What did I break this time? 1985 Harley Davidson Ironhead Sportster Top End Teardown
Oops I did it again 😅
Miles means wear, and doing some digging in the motor to see what needs fixed for many more adventures on this 1985 Ironhead Chopper
#builtnotbought #sportsterchopper #bikerchick #motovlog #biker #chopperlife #femalerider #ftw #harleydavidson #ironhead #womenwhowrench #wrench #dirtyhands #motorcycle #couplegoals #ourlife #realme #keepingitreal #harley #explore #moto #hashtag
Who the hell is Ironhead Sally? Well here's my channel description:
Old School Bikes and Old School Ways! Ride hard, wrench a lot, and always having a blast.
Bike camping, wrenching, and shenanigans. My husband and I create motorcycle content for people that are tired of seeing all of the fake insta accounts of sponsored boring yuppies. Here's some realness, we are just broke bikers living the low life and getting by. I ride a 1985 Ironhead Chopper as my daily, my touring bike is a 1984 FXR. We have lots of Ironheads and FXRs and are constantly building more, trying to keep these old neglected scoots on the road instead of rotting away in a garage.
Appreciate all the love & support
Keeping it Real! Keep it Sketchy!
FTW💚Sally
Email: ironheadsally@yahoo.com
Ebay Store: www.ebay.com/s...
Ironhead Sally
236 S Third St
PMB# 235
Montrose, CO 81401-3618
Пікірлер: 138
You do not want a shop working on your bike. It is good you folks can do your own work. fun to watch too. You guys are the best. Two folks living your dream. I like it that you two are your own people and don't give a crap what people think. Have a great year and be safe. Enjoy life. I like dirty old bikers like you two.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
🤩 appreciate it! And yes, thats the goal to be able to do it all on these bikes and keep it going without breaking the bank! Thanks for watching!
Hi 👋, not sure whether you have seen it, you might find it interesting, the new upload from wheels through time, Hope you enjoy, Phil from the moulin.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Yes yes! That ol iron, wheww, we need to visit WTT, amazing machines there 🤩
I get excited when I see y'all doing your own work! And your husband is very experienced and knowledgeable. Keep the videos coming!!
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Appreciate it! Thanks! 😁🤩
Those Carhartts are broke in nicely. Takes years to get them that perfect.
My friend just got an 04 roadking fire fighter edition. He came from sport bikes. He gets depressed when he we get long periods of rain. This winter will be hard on him. He loves the low end torque.
@ironheadsally
26 күн бұрын
Oh yeah, hard to deal with no saddle time! Sounds like he got the love of riding, that is a treasure and a curse sometimes 😜 lol cheers and ride free!!!
Over here in Alabama you can’t find people to work on old bikes. My 71’ ironhead was down all last riding season here because I had to bore the jugs and have valves and guides replaced in my heads. I’ve been told those old bikes ain’t worth saving, however now that my old bike is back together people are jealous of it because it was built not bought.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Heck yeah!! People are jealous, and dont get the satisfaction of rebuilding and keeping it going! That is awesome!! If u ever need old motor work, check out dragonman! He’s in CO, but can ship ur parts and he’ll send em back redone and cheap 🤑
The queen of mechanics👍... Thanks for the videos..
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching!!! 😁
You got lucky, girl , with them rings. I started on a 76 Ironhead. As far as the ordering parts goes, we all have to order. I have a J and P cycle 50 miles from me, and almost everytime i go there they don't have in stock, so now I buy most of my parts on E-bay. Enjoyed the video and keep them coming. Peace-out!
@1lowz634
7 ай бұрын
Did you say it needs a little THC😅😅
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Gotta love Ebay! 😁 good luck on the 76! Yay to ironhead projects
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Lmao, ooops, wonder what i sas thinking 😜😂
Good video! Cool ironhead, and you smart! I owner 1 EVO, and 2 shovelhead, and i love ironheads. My friend ride on ironhead 15 years 0 problem. Hello from Hungary! 💪💪💪
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Cheers from Colorado! Thanks for watching! That’s commitment and passion to own that many harleys across the pond lol cheers and ride hard and ride free 🤩🤩🤩
I have that same David Mann tapestry on my living room wall !! Love old school !! Nice job Sally...learn as you go !!
