Leading link install questions, and other info.

I don't have experience with the Unit LL but the install of the LBS leading link on my GS/Ural rig was straight forward. I just referenced as many pictures as I could. There was a certain amount of trial and error. Most if should be self evident as to how it fits together. For me, Having many cars arriving on my door step in boxes gave me the practice of putting mechanical puzzles together, I suppose. 🙂 

There seems to be some debate about pressure in the tires for pusher and sidecar if using a car tire.

Some advocacy for higher than "standard" for both, others for lower than "standard".  I am leaning to the somewhat lower pressure due to the much reduced load on car tires caused by the lighter weight of motorcycle and sidecar than the tires are designed for.  I base this on the very short lifespan of the pusher tire and replacement tire I installed on our rig when we acquired it in 2021.  Replaced both last fall and reduced pressure to 28 in each from 36 prior.  Lower pressure will reduce crowning due to lower weight forces.  (At least that's the reasoning I'm going with...time and miles with tell)

Those Austone Taxi tires are so stiff to begin with that 50psi isn't going to get you anything more than a stiff ride. But they're still gonna be stiff at 35psi.  You might get a tiny little bit more grip at 35psi so that would be where I'd start.

There's a thread maybe you saw already? ---->  Universal Austone Taxi Tire thread

Up front, I'm an advocate of using a rear motorcycle tire inflated moderately hard like around 40psi.  Car tires up front perform well if they are wide, but narrow car tires I don't know.

Be prepared to do some experimenting and possibly discarding a perfectly good tire simply because you don't like it.

UPDATE:

Yesterday I rode it around the neighborhood with no issues that I noticed. The saddle bags were not on.

Today I went for a test ride with the bike fully assembled, no sidecar. I may or may not have an issue. I backed it out of the garage and started it to let it warm up. I sat on it, then raised up off the seat. CLUNK. Sat on it again. Nothing until I raised my weight off of it. Again. CLUNK. While sitting still there is no klunk going down. But when I put my feet down and take the weight of it clunks when it gets to the top at full rest. Seems like the shocks are bottoming UP,,, if that makes sense.

I took it for a ride and tried to repeat the noise while moving. I kept slamming my butt down and raising back up.  But if it's doing it I sure can't hear it. All I felt was what seemed like too stiff of a setting. But I expected that since the sidecar is not on there.

I called Progressive to ask if it could be just from not having the weight of the sidecar on there and the shocks set one level away from max. This tech was not helpful at all. Kinda peed me off. He just kept insisting that these $350 heavy duty, only model they sell for the 1500 Goldwing is not going to be heavy enough for a sidecar rig. I calmly kept repeating the sidecar is not on there. It fell on deaf ears. In fact. I read him the instructions where it states how to adjust the shocks, It says 2 up, trailer, sidecar, ect. I'll attach a pic.

He kept saying I must have the wrong shock. I read him the number and he was surprised it WAS a heavy duty shock for the 1500 Goldwing. The only one they sell. But insisted I must have the bike over loaded and this shock is only good for 350 pounds. I told him I weigh 200 and the bike is empty.

I finally got tired of talking to him and said I have one more setting to get to max. I'll try that and report back.

So you guys got any idea whats going on here. Are these Progressive 412 heavy duty coil over shocks going to work on a sidecar rig? Or did I waist $350,,,lol. 

Right now I have the rear center panel of the Goldwing removed so I can try to see what's going on. Everything looks fine from what I can see. Just waiting on help to get here so I can bounce and look at the same time.  It's gonna suck because now I gotta take the saddle bags back off to change the shock setting. Or,,,,  could it be in fact that I just need the weight of the sidecar on there?  But with Progressive's thinking it will be too much weight,,,lol.

There's more to tell about the tire. But I want to address this first.

Thanks

Without actually seeing them, my leaning would be that there's nothing wrong with the shocks but rather there might be some slop in the shock mounts.  Like, one time I had some shocks that had a 1/2" eye for mounting and without realizing it I mounted them with a M12 bolt.  Duh.  I got a clunk.  Another time I had a shock with a clunk when I definitely used the right bolt. Realized eventually that there was a bronze bushing inside the mount that needed replacing.

Really, I'm just guessing. But it's worth investigating.

Calvin, check the TOP bolt on those rear shocks, and make sure they are tight. In fact, check ALL bolts on both rear shocks, and make sure they are ALL tight. Then, set both rear shocks at the MIDDLE setting...not the highest setting, but the MIDDLE setting, then....spray the sliding shaft of both shocks with WD-40, just enough to remove any unintentional stiction, then take the bike for a test drive.

On the tires....40 psi in the front tire that is mounted on that front wheel backwards.

35 to 40 psi in that rear tire that is an Austone taxi tire.....35 to 40 psi...and in MY opinion, you put too much ceramic balance beads inside that tire.         I would have used 2 ounces...not 4 ounces.

