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[Keithincda]

Yesterday I received my new inner fairing that I had ordered from  Chicago HD. I am replacing the current one because when I got my bike the previous owner had left the Harley GPS and Radar detector mounts on it and they look ugly, plus a slight crack in the paint near the middle windshield screw.
Couple a questions:
1). I know how to open up the fairing and expose the birdsnest that sits in it but I am not sure how complicated it is to remove the current inner fairing and replace it. Do all the outer parts of the gauges need to be taken off and if so tips on doing that?
2). Is it okay to wax up the new inner fairing right away (before install) or should it be stripped of anything in particular coming out of the HD paint shop before doing so?
3). Anybody on here want to power units for a GPS and/or Radar detector (OEM HD parts)?

[Boatman]

I'm not being smart but order a std Electraglide service manual, SEEG service manual supplement, and a parts manual.

After the outer fairing is off, I would remove the radio, all the gauges, and the lower inner fairing with the ignition switch.  Tag all wires. 

I would polish/wax the new inner before I put it on.

Before I started this project, I would order Heat Demons handlebar heaters and poly urethane handlebar risor bushings.  Now is the time to change to HD's Reach handlebars if so desired or Wild One's bars. 

Only want to do this once.  Good luck.  Never have done the inner swap but it is more time consuming than hard (tedious work).

[SPIDERMAN]

Time consuming,tedious and a ball breaker. If you've ever had the outer shell of a fairing off and done any work to all the stuff mounted on the inner shell you know how damn hard it is to tuck everything back in place the way the factory did so the outer shell goes back on again. I would strongly suggest you photodocument the entire inner fairing as you find it when you remove the outer shell. Take 100 photos if necessary of all of the places where wires are ziptied together or tied to some other piece of eqpt. Take special note of how the wires are bundled and where the bends in the bundles are and how they tuck in under this or that. More than any service manual, these pics will save your a$$ when you go to reassemble the new inner shell.

Just my $0.02

B B

[kurtlange]

3). Anybody on here want to power units for a GPS and/or Radar detector (OEM HD parts)?

how much for the gps mount??


as the others have said, take pictures. the manual is great but now is not the time for a brain fart...

[Keithincda]

thanx for the tips fellas...I'll be documenting things with pictures and will post some once I get done for future reference. It may be  a week before I do it as I have a busy agenda this weekend and want to make sure I have lots of time to work thru this.

Kurt, one other board member pm'd me about the gps mount and as I told him, the cost is 1-2 beers  or whatever it costs to send  it to you...between the two I'd rather have the beer 
If he decides he doesn't want it it's yours....

[hd-dude]

As other said, get a service manual first and take pics. In my expirience it is best to remove the radio, speakers and fairing brackets then take the fairing off with the guages in tact, swap them on the bench into the new fairing then install the new fairing.

[Boatman]

then take the fairing off with the guages in tact, swap them on the bench into the new fairing then install the new fairing.

That makes alot of sense having never done one.   

[DCFIREMANN]

HD is right. DO NOT START TILL YOU HAVE THE BIBLE!!!!! Take pics. The wiring harness's and the connections are going to be the worse part of the job.

Take your time. Cover all painted parts in the area. Then go after it. It is not that hard like taking apart a puzzle and then putting it back together.

Be Safe

THE DAWG

[Dean_Nelson]

I know it looks like a lot inside, but like others have said, get the book for your first time doing it.

I have now done 8 of them ( all for paint jobs). The first one took 2.5 hours apart and 2 hours back together.

I can now do one apart in 30-40 mins and back together in one hour.


Pull the outer fairing, remove the clutch cable and out the hole, same for the cable on the right, read the book on how to remove the key lock and the inner fairing cap, now pull the speakers out, pull all the guages out, mark the guage wires for your first time. You will find that the guages wires will just fall back to each guage. Their are four bolts that hold the chrome support for the running lights pull them out and each bracket will now hang down. Also at this point the two black bracktes that are holding all the stuff and the raido in will be ready to pull off. their are 4 allen bolts that you take out that hold the two black brackets to the inner fairing, and the inner is now ready to be removed.

This will be your worst part of the job as a first timer........how to get the inner, raido out of it's hole.

You pull each of the black brackets away from the mounting holes on each fork tube, now the raido and "all that stuff" will fall forward, not fall out, just moves a little forward. As it moves froward the raido will come out of it's hole and the inner fairing can now start to lift up and away from it.

It is now out!

If it is going to be apart for any time, I put the four allen bolts back in the black brackets on each fork side to hold the raido in it normal spot, if you dont that whole ass'y will start to fall forward over time just sitting their.

You do need read the book each step of the way, what I state above is a short story of what it all comes down to.

Good luck.......your can do it, it just a bunch of part that all go together!

Dean Nelson

[kurtlange]

Kurt, one other board member pm'd me about the gps mount and as I told him, the cost is 1-2 beers  or whatever it costs to send  it to you...between the two I'd rather have the beer 
If he decides he doesn't want it it's yours....

thanks, let me know.

[Keithincda]

So I'll be buying the manuals, is it a crap-shoot that the local dealership will have those in stock or will I most likely be waiting for it?
Thanks for the cliff notes on the procedure Dean....

[icybay]

A ball head allen wrench will make removing the radio easier.

[SPIDERMAN]

A ball head allen wrench will make removing the radio easier.

And a ball peen hammer even easier 


B B

[Cvostu]

take it from someone who's done it before,    it's a huge job!  i did mine and i do love it, took about 4 hrs with a very talented friend. Take pics and go slow.. most of all..... Good luck!    maybe you should try the dealer??yes,  the radio is a real blast too.

[murphy]

So I'll be buying the manuals, is it a crap-shoot that the local dealership will have those in stock or will I most likely be waiting for it?
Thanks for the cliff notes on the procedure Dean....

I bought the cd off ebay for $4.99 a few weeks ago... took me a couple of days to get it in the mail.

I just removed and repaired one of the the big black fairing brackets yesterday... beer is ok for removal... not for install.

Take your time and it could be fun!