I like You Style chica Saly. Saludos desde Toto Guatemala
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching 😁 ride free
As a rider of an '80 shovelhead I feel your pain . Still I wouldn't trade it for anything newer.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Wooot! That’s right! Nothing compares to the old iron
Love your content .you and hubby's so cool I wish I had a shop any rebuilding I do is in a storage unit or on pad buy my mobile home or in kitchen (wife hates that) .I love the comment about we don't take our bikes in trailer to put on makeup and stay in hotel nor do you move to Florida for winter just to ride n make content love you guys
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Thankfully bikes dont require much room lol! And i love that, no we dont move to florida to make moto content with our brand names on new baggers and ST’s, and unlike other chicks on youtube, i acknowledge my husband and dont pretend to be single for views 🤑🫣😂🤣
..."I am not going to record my seasonal depression for you"... Lady, watching you doing your thing helps me a little bit over my seasonal depression for sure! Winter sucks big time! My new (first) bike is waiting in the garage and I can not jump out of planes either! Plus...valuable life time is being waisted by not doing what I like. Anyway, watching you guys helps for sure! Thanks a lot...
I really enjoy your videos restoring old harleys. Really interested in the teardown and rebuild of this old ironhead.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Appreciate it! Lots of measuring and cleaning up from here lol! Cheeers
Thanks for the update Sally. Look forward to seeing the end product of this build. Nice to hear Pink Floyds Money song at 15.15. All the best with the build and trust the truck business is of to flying start for 2024. Cheers from down under 🇦🇺 Stan.
Keeping old bikes on the road is cool.
@ironheadsally
6 ай бұрын
Heck yeah! Keep em rolling!
@DailyDrivenBikes_1
6 ай бұрын
@ironheadsally wWith a lot of the older bikes the knowledge is getting lost on how to fix them because that generation is dying off, so keeping that knowledge alive is cool.
@ironheadsally
6 ай бұрын
@@DailyDrivenBikes_1 thanks! And spreading it, teaching and showing the younger people that show interest in this life. I hear stories of old timers learning from someone when they were fresh, we need to keep doing that! Keep it alive
@DailyDrivenBikes_1
6 ай бұрын
@ironheadsally yeah totally and it's something I dont want to get lost.
Old owner maintained Harleys are actually the coolest things and become personal the more you dig into it, thanks for sharing as always, your boyfriend is a solid dude, who knows alot of stuff, you both acomplish each other.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Wooot! That is true, love these old bikes and making em our own! Cheers and thanks for watching 😁🤩
Enjoy the wrenching videos. And come to Texas this year. McKinney has plenty of motorcyclists and bikers.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Appreciate it! And love it, yall got moto’s and then bikers lol 😁 definitely would love to do some traveling down around there, avoiding dfw traffic tho haha!
❤❤❤❤
Find the book shovelhead manifesto by Zofro Major. I wrenched on my 73. The shops always looked down on us pulling in with it. Sad that I sold it a year ago. I couldn’t afford to take it with me when I moved.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Sweet!! I’ll look for it! Thanks! Always sad to see a good bike go when things are tight, but theres always more bikes waiting to be rescued 😊😉
AMEN, go buy the book. They aren't perfect but you are going to get a lot closer than without one.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Harley books, those clymer books just dont have all the details on certain things
Hey girl. Thats why i moved to florida. Year round ride. I am from north Carolina mtns. Very cold winters. I got tired of that. But hot days at redlights still suck😢😢😢
@ironheadsally
4 ай бұрын
Ohh yeah, we are locked around colorado mountains, got me riding in a full snow suit like kenny from south park 🤣 atleast lots more bike stuff to do in Florida. But straight roads, them smoky mountain curvies are funnnn! Lol
Hi 👋, who is the lucky girl then?, That could’ve been a bit sketchy., plus you would of had to spend some Wonga, not good, look forward to seeing some more greasy sandwiches, Hands 🙌, I know I’ll probably should not have done it, but I was living by myself, late teens, early 20s, add motorbike engines sorry the complete bike in the lounge, stripping it down, rebuilding it, listening to music, having a beer, 😂, Keep up the great work U2 stay safe , get lapping those valves girl 🧒, your dad will be proud of you, Look forward to seeing the next stage of your rebuild, Phil from My Moulin,
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Awesome! Who didnt at one point bring their projects inside? lol classic! Thanks Phil appreciate it!! 😁
I have to pay off my brand new(2017), NOT, Fat Bob before I can go backwards. My first HD was an '81 original paint AMF Sporty with a fresh top end. An old grade school classmate blew it up on his way to Laconia and my mom's ex, (THE local club mechanic) in 1969-70, who yrs later owns a pre Evo vintage resto shop, rebuilt the '81, and then put it up for sale. I bought it knowing who did the work. I pulled into the vintage shop and asked Dave about break in. He said it's good to go. Keep straight 30 weight in it and run it like you stole it. And that ironhead f'n ran! The faster you went the more it wanted. Wished it had that extra gear though. You are lucky to have a stable of them! ✌
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Oh its some work having this many!! Gotta love it when u know the history and who built a bike, less guessing! lol And really, 30 weight oil? I havent heard that before. I’m using straight 60w. What elevation u at for that?
