Category: Blog

In issue 136 I reported on the fitting of the Love Jugs cooling fan system. However, at the time of writing we had not experienced any really hot weather to perform a test that would have some real meaning. So when a bout of hot weather arrived I performed the following
test.

When the temperature rose that afternoon to 36.5C degrees I parked Ugly Betty (fitted with Love Jugs) in the driveway next to wife Jane’s Switchback (no Love Jugs) and started both bikes. Leaving them both idling, with an accurate hand held Milwaukee Laser Temp Gun Thermometer I took several readings on the top fin adjacent to the rear spark plug. This was done at intervals of 10 minutes, during which time the temperature of the day remained constant.

I consider these to be fairly impressive numbers and to validate some of the claims the manufacturer makes on the Love Jugs website. HD

Soon after I added a 2008 Harley-Davidson Road King FLHP to my small motorcycle fleet, I became aware of the amount of heat a 103ci V-twin could give off. Sitting at long traffic lights and inching along in city traffic in triple-digit temperatures had me wishing I was on another bike. The air-cooled engine would get so hot it would ping under load and perform poorly, not to mention the withering heat rising around and over the rider!

To solve this dilemma I recently installed a Love Jugs kit, which is designed for cooling hot Harley twins. It consists of a pair of hefty electric fans and the mounting bracketry needed for installation. The stock horn is temporarily removed and relocated onto the special mount, which holds both fans and the horn. After assembling the fans onto the mounts, the unit is mounted on the left side of the engine below the gas tank.

There are several mounting options, depending on year and model. Big twin models through 2008 can use the Vibration Master bracket, which mounts to the stock hornmounting points. For 2009 and later touring models, the Frame Mount Kit allows the fans to be mounted from the left upper frame tube under the gas tank.

The manufacturer of Love Jugs states that their products are the most powerful and effective fans available for Harleys and are waterproof. They’re rated at 252 CFM, which is said to be twice as much air as the nearest competitor. Having two separate fans allows them to be aimed directly at the individual cylinders and heads. The fan body is aircraft-quality stainless steel, polished to a high luster, and unlike painted or chromed metals, it can’t blister, chip, or rust. There’s also no welding used in the manufacturing process, which helps avoid metal fatigue in a high-vibration environment such as on a Harley engine.

Installing Love Jugs is simple enough for many do-it-yourselfers to tackle and complete, and mounting instructions are provided. The installation, including wiring and installing a switch, may take an hour or two, depending on the bike and the installer’s skills. The Frame Mount Kit (for 2009 and newer models) requires gas tank removal and will take longer. For those mechanically-challenged folks, a Harley dealer or independent motorcycle shop should be able to do the job.

I removed the horn, assembled the fans to the bracket unit, and installed it to the cylinder heads in less than an hour. My expolice bike had an unused wire near the battery, which used to be for the pursuit lights, with a switch and indicator lamp on the dash. This only required snipping off the old plug and installing two crimp-type wire terminals. Some touring models also have an accessory wire in the underseat area, which could supply power (the fans also have individual power switches that can be used to control them). However, I recommend routing power to the fans through the ignition/accessory switch circuit, so they turn off when the bike is unattended. This can prevent on-off switch tampering, which may result in a dead battery.

When the fans are switched on, they build up speed gradually until they emit a highpitched whine along with a strong flow of air. The sound can just be heard above the engine (with stock exhaust) at idle; on the road the fans cannot be heard.

Right away I noticed the engine had better response in these hot conditions, and it also cranks over much more smoothly after a brief shutdown and heat soak, such as when refueling. When in traffic, or anytime the weather is very hot and I’m not cruising down the highway, I switch on the fans.

Using a handheld digital spot temperature indicator, I found that after the fans were switched on in hot weather, the external cylinder head temperature dropped significantly. In a period of less than two minutes with the engine idling, the head temperature dropped from 303.0 degrees F to 241.8 degrees. Results will vary depending on ambient temperature, engine operating conditions, and how long it is left on. With my digital oil temperature gauge, I also noticed that Love Jugs helps reduce high oil temperatures, an important concern on air-cooled engines in hot weather.

