Mounting the Case in the Frame

The engine weighs about 125 lbs at this stage, so it can be set in position fairly easily with two or three people. I had to do mine by myself, so the photo below shows the way I set mine up.

Next, grease the motor mount holes in the cases. Do a good job here so as to reduce the air and moisture volume in the hole, as best you can.

Now grease the two, lower, motor mount bolts. This will (hopefully) inhibit corrosion due to dissimilar metals (aluminum engine and steel bolts) contacting each other.

Take picts.

Put some duck tape or rags along the right frame rail (the low frame member) to protect the frame and engine paint as you maneuver the engine in. Tip: Actually, I used blue painters' tape to secure some rags to the frame.

Now maneuver the case assembly into the frame. Easy does it. Since I was working solo, it took me about an hour of jockeying, to get the first motor-mount bolt in. I was very careful not to scratch my newly powdercoated engine as I inched my way in.

I used a heavy-duty tool box and four 1”x4” x4’ boards. Then I used the bike’s center lift to adjust height of frame to roughly match the tool box, and laid the boards between the box and completely across the frame.

Next, I set engine on the boards, after covering them with rags. Then I just lifted or slid the engine toward the frame, along the rags. Be very careful about the rear of the engine, as there is a protrusion that barely clears the seat-tube (downward tube) of the frame.

I kept lifting and/or sliding the engine until it was in position in the frame, but remained on the boards. Then I inserted a long 7/16” rod (as used for engine removal) through the front, upper motor mount in the case. And I rested this rod on two, car jack-stands--one on each side of the frame.

Next I lifted the rod (and engine) enough to raise the jack-stands one notch. This raised the front of the engine a little so I could slip out the front, wooden board. See photo below.

Then, I repeated these steps for the rear motor-mount.

Now the engine was hovering above the boards, which I then removed. Then I used the hydraulic center lift to raise the frame up to the engine.

I continued slowly, rolling the lift as needed to keep everything lined up, until one of the lower motor-mount holes lined up with the frame hole. When one hole centered enough to insert its bolt through, it was simply a matter of using one hand on the engine to finalize alignment, while pushing the bolt through with the other hand. Mine went in easily. Your’s should, too.

Once the first bolt was in, I removed the jack-stand and rod nearest that bolt, and continued the process for the second bolt.

Secure the lower motor-mount bolts with their nylock nuts. Once both lower motor mount bolts are in, torque them to 64 ft-lbs. Then pack the upper motor mount holes with grease, and bolt in the rear mount using 64 ft-lbs for the long bolt, and 35 ft-lbs for the bracket bolts.

Note: I did not tighten the front motor mount yet, as I still needed to re-install my crash bar--to be completed later.

Take picts.