@user-if8nz2yo5n
7 ай бұрын
@@ironheadsally Jeez, I think I got my small engine brain on ! It had to be 50wt. I WAS in VT back then. Short f'n season!
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
@@user-if8nz2yo5n oh i’m feeling that too lol 🥶🥶🥰
@user-if8nz2yo5n
7 ай бұрын
I can tell!! Nothing like a kitty for co. We have a Russian Blue too! She talks with her eyes. Soooo smart! Looking forward to the next shop vid! ✌@@ironheadsally
@user-if8nz2yo5n
7 ай бұрын
@@ironheadsally Oops! Sorry bout the Russian Blue comment! But your black car is beautiful! My mom would be envious. ✌️
A good-looking gal with a favorite ratchet you just don't hear of that everyday.😂😆😉 And then the next thing she's working on her bikes engines parts in the living room!!!! Unbelievable.👍🔧🛠 As a retired truck driver I also enjoyed the truck footage. Is the Freightliner still going? Don't worry so much about what everybody else does, says and rides you just do you. In your own way you are ahead of the pack. It takes all kinds to make the world go round. You have a great Channel with great content. Happy New Year to you both. Be careful, ride safe.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Wooot! Cheers and thanks for watching! 🤩🛠️Oh yeah the freight shaker is running. She’s been getting more new parts than any of our bikes 😩 but the trucking is keeping us going. Happy New year and best to you and yours 😁
Good work and analysis Sally. I guessed it already by the looks of the intake. Porting is good for flow but leave the surface it semi ruff. Smooth polishing creates turbulence according to a multiple record holder in land speed racing. Don’t touch the boss holding in the valve guides and use a pretty dull cutter applying light pressure. (Don’t dig in) It looks like it didn’t have valve stem seals? I guess you would want them. And gap the piston rings correctly when installing new pistons. Measure them, don’t just slap them on. If the engine runs hot they expand and gall, break etc if the ring gap is too small. Good luck you dirty bikers. 🍀👍
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Oh wow, good to know about the polishing heads! Thank you! 😁 i learn so much from these comments its a help for sure. Gonna be lots of measuring from here! Checking if my jugs are out of round, might bring to a machine shop, we dont have exact measuring tools and more basic stuff, so definitely want to make sure this rebuild lasts 🤩 cheeers!
@wolfdog7265
7 ай бұрын
@@ironheadsally Good luck. 🍀
Your enthusiasm is contagious.😎
Hola !!!!! Saludos desde Venezuela soy artesano de forja y este es mi iron head del 82 ruedo en ella todos los días
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Woooot!! To have a daily rider ironhead! 🥰 awesome so much fun! Cheers and thanks for watching!
See I dig that .that yes you n hubby are creators dare I say influencers but y'all stay real
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
oooOOOooo, i’m millennial influencer, so cliche! Hahaha Pinky up! 😂🤣😭 this started as a joke but realness is under representation on youtube so this is my FTW account hahaha! Cheers and thanks for watching! 💚
Good to see a new video. Be curious to see how the cylinders and pistons measure up. I would inspect the ring gooves/labds carefully. If they get worn its hard on rings because they can flutter and bounce/twist. Good luck on it in any case.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Yes, there was some carbon build up in the ring grooves, so cleaning that up to see how everything looks, fingers crossed lol! Appreciate it, thanks for watching 😁
🔧👍
Come to Missouri n hang .holler when you get here
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Oh heck yeah, we road across hwy 60 in Missouri and loved those rolling hills and views, gonna be ozark area trip this year hopefully 😎🤩 some beautiful country ya’ll have out there
Right on, glad there wasn't a y major devasation
cant wait to hear it running again. best of happy new years to you both!