Now, I often leave the ignition on accessory to let the fans continue to run for a few minutes if I will be restarting again soon. I’d like to see a control unit offered, which would monitor cylinder head temperature and switch the fans on and off as needed, and continue to run the fans after engine shutdown for several minutes until the engine cools down.

The kit components appear to be well designed and nicely made from quality materials. Love Jugs are rated for a minimum of 20,000 hours of life and come with a one year warranty on electrical components and a three year warranty on all other parts. They can also be returned within 30 days for any reason.

Love Jugs are available in bright metal or black finishes, in Bullet, Slot, and Cool-Master styles, priced at $349 to $429 including shipping. The optional Vibration Master provides a steady mount for fans and horn; add $79. Alternatively, the 2009 and newer Frame-mounting Kit adds $79.50 to the total price.

Well today is Cinco de Mayo which means that summer is just around the corner! There will be plenty of parades and celebrations today and just plain excuses to get out and ride!

I know that here in the mountains of North Georgia, the weather channel is calling for sunshine and mid to upper 80’s all week. That means Hot riding conditions. With so many of my friends riding Harleys, I know how hot you bikes get!

We have a new advertiser that is coming on board with Southeastern Rider in the June Issue and I have thoroughly checked them out about their claims to the best of my ability. Even Jimmy & Pat Kay from Two Wheel Thunder TV and I have spoken and I got the scoop from them. Jimmy’s review will also be in our June Issue.

The product is called love-jugs and our own Gary “Tater” Toland is being supplied a set to try on his 2012 Ultra Classic so that he can do an honest review in the magazine.

My point is Hot weather is here and I wanted to give you a chance to look at these contact us at infolove-jugs.com to ask any questions that you might have and to get a set on order! BE SURE TO LET US KNOW THAT YOU ARE CALLING BECAUSE OF SOUTHEASTERN RIDER MAGAZINE!

THEY WILL CAUSE YOUR BIKE TO RUN AN AVERAGE OF 100 DEGREES COOLER!

I hope that this will benefit many of you with an early jump on summer!

A link here: www.love-jugs.com

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SOUTHEASTHERN RIDER MAGAZINE – ISSUE 6 – JUNE 2015
PRODUCT REVIEW
Love-Jugs Cooling System for Hot Harleys
By Jimmy Kay

When I first met Dave Sandel the inventor of LOVE-JUGS at the V-Twin Expo Show in Cincinnati I must say I was not convinced that they had “fixed” the problem of “HOT HARLEY’S”. I was so reluctant that I ask to move the interview to the last 2 hours of the last day of the show. I knew that by then most everyone would have left to head back home and most exhibitors would be packing up to move the next show. So with no pressure from crowds and other manufactures’, we came back two hours before the show was to end.

To my surprise there was Dave Sandel and a former rep were smiling and waiting for us. I thought to myself these guys are nuts. Didn’t they know I was going to rip their product apart with questions about the truth of their claim and the reliability of this toy? You could tell they wanted to meet this challenge head on and they were armed to answer every question to my complete satisfaction.

Before the first question, Dave Sandel Inventor of the LOVE JUGS boasted: “Hot Harley? – Problem solved!” He continued, “Our systems are guaranteed to keep your oil flowing and your engine running significantly cooler, and that is guaranteed to make your ride cooler too”.

A bit of history may help explain my hesitation to such a bold claim. The first Harley I rode any distance on was a 1965 Electra Glide. This “Blue Angel” was the coolest looking bike on the road at the time. However it was anything but cool riding this demon in south Texas in August.

