it should be 1/2" with a rider on the bike.
To adjust the chain, loosen the rear axle nut, then loosen the anchor bolt if it has one, then adjust the chain using the axle adjusters.
Check chain alignment. Then tighten the axle nut to 60-65 ft-lbs then tighten axle adjusters.Release the chain cover and apply a coating of RTV silicone sealant to the chain cover and chain housing mating surface.
Put the screws back in and wipe up any oil that spilled on the housing and tire.
To lube the chain;
Use 50 or 60 wt oil or 20w-50 if thats what you're running.
Park the bike upright, check the oil level by removing the oil level bolt(about the 5 o'clock position on the sprocket housing)
To add oil, pry the oil filler plug from the top front of sprocket housing and add the oil until it starts to come out of the oil level hole, then put the oil level bolt and o ring back in.
To change the chain break the old one at the master link and attach the new chain to the old one and pull it through.

Really a nice lookin bike.

Got a buddy back home that got a 99 Ultra a few years ago,
It had right at 5000 miles on it. Looked like it rolled off the showroom floor.
Old rich man owned it. Had all the service records with it too.