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Me tooo! Appreciate it! Best to you 🤩
I started watching your video, & it became a struggle right away. I can't hear you ! I spent the next 5 minutes alternating the phone between my ear to hear you, & my eyes to see what you're talking about . Needless to say, that sucked big time ! I had my phone on 'speaker', & still it was just impossible to deal with it. So I still haven't much of an idea what you were talking about, And I couldn't help but think, "don't these people watch these things before posting them ?" And if they do, why in hell would they post them anyway, knowing they can't be heard ?! I saw the Ironhead, & it immediately made my interest peak, since I rode them daily for 25 years, & even now, own an Evo Sporty. I rode & 'raced' the heck out of my old Ironhead, which meant, I "broke things" fairly regularly. Not being able to afford shop labor, I had to learn how to work on my machine in order to ride everyday. It was quite an experience, as I'm not naturally "mechanically inclined". As a result, a love affair ensued between myself & the Legendary Sportster that I had dreamed of for 10 years before I was able to aquire one. I may enjoy your video's in the future, if you do one thing differently... " buy a microphone" ! So that I can 'watch & hear you' simultaneously ! Who knows, maybe subscribe at that point. But for now, not even. Who knows how many you may be losing because of this. My point is not to rag on you about your imperfections, but only to encourage you to make the investment , so that as you go on in your, " times you'll never forget ", the rest of us will be able to go along with you on your journey, & live or re-live your experiences with you. Here's hoping for your best in the future. RUBBER DOWN, THROTTLE UP !
@ironheadsally
6 ай бұрын
Wow, wtf dude? Its a swap meet video, i filmed it to show people that want to see prices and whats going on, not for my comments. OBVIOUSLY. Jeez dont worry about subscribing to my channel, u seem like someone i dont want to hear more from
So looks like Harley didn't change the rocker boxes from 71 - 85 . Your rocker boxes have a 71 part number on it . Cool ... But the big question is why did the rings break in the first place ?? After honing the cylinders piston to cylinder wall clearance needs to be checked along with ring gap with a new ring in the cylinder . Just honing and throwing in a new set of rings is not the correct way to do the pistons and cylinders . As you said your shop manual is your friend .. Good luck .
@benderbender1233
7 ай бұрын
da c0rrect way u say? 😬
@harolddalesr8365
7 ай бұрын
And a Harley part book. Carry the Harley numbers, year. Good job
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Yeah idk what was done to this bike before we bought it, so no clue. Those arent the original pistons so who knows how or when someone else installed them if they checked clearances or not. But a great opportunity for us to get it done right 🤩😎 cheers and thanks for watching!
@harolddalesr8365
7 ай бұрын
Here,s how I do it. Take your top compression ring, slide it down the barrel. Using your bare piston. This squares up the ring. Making sure it sits squarely in the barrel. Take your feeler guage and measure the ring gap. Check against your shop book. May have to file a bit off the ring. Gap. Inside bevels are important too. Check your manufacturer instructions. You are done.
17:28 "those definitely need some THC"! LOL....I think you mean TLC!!!! Must have been a Freudian slip!
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Lmaooo!!! 🤣 ooops, whats on my brain 💚🍃
Longevity is a good thing especially for your main ride. I would like to check out your swap meet ours suck around here. But thats a far drive for me and I got a lot of rides already planned. Hard to throw in a road trip with the truck
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Gotta love swap meets the one in denver is the only one worth it around colorado lol, i’d love to see the socal swap meets, but prolly spend all the moneys lol yayy for exciting trips planned, is it spring yet? lol
I always enjoy the tear downs when they happen; no matter how bad the innards might be, because I know I'm going to know the thing all the better when it's all buttoned back up again. What size sprockets are you running on your final drive? I'm thinking of experimenting with my ironhead final drive. Pretty much committed to the rear drum sprocket which is a 51T, but I've got a 21T on the front.
@ironheadsally
6 ай бұрын
Yes! Serious piece of mind, and gives me the opportunity- nah obligation to finally get the rush off the fins and really clean her up! lol i’m running a 46t and a 21tooth. It’s just enough torque to get over these mountains but keeps the rpms low enough for cruising 65mph all day without rattling apart 😂
@SaddleTrampTV
6 ай бұрын
@@ironheadsally Gotcha.
👍🍺
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
😁🤘
sss00000 fkn glad u f0und dat sssheeeeet!! 🤘😏🤘
@benderbender1233
7 ай бұрын
3:20
@benderbender1233
7 ай бұрын
23:12 😝 w000h0000
@benderbender1233
7 ай бұрын
p00r ted f0sh0 😉👌
@benderbender1233
7 ай бұрын
0ld sk00l internal c0mbuti0n engines r fukn c0000l
@benderbender1233
7 ай бұрын
cant fuuukn waaait!!! 🤘😝🤘
👍👍👍👍👍🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺
Hey ironhead sally how are you? I like your videos & content! I have my 85 ironhead and I’m having a hell of a time getting my ironhead to charge! I put on a brand new stator, brand new clutch basket with magnets $800 just for that part thru Harley! Also replaced the voltage reg. Twice and new battery!! And I can’t seem to get it charging!!! The magnets had fallen off the other clutch basket, (rotor) whatever you wanna call it lol! I just wanna ride!!!! If you can help at all let me know! Plz and thanks
@ironheadsally
2 ай бұрын
Wait $800 for a clutch basket and stator? Oh jeez thats expensive!! Unless u REALLY trust that dealership, i wouldnt buy from HD for anything older than twin cam. But thats rough, sounds like u replaced everything in the charging system, make sure all connections are tight and retrace ur steps, wish there was an easy fix man, make sure ur getting 12v to your regulator. (I had to replace a few of those too, one new one that didnt work) best of luck to ya! Hope u get it back on the road quickly! 💚🏁😁
@neilsevery2209
2 ай бұрын
Yeah when I got the bike it wasn’t charging! There’s a round plug in the trap door behind clutch basket that’s an oiler I guess?? But for some reason that round metal plug was making contact with the magnets behind basket and it chewed magnets completely off and so bike wasn’t charging! Was that way when I got it! So I replaced everything! I think it worked for short time but now it’s not charging again?? Anyway thanks for your reply!
