Where to find parts - Harley VL - Ancestor Garage

I need parts for a VL

What kind of motorcycle is that? It's a VL. What's a VL?

There are a few places that sell reproduction parts for the 1930s Harley Davidson V/VL series motorcycles but regardless of what those Google results tell you sorry, J&P Cycles and RevZilla are not one of them (they do sell great parts for '90s Evos though).

Most of the places that sell reproduction VL parts don't have the latest website technology out there so you are often better off giving them a call if you have questions or can't find exactly what you are looking for. There is a pretty steady listing of VL parts on Ebay just search for "harley vl". I have seen just about every possible part for sale at different times from different sellers over the last couple years. Some ok prices to be found amongst overpriced parts. Don't be afraid to message people to ask for a lower price. You will also often find parts mislabeled with inaccurate descriptions with wrong years listed so study the photos, ask questions and do your research.

A great example of a mistake I made buying on Ebay, I bought a complete VL transmission that looked complete in photos but it was actually a mix of JD parts, early VL and late VL parts that didn't work together. It had an early side/starter/kicker with a later case. It fit and looked fine but the early starter gears are not constant mesh and the case is missing a way to release the starter gears. It also had a JD pull rod which does look exactly the same as a VL pull rod but it is one inch shorter. I also bought a complete clutch that was completely useless. I ended up parting-out both purchases, salvaging what I could and learning way more about the VL transmission and clutch than I ever thought possible. The learning experience was worth more than the sum of the parts.

As far as reproduction parts go, in general there are some really good companies out there selling high quality parts. How they make some of the more obscure, complicated parts in small batches is still a bit of a mystery to me but I'm not complaining.

If you are looking for new, basic bolts and nuts type hardware, Colony Machine makes a lot of the common parts but beware sometimes parts say they are for all years of VL but aren't quite the same as the early VL hardware. The best and cheapest place to buy Colony parts is online from Lowbrow Customs

Harbor Vintage	http://www.harborvintage.com
Good Old Motorcycle Company	https://www.thegoodoldmotorcyclepartscompany.com
Competition Distributing	http://www.competitiondist.com
Replicant Metals	http://replicantmetals.com
VL Heaven	https://www.vlheaven.com
Mike's Indian Parts	http://www.mikesindianparts.com
Geloman sheet metal	http://geloman.com
W & W Cycles	https://www.wwag.com
Tom’s NOS parts	http://www.tomsnosparts.com
AAOK	https://aaok.com

Do you know of another good website that has VL parts?
Let us know in the comments section below.

Clutch Parts & Adjusting Tips - Harley VL - Ancestor Garage

Harley VL - Clutch Parts & Tips

Dialing in your VL clutch can be challenging. It’s not hard to go from a clutch that slips to a clutch that drags. There are many components involved in the proper adjustment of your clutch. In this post we’ll focus on the primary clutch assembly at the transmission. 

Part Number	Part Name
2500-19	Roller bearing washer (thrust washer, hardened, comes in different sizes to dial in end play and avoid clutch drag or slop) (part number 2499-19 for a set)
301-15, 305-15	Roller bearings: retainer (2) and rollers .726 long (12)
2472-30	Clutch hub shell & sprocket
2481-30	Lined friction disc (3)
2487-30	Steel inner disc (2)
2479-30	Releasing Disc
2489-30	Drive disk (hub with keyway)
2508-30	Clutch Spring Guide Collar (12)
2511-30	Clutch Springs (9)
2507-30	Clutch Spring Screws (6) (also used for adjusting tension)
2445-30	Clutch Pull Rod - 13 9/16" long (Be careful when buying because the earlier  rod for the J series bikes looks exactly the same but its 1" shorter and won't work on a VL!)
2448-32	Pull rod bearing complete (or three pieces as below)
2452-26, 2453-26, 2454-26	Pull rod bearing three piece: outer ball race, inner ball race, retainer & balls
2460-33	Pull rod oil retainer
2461-33	Pull rod cork washer
2468-30	Take-up spring
2505-30	Actuating plate
2462-15	Pull rod adjusting collar
2466-15	Pull rod lock washer
0125	Pull rod adjusting nuts (2)

Tips for disassembly and cleaning

• Buy a puller! It's one of those tools you just realize are worth every penny even if you only use a few times a year. After a trans rebuild you'll use it many times as you dial in your clutch and endplay.
• When removing the tension adjusting screws set the clutch flat on the table so the springs and plates don’t go flying across the room.
• Clean the plates with brake cleaner to remove oil and build up. Ensure your friction plates are clean, dry and have some material left on them. 
• Ensure the tabs on the friction plates are not notched, they should be straight so they won’t bind with the shell. You can file them so the edges are flat. 
• Ensure the metal slots inside of the shell are not notched, they too should be straight or the plates could bind. 
• Lightly file the face of the drive disc hub (the side facing the engine) 
• Clean up the edges and faces of the metal plates to remove any major ridges that could bind

Tips for reassembly

• Make sure the plates are assembled in the proper order 
•  Reassemble the springs and plates making sure to avoid putting springs on the nubs  
• Use a C-clamp to compress the springs so you can get the screws started 
•  Get all screws started and then snug them up equally after all screws are in place. 
• If the screws are too tight your clutch will grip when you want it to slip and shifting will be very hard and the gears will grind. 
• If the screws are too loose they can vibrate loose and come apart (this happened to me!) 
•  You want the screws to be flush with the spring plate, there should be no gap or hole visible. If you run your finger across the plate you should just barely feel the end of the screw 
• Torque the large clutch hub nut down to 75lbs 
• Follow the Rider's manual for adjustment procedure. 

As a final test after everything is assembled and adjusted
With the primary and rear drive chains in place put the bike in gear but keep the clutch disengaged as if you were about to shift again. Then use your hand to kick over the starter. The starter should be move freely with very little drag. This lets you know that the clutch is releasing all the way the pedal is depressed.

Now put the bike in neutral, engage the clutch and when you kick over the starter there should be no slipping and the motor should turn over solidly. This tells you the clutch is fully engaging.

 If there is drag when you kick the bike over then you need to look at what is causing the clutch to bind. Things that can cause the clutch to drag are:

• too much play in clutch lever arm or pull rod, check arm play and tighten adjusting nuts
• Thrust washer too thick, reduce in .005 increments
• Friction plates are unable to move freely within club shell (check slots and plate tabs)

This article was written by Eric Snyder. Please comment or email with corrections or suggestions. If you want to re-use this content please provide attribution and link back to this post.