Removal of Harley Engine Mount
Bob LaRosaDescription
On the left side, we are just about ready to begin unbolting the transmission and motor from the Twin Cam Softail. All of the wiring harness has already been disconnected. We have removed the throttle cables from the carburetor and the clutch cable from the clutch perch. The clutch cable will be removed entirely along with the clutch end cover before removing the transmission.
Top Mounts
Start by supporting the bottom of the motor with a jack. Only apply light pressure. Remove the top Harley engine mount and the two small links (brackets) from the bottom front of the transmission case. Be sure to label these links as they are side specific. Keeping your motor/transmission mount hardware organized and labeled is also of utmost importance.
Work Your Way Down
Begin removing the four large bolts from the back of the Harley engine mount (front of the transmission). These bolts should offer little resistance after their initial torque is unloaded.
Now you can loosen the two long through bolts from the front of the motor. They are held with two large, flange style nuts. These bolts/nuts are also held with threadlocker from the factory. They may be difficult to loosen. If it is necessary to use heat, be careful not to burn your stator plug harness or any other adjacent surface areas. Using a 1/2″ impact may also be helpful.
If any of the Harley engine mount hardware is comprised upon disassembly be sure to purchase new factory hardware for reassembly.
Removing Transmission
Being that we are stripping this motorcycle down to its frame, we will be removing the transmission first as per the service manual instructions. It is, however, possible to remove only the motor from the motorcycle if the main objective is a complete motor rebuild. Only removing the motor is slightly more difficult as there is less room for movement however, it is completely possible and often necessary.