@ironheadsally
2 ай бұрын
@@neilsevery2209 oh wow, poor little bike, sounds like its in good hands now! Happy wrenching, hope u get it figured out and back in the breeze. Cheers man, thanks for watching!!
7:00 +1
Great 👍 video Sally, love your passion. How were the lobes on the cams? You should do some work on the heads while you have it apart, give you a little more power. 😎Dave H
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Hi Dave!! The lobes looked surprisingly good! I’m lucky, and yes gonna clean up the heads and think about some upgrading, maybe porting, lol but maybe just re-seat valves, ohh the possibilities 🤩🤩🤩 lol cheers!
I haven’t owned an ironhead…yet How do they run on today’s crappy fuel? Do you have to put hardened seats and valve guides in them? Run lead additives?
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Yet! No time like the NOW 😄 lol but they run fine, we use high test, no lead additives. Gonna get some better valves and guides (kibblewhite) but hell they run great, once they are dialed in, basically bulletproof 😁
I dont have valve guide seals on my 85. What caused the rings to crack? Insufficient end gaps?
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Wow u dont burn oil in the cylinder without seals? And idk, we dont hace any history from this bike before we bought it, its been some years of riding, not sure why they cracked lol
@L2fish
7 ай бұрын
@@ironheadsally I don’t get any smoke or foul plugs. Tatro machine told me Harley didn’t know what they were doing. Put in some valve guide seals and make sure the holes in the guides are angled the right way.
@harolddalesr8365
6 ай бұрын
They were selling some reconditioned barrels , but they were bored out but not home. I have a pair of them. They need at least ,.002 home out to the type of rings , cast iron or moly
@harolddalesr8365
6 ай бұрын
The little hole on the exhaust valve is an oil hole to cool the exhaust valve stem.
@harolddalesr8365
6 ай бұрын
Exhaust rocket arm
Live to ride, ride to lunch
@ironheadsally
6 ай бұрын
Yes! I love this 🤩🍗🥪
Hi ya from the UK, I’m currently building a 73 ironhead and would like to know what battery you are running as it’s nice and small and the battery im currently using is a massive stock battery witch I want rid of 😂
@ironheadsally
5 ай бұрын
Hiya, i bought a lithium anti-gravity battery from lowbrow customs for this bike, they are expensive, but high cranking power and super lightweight! Heres a link: www.lowbrowcustoms.com/products/antigravity-lithium-small-case-battery-4-cell-ag-401
@LeeDuvern
5 ай бұрын
Okay lovely thank you for the reply also have you had to upgrade any other electrical to run this battery or is it literally plug and okay thanks again
@ironheadsally
5 ай бұрын
I’m not sure on that, my bike already had the upgraded coil and ignition system, i would check the manufacturer specs of any battery you do buy and see if it’s compatible with your year and equipment
34:15 +1
Fix it, and sell it, lol
@ironheadsally
29 күн бұрын
Hahahahahhhaha! Its an Ironhead! They dont sell for shit, people like me build them and fix them, because we love to ride them! This’ll never get sold
I love dirty old bikers because I happen to be one. Even my x-wife still loves me, she just can't be around me for long, because we don't always agree.
@ironheadsally
7 ай бұрын
Woooot! 😎🛠️ ain’t nothing like em!
how do you allow the flag to be the wrong
@ironheadsally
5 ай бұрын
??
the us and of a flag is around the wrong way
@ironheadsally
5 ай бұрын
Whatever dude
I just found your guy's page and I actually like it. It's on new I just subscribe. I hope see a lot more you guys is output
@ironheadsally
6 ай бұрын
Sweet, thanks for watching! 😁
You're right nobody likes studio bikers but dirty bikers