In anticipation of painting or powder coating fenders and gas tank I am thinking of adding a hinged rear fender. What is the process of painting a hinged fender. Can you dissemble the fender at the hinge?
I have been looking at the 6 gal tanks and wonder if anyone here has used them.
A friend of mine put some 6 gallon tanks on years ago. The tabs and bungs needed to be reinforced with some welding, the tanks worked over quite a bit to get smoothe, but he didn't buy top quality at the time. They did look good in candy apple red, but check bar clearance.
RE: hinged fender. I have one on my '77. The painter just painted over the hinge. That said, I would probably not use a hinged fender again. The big question is... why? They don't really make it any easier to get the rear wheel off if you have a simple lift. And you run the risk of damaging the paint opening and closing the fender, not to mention the paint will chip off the hinge. Am sorry I didn't find a non-hinge fender when I had the bike painted.
-JW
I agree on the hinged fender. I like the look, if it was original to the bike and unrestored, or going for a period correct restoration, I'd leave it. But if wanting a nice paint job, no hinge. It will crack the paint, it will rattle a bit, it may even break as years go by.
A side note, same friend with the tanks put a cheap rear fender on as well, no hinge, it started to rip where the hinge would have been from vibration due to a 93" motor and excessive rpm constantly street racing. I'd not seen anything like that before, it literally ripped the fender like a piece of paper. (He had other issues as well, both with the bike, and personally...)
Last time I painted mine I welded the fender. Still have the hinged look but no movement and oe quality
I think the only OE part on my 76 IS the hinged fender .... and it has the "classic" chipped paint too. :teeth:
... and oil tank .. and the battery tray... but that's it.
My '68 has a hinged fender, with chipped paint. I've never lifted the fender since it was painted. It must be vibration? I like the idea of a tack weld.
when I painted mine before it dried I took a thin razor and cut the paint then moved the fender up and down. then I moved it more after it dried. after that I never used it anyway
Hinged fender is handy with a center stand......rear wheel can be removed.
I have a c/stand on my 1967 FLH....it takes 2 men and a boy to get the bike up on it...... :smile:
I have never pulled the rear tire off my 76 without using the hinge.
Welding the fender solid is a great idea! Damn, which I would have asked or thought of that before the paint job. Oh well, make note for next time. I guess the upside is that if it ever happens to get a flat out in the middle of nowhere, and no lift table, the hinged fender will make it a lot easier to deal with. (long story about a flat on Hwy 50, in the middle of nowhere...)
-JW
I had my hinged rear fender painted intact and by the time I got it mounted it was chipped at the hinge no matter how I tried to not move it when I mounted it. I even had a piece of flat steel drilled to mount on the inside so it wouldn't move and yepper it chipped anyway so if you go that route make sure you have some touch up from the painter. Yer gonna need it.