Narrow springer build for my xs chopper.

neanderthal

neanderthal
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ive been working on a narrow springer build that im about to finish up and thought that i'd share it with you guys. This is my first springer build, but i have been wanting to build on for a long time now. Im not a professional, just a back yard mechanic that is learning as i go. I just finished up my chopper build, just have to get the turn signals wired in, mount a kill switch and wire it in and dial in the carbs.

These are older pictures:

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Once I get the springer on I plan on narrow apes, and a king/queen seat. I will also move the tail light and plate to the top of the rear fender.
 
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I started off, buy drawing out the trees, spring perch, rockers and whatever the other parts are call out on thicker stock paper. After cutting them out i traced them out onto the steel.

Im lucking and get to use a lot of the tools and equipment in my fab class. the space and being able to work off the ground is super nice too.



taking a hole saw bit i cut out the holes before cutting the shapes out. After that i take it to a grinder and then a belt sander to smooth it out a bit.

Here are the rear fork tubes, i took solid 1.25" round and turned a section down to .75" so it would fit ithe tube. Then took a torch to the other end a cut the grooveds in it. Sanding it to shape it and drilled a hole in it.



take some solid .75" round, drill a hole and tap it. this goes in the top of the rear for tube. Weld it in and I have a way of holding my top tree in place.




Here is the start of a couple bungs i made for the looped front fork.


back to the rear fork. Here that piece i turned down to fit it the rear tube. it has been tig welded in and had the welds blended in.



for the top tree, i used a slightly larger hole saw and cut out two circles out of .25" plate so the fork leg could rest inside it.





for the front legs i used 1" solid [the rear are 1.25" DOM tubing with a wall thickness of .25] heated it up and bent it to shape.


here are a couple of phots of it being mocked up.

 
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And this is where it sits as of now. Will hopefully finish it tomorrow with luck. Also sorry about all the random photos as far as order goes. I do the best i can and it is always the worst.


 
Damn bro that is pretty impressive work. And totally made the old fashion way, by hand. Any plans to make more to sell?
 
ive been reading the chopper handbook and am thinking about making a springer for one of my xs's too...

Looks like great work! I love what you did for the front legs! Did you use solid rod stock for those?
 
Damn bro that is pretty impressive work. And totally made the old fashion way, by hand. Any plans to make more to sell?

Yeah i dig the work. its a lot of fun. I like these sort of "puzzles" a lot. trying to get everything working together and looking good at the same time. I also got into blacksmithing not too long ago. [not knife making] Lots of work too. haha. As far as selling springers, Not as of yet. If i did, the trees would have to be cnc plasma cut. there are a lot of springer options out there not sure if i want that compition. If you have time its really not that hard to do. I think with springs and everything im under 400, minus the axle. I only need a axle cause it's narrowed compared to the stock front end. that ugly pile of dna springer is 550-800 depending on where you shop. and that dress up kit for 220 looks good, but at that price you might as well buy a better fabricated one for a 1000. plus the springer should be built to the bike it is going on.

Nice job!

thanks a lot!:thumbsup:

ive been reading the chopper handbook and am thinking about making a springer for one of my xs's too...

yeah i got a lot of info online, the site is some what under construction, so i did a lot of fill in the blank. the design is also one i came up with. I may re-do the top tree in the near future though. and i knew my rockers were all wrong, but i kind of forgot to take care of them. So this weekend ill cut out new ones at home and on monday I should be able to finish all the welds and bring it home. cant wait to see what it looks like on the bike, Ill have to get a new kickstand too.

Looks like great work! I love what you did for the front legs! Did you use solid rod stock for those?

Thanks man! yeah the front forks are 1" solid and the rear are 1.25 DOM tubing with a .25 wall. A little over kill on the wall thickness, but you know whatever.
 
lots of time at the belt dander? LOL

1/4" Walled DOM bent 180? You need to carry you nuts around in bag now? LOL

Dig the exhaust radius matching clutch cover. That how I've built my personal xs' s exhaust!
 
oh no it's solid 1" up front for the bend. you put enough heat on it it'll bend for ya. thanks man. i may sell them and do up swept pipes after i get a king queen on there.
 
Is there a benefit to going solid on the front fork? Does it help dampen any more or smooth out the ride better?

Did you final weld everything yet? From what ive read the most common fail point is just under the bottom triple tree where the rear legs mount. Ive read that you are only supposed to weld the top joint there, and with as minimal heat as possible...