Since that time I have tried so many devices and gadgets. I can’t count the amount of money, time and effort I have spent trying to find something to cool down my Harley’s. Lately I have been told that the “Parade Fan” is the way to go in cooling and keeping the heat off my bike. WRONG! Then came the “Lenale Fan” with its promises. This was a waste, the reason being that the mounting brackets were bolted to back of the single (as in one) Lenale fan. I’m a biker not a engineer however even I know that any fan can not work if you cover the airflow the fan is expected to put out.

So here we are today still struggling with this same problem of “HEAT”. I love my Harley; I don’t want a BMW, Honda or etc. I want to ride my Harley even if it’s in the high 90’s in Texas and not have to wait until the sun goes down to go riding.

So now I put on our test Bike the sleek new LOVE JUGS COOL-MASTER. And took off for a 2,068 mile test ride. Down though the Daniel Boone National Forest, the Great Smoky Mountains, the easy flowing traffic of Atlanta (joke) where during rush hour traffic or construction you can go at 10-15 MPH for very short distances at a time. From Atlanta I was off to Salem and Montgomery, AL. Then it was some open Interstate to run all the way to Vicksburg, MS, then its time to get off the fast track & do some back road riding up to Yazoo City where I saw a sign that said fresh donuts and coffee, and I thought to myself I know a great place for that. So I headed to the French Quarter to Café Du Monde, New Orleans, LA, for some Beignets & Chicory Coffee. So after I had my fill I headed back to Birmingham, AL, and Nashville, TN to Cincinnati, OH.

My LOVE JUGS fans withstood the harshest conditions I endured. LOVE JUGS are 100% waterproof outdoor rated fan motors, and my trip confirmed that! If it was not raining it was as hot as Hades. The original model produces more than twice the cooling power of its closest competitor – while the new model packs even more punch. The more air, the more comfort for the rider and the more protection for your engine.

This no nonsense sleek face gives the unit a finished custom look that is as at-home on a $100,000 custom bagger as it is on a 25-year-old Electra Glide. They will actually run while submerged underwater as can be seen on their website. https://love-jugs.com/videos/. Luckily I didn’t have to ride submersed under water! Believe it or not, some competing systems use indoor rated fans, which will short out when exposed to water – even during a washing.

And yes… I do LOVE JUGS! I have had two Harley Techs tell me because of the addition of the LOVE JUGS & an oil cooling system I have possibly extended the life of the most expensive part of my Harley-the motor about 50,000 miles. To me that is the best endorsement of a product I have ever given. And that is a great insurance policy and peace of mind for me.For more information, take a tour of the website: www.love-jugs.com or contact: Hammerhead Engineering at info@love-jugs.com.
We’ll be happy to speak with you.

**Please note this post has been updated by Hammerhead Engineering to remove names and contact info of parties that are not affiliated with Love Love Jugs or Hammerhead Engineering**

LOVE JUGS
A Set of fans that does a great job of dropping your engine’s temperature

I’M SURE YOU’VE SEEN THE AD IN THIS MAGAZINE FOR A product called Love Jugs. On its web site, the company promises that its two-fan device will drop the engine temperature of a Harley-Davidson by 100 F in four minutes. Well, since the Love Jugs crew and I were going to be in Da;,tona for Bike Week, we figured it was a good time to put their claim to the test.

When I got to the Love Jugs booth at about noon, it was 80 F out, and the test bike had already been idling for a few hours. I checked the temp of the bike’s chassis and the pavement under it. They were about 100 F which told me everything was well heat-soaked, just as they would be on a hot summer day. After shutting off the Love Jugs fans, we set a temperature gun on a tripod and aimed it at a point on the rear cylinder head right next to the spark plug. After waiting until the head was 400 F – way hotter than you should allow your engine to get – I turned on the fans and started the clock.

After four minutes, I took my reading: the cylinder head temp had dropped 70 F! Though not the claimed 100 F, I would have been amazed if it reached that goal since we let the cylinder head get much hotter than normal. Bottom line: I was impressedl Love Jugs definitely work well. AIM