Trying to find out the shock length on this KHK

[rmcveigh]

Hi guys, I'm in the process of rebuilding my 55 KHK & this Mike Quinn bike is pretty much my blueprint
https://www.harleykmodel.com/fullsize.h ... =1500x1200
...can anyone tell me whether these are 14.5" rear shocks or 13.5"
Much appreciated
Ray

[starcain]

They made some changes to the bumper area and bottom rotating cups in 1954 but the overall length of the shocks stayed the same from 1952 to 1955. The length of the shocks is 14.5" from center to center of the eyelets.

[EKHKHK56]

The 52-55 K and XLCH shocks are 9/16” longer than 56-65 shocks according to literature. I’m not positive on the 52-55 etc length at the moment and they are snowed in. Sorry about that earlier post. Other similar shocks of odd lengths are usually Big Twin. So if the early ones are 14.5” the 56 ones must be around 13 and 15/16”. I thought I measured an early one at slightly over 14.5” If they’re 14 and 9/16” that would put 56 shocks at 14” even eye to eye. Shock body is increased to 1” for 56-65 also. Early shocks came with Royalite covers or optional Stainless Steel. Not Chrome till 54. Erik

[rmcveigh]

Thanks for that Erik ! Lucky Luke was recommending you when we were discussing K's & KHK's last week here in London ! Wonder if you can help me out with another puzzler for me currently, trying to source the correct primary cover/front chain cover for my 55 KHK, and I am finding a multitude of 34950-52 pn listed cases purporting to be the right case for mine, but as per the parts manual mine "should" be pn 34951-54, which I cannot even find a picture of, let alone the part itself, assuming there are some differences in the two different numbered cases will the earlier pn work ? Thanks Ray

[hennesse]

Thanks for that Erik ! Lucky Luke was recommending you when we were discussing K's & KHK's last week here in London ! Wonder if you can help me out with another puzzler for me currently, trying to source the correct primary cover/front chain cover for my 55 KHK, and I am finding a multitude of 34950-52 pn listed cases purporting to be the right case for mine, but as per the parts manual mine "should" be pn 34951-54, which I cannot even find a picture of, let alone the part itself, assuming there are some differences in the two different numbered cases will the earlier pn work ? Thanks Ray

Ray,

The 1952-1953 K's primary cover, 34951-52, did not have the Oil Level Screw, and the 1954-later primary cover 34951-54 did. This is shown in the illustration in the 1954 Spare Parts Catalog, but not in the parts listing. Yes, you do see a lot of the 1952-1953 primary covers for sale, but I'm not sure why.

From 1954 Spare Parts Catalog

Capture.JPG (37.72 KiB) Viewed 63031 times

The 1952-1953 Ks had a rather bizarre breather and level setup in the back of the engine/trans, but in 1954, the level screw was moved to the primary cover. As far as I know, that's the only difference.

[rmcveigh]

Thanks Hennesse, I'm much clearer after that !
My mistake has been relying on the 1959 Parts book up until now, thinking it would be definitive, whereas the 54 catalog does clarify the cover much better (and a bunch of other miscellaneous parts I have been struggling to identify via the 59 book)....now I'm worried that the preponderance of 34951-52 cases may be because the 54 covers were in much smaller quantities originally....I have not been able to find a single example, whereas there are literally scores of the 34951-52's available for sale...(I'm still wincing at the newly acquired knowledge that the -54 case was $15 new back then !)
If anyone on here has the correct one I would be extremely grateful

[rmcveigh]

34950-52 Case.png (90.85 KiB) Viewed 62911 times

Hennesse, I am now a little more confused ! I originally wrote that I keep seeing a preponderance of 34950-52 cases...and then wrote how I thought my 55 KHK should have the 34951-54, the difference being that oil level screw, but I missed that the pn I keep seeing stamped inside on all these apparent 34951-52 cases IS 34950-52 - and on going & scouring images of the listed 34950-52 cases until I spotted one WITH the oil level screw tab, making it a -54 presumably, only I find it is still stamped inside with this 34950 prefix - so, is this a casting number I am seeing, the 3495O-52 as opposed to a part number stamp ???
Here's a couple of the said listed cases...you can see the number inside is the same, and obviously doesn't correspond to the parts catalog part number...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133948795267

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304664336258

I am hoping that this is the case (excuse the pun) and that as long as I see the oil level tab, then the case will be correct for my 55 !

[rmcveigh]

So, assuming the inside stamped number IS a casting number & not the part number, despite it being identical except for one digit, then although this primary case is stamped as a 34950-52, as are all the others, this one HAS the oil level screw tab so this should be correct for my 55 KHK ?

[EKHKHK56]

Hello. Well I think I will quit trying to pull info from my memory bank. SHOCKS: I thought I measured a 52-55 K shock last week but now I don’t know and all are snowed in at containers. Fact: The 56 New Model Announcement states the 56 to 65 shock is 9/16” shorter than the 52-55 shocks. XLCH uses the 52-55 shock also for motoring off road. The shorter shaft and piston makes the 56-65 shorter. PRIMARY COVER: The KH and KHK have much larger bulge in front side to clear larger KH compensating sprocket assembly. It probably is a little wider in general as it has to clear 7 plate clutch instead of 5. The bulge is bigger, and less pronounced in appearance. Erik