Figured out the clunking.

The axle bolt was hitting the muffler.

I'm 99.9% sure the reason it was hitting is because I had too much preload on the shocks, and not having the sidecar installed. These Goldwing mufflers have a recessed pocket built in to clear the bolt. With out the weight of the sidecar it was going above the normal ride height. At least that's what I'm thinking. But I do find it strange that Honda would make it where the bolt had to be with in the travel of the pocket?

The true fix is to put the sidecar on. But it's beautiful weather this week end, and supposed to rain all next week. I want to ride. So I'll put the sidecar on next week,,,,lol.

Believe me when I say I tried MANY things to get clearance on the bolt. I only needed about 1/8'' but could only get about half of it. So for a temporary fix I ground a bit of the bolt off. I know I'll catch hell for that,,,,lol. But it won't be a problem until the next time I pull the rear wheel. I can try to clean up the thread before removing the nut, and let the nut chase the threads. Or I do have another axle. So no big deal.

Looking at that pic, I'd grind it down flush with the nut, use the nut to chase the threads, then buy a new nut!

Calvin, you can buy a THREAD FILE from most hardware stores...most....and they comes in both Metric and SAE. I have one in my toolbox, and they work great. It is 4 sided, with different pitch of threads on each side, so you can gently file down the boo boo, and get the treads back to working condition.

So heres the easy -peasy way to do it.  As stated, the goal is to cut the bolt off flush at end of nut.  The best way for you to do this is mark threads of bolt where it’s at in place ( as you have shown in picture.  After marking ( in which ever method you choose ie, sharpie, paint , or which ever way you choose; then remove bolt & re-install nut on the bolt at the same position you marked it when on the bike only this time you have it secured in a vice.  Cut off the excess portion of bolt ( in your case it looks to be about 1/4  to 3/8” worth of threaded portion.  Use a cut off wheel and finish up w/ flap disc to have a good finish.  ( all of this is done while the nut is in the original marked position.).  When you have finished the cut off & finish grinding work, simply back nut off bolt about 1/2 way and cycle through that several times by tightening up & loosening nut untill you can easily do it by hand.  Then you totally remove nut from bolt and the threads are chased and the nut is not galded up.  

Thanks for the replies about the bolt. I think what I'll do when it comes time, is back the nut off until it hit's the part where I ground it down to clear the muffler. Then cut it off flush with the nut. Tighten the nut back up and then dress the thread. But.....  That bolt is no big deal. Like I said, I have another.

And I know how to deal with bolts and threads. Setting up sidecars? Not so much,,,,lol. I started restoring this 1936 Atlas lathe over the winter. This is why I didn't work on getting the bike tore down and ready for spring. And now I'm scrambling to get the bike done and not finishing the lathe,,,lol.

I got side tracked with the whole bolt thing. Sorry. But I had to figure that clunking out,,,lol.

So. Can you guys please re-read my original post again and give advise on setting up the leading link.

As it turns out there was some misunderstanding on the leading link. I will NOT be getting the tire and wheel. He sold that to a local guy who needed it. He said the rear Shinko tire wasn't much good anyway. That's ok. I have a good Dunlop with some miles left on it. Just wished it was bigger.

As far as a tire for the front goes. Stock size is 130/70/18.  He had a 140/70/18 rear tire on there. Is that as big as I can go with the leading link? Could I even put a car tire on the Goldwing wheel?  Are there other wheels available to run a car tire? Should I just be happy with the 140/70,,,,lol.

But seriously. What are the benefits of a larger tire on the front? Assuming I could get a different wheel to accommodate a car tire, would it be worth the cost? 

Calvin, two points here...WHY is the rear axle bolt hitting the right side muffler, when 99.999314159 percent of the other Goldwing 1500's  don't have this problem ?

Secondly, rather than cut off the threaded end of the bolt...why not space the bolt out to the left, by placing one or two thick washers under the head of the bolt, on the left side of the bike, before sliding the bolt through the rear differential ???

Posted by: @miles-ladue

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Calvin, two points here...WHY is the rear axle bolt hitting the right side muffler, when 99.999314159 percent of the other Goldwing 1500's  don't have this problem ?

Secondly, rather than cut off the threaded end of the bolt...why not space the bolt out to the left, by placing one or two thick washers under the head of the bolt, on the left side of the bike, before sliding the bolt through the rear differential ???

Miles. I truly believe it's because the other 99.999314159 percent of the Goldwing guys did not switch over to coil over shocks. And still have the factory air shock on there. I believe when I mount the sidecar the bolt will go down into the pocket of the muffler. This is just my theory though.

I did consider moving the bolt over to the left and shimming with a washer like you mention. But that would involve removing the left side saddle bag and muffler. But I didn't want to waste the last good riding weather day before it started raining fussin on a bolt. Instead I road 300 miles yesterday,,,lol. I'll deal with the bolt next time the wheel needs to come off.