How do you change the alternator on a 2005 Harley Road King Custom?

Disconnect the battery, drain the primary case of oil, and remove the left floorboard. Remove the outer primary cover. Take the compensator sprocket off and the remove the snap ring in the center of the clutch assembly. Inside the clutch assembly is the mainshaft nut, it has LEFT-HANDED THREADS. Remove it and the nut on the primary chain adjuster. Grab the clutch assembly in your right hand and the engine sprocket in your left and lift the entire primary drive out of the primary.

Use two long 5/16" bolts and insert them slightly into the two holes in the rotor. Squeeze the ends together in your hands and pull the rotor off. There are four small Torx head bolts holding the stator on and two small sheet metal screws holding the connector into the engine case. Remove all these bolts and remove the stator.

Installation is basically the reverse of the disassembly. Make sure you use either new bolts to hold the stator on or you put Loctite #242 (blue) on the old bolts. Torque them to 30-40 INCH pounds. You'll also need something to lock the primary drive to prevent the engine from turning as you torque the mainshaft nut and the compensator nut. I normally use a straight piece of steel bar to lock between the teeth of the sprockets on the engine sprocket and the outer clutch hub. It's called a locking bar. These locking bars or a "locking block" can be purchased from aftermarket parts dealers. When torquing the mainshaft nut, put one line of Locktite 271 (red) in the threads of the nut and torque it to 60-80 Foot pounds LEFT-HANDED. Note that some torque wrenches will not torque in the reverse direction. Make sure yours does. On the compensator nut, put two lines of Locktite 271 (red) in the nut and torque to 150-165 Foot pounds of torque. Adjust the primary chain to have an up & down play of 7/8" to 5/8" with the engine cold.

Good Luck.
Steve

That's the trouble with today's "mechanics". Replace,replace,replace! I was a mechanic for all my working life, Ford dealers and then my own shop. we repaired alternators, starters, power steering pumps, transmissions, engines, carbs. you name it. A rebuilt part has been repaired! The rebuilders make a lot of money, so does a real mechanic that repairs instead of replacing. Not too many of us left. If you cannot do it you should not be working on it.