Just wondering how you handled that stuff as thats the parts that im most worried about when ibuild one... haha
 
Is there a benefit to going solid on the front fork? Does it help dampen any more or smooth out the ride better?

Did you final weld everything yet? From what ive read the most common fail point is just under the bottom triple tree where the rear legs mount. Ive read that you are only supposed to weld the top joint there, and with as minimal heat as possible...

Just wondering how you handled that stuff as thats the parts that im most worried about when ibuild one... haha

That's a good question, I'm not sure. If anyone knows please let us know. It'll probably not make a difference though. It'll be a rough ride regardless. It's really not that heavy either. I wasn't able to weld it up, forgot about my rockers being wrong. So I'll cut out new ones at home tomorrow and then weld it up Monday. (Where I have te use of a tig machine) as far as failure goes that's mostly dna springer if you do a google search. Also wall thickness and length are important. And the right material. I choose one with high ductile yield. Also on the DNA it has wish bone style fork between the two trees up top. Although I think it looks a lot cooler it weakens the part. Straight springers are the way to go. Also tampered legs help with strength if you have that ability. As far as welding I'm not sure, maybe fuse weld the bottom or I may just weld it up with more reinforcement (filler). I'm just making things up as I go and that's a thought I just got to.
 
Do you have anyway or thoughts about to align the assy?
T-bar?
Are those fish mouth miters under the springs finished?
 
Do you have anyway or thoughts about to align the assy?
T-bar?
Are those fish mouth miters under the springs finished?

Sorry not sure what you are asking in your first question. Not familar with the terms, but probably should be. as far as those bungs, no they have a little shaving to do before they are perfect. they're close though, dont let the angle of the photo do the talking. That weld to the hoop is in my opinion the most critical one of them all. haha it makes me a little nervous so ill pay special attention to it.:thumbsup:
 
You'd want those miters to look as though they'd hold water.

What I meant is....do you or have you made sure the axle is 90 degrees or perpendicular to the centerline of the steering tube.
 
Sure would be nice to find a source for reasonably priced oval/tapered thick-wall tubing, like what was used on old original Harley springers, and '30s Ford radius arms. Aircraft supply houses have varieties of aerodynamic/oval tubing (lift struts), up to about 0.060" wall, but none tapered.

Most of the tapered tubing I've found is in the realm of the bicycle frame builders.
 
You can get almost anything from the fells that bought Cannondale's tubing capabilities at their auction when they started sourcing frames over the pond. I have contact info at shop if someone really wants it. They're pretty hungry so they've been taking on a lot of custom orders. Plus, with true temper backing out of the main stream tubing business its been shifting.

You can give kirk old shop a ring at bikelugs.com I don't do business with them but rumor was they were into some weird shaped tubing for fat bike. They may know a source.

Funny, just yesterday I told a customer I couldn't accomplish that look for his front end. LOL
 
You'd want those miters to look as though they'd hold water.

What I meant is....do you or have you made sure the axle is 90 degrees or perpendicular to the centerline of the steering tube.

Yes I have, everything seems to line up with eachother.
Sure would be nice to find a source for reasonably priced oval/tapered thick-wall tubing, like what was used on old original Harley springers, and '30s Ford radius arms. Aircraft supply houses have varieties of aerodynamic/oval tubing (lift struts), up to about 0.060" wall, but none tapered.

Most of the tapered tubing I've found is in the realm of the bicycle frame builders.

yes it would be nice. I like the look it gives as well. as i said i just got into blacksmithing with a propane forge. my buddy, where i do the smithing has a power hammer. I wish I had the talent to make two idetical parts like that. hopefully some day. Ill eventally try tapered legs.
 
ok got back into my fab class and was able to finish welding it up. Also this weekend I re-cut the rockers out to the right dimensions. they're still rough, but i can clean them up when i get back to my own little shop. What I had left was cutting the front forks down to size and taking a torch to put the j grooves or whatever you want to call them in. and then drill a couple of holes.



then all i had to do was weld it in..not the best tig welder as ive only been doing it for a very short time, but im happy with it. it's all good to go. just need to buy some bushings and hardware and a narrow axle and ill be able to mount it. 3.25" over [which is 3" over harley] and 5" narrow. its not the best looking front end, but i built it with my own hands and im damn proud/happy to own it. more and better ones to come for sure.

 
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Hell yeah brother. You took the bull by the horns and made something you are proud of. Thumbsup for you and good job.
 
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