Anyone actually hear of a 6 Speed failure : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

VIP · 06-21-2007, 09:52 PM

With all the discussion about the six speed transmission being noisy especially in 5th gear, Has one ever failed that you know of where it had to be rebuilt or replaced.

Mine is noisy but is quieter after about 3000 miles.

harley92 · 06-22-2007, 08:35 AM

iv heard that the factory harley tans has had problems with the 6 seed tranys but i dont know any one who has had the stock trany in there bike

kwas · 06-22-2007, 08:47 AM

Not one failure I've heard or read about on the 5 forum sites I frequent.

But I'm sure there is someone who has a friend that heard from a friend that they have a friend who heard from a cousin that this happened to someone.

pittguy · 06-22-2007, 05:26 PM

Lets leave out the 5th gear whine for this,my bike does have this clatter,has been dynoed early in fall just for this noise.The noise was actually coming from engine.Witnessed by me and dealer,area rep heard it too.HD engineers along w/dealer got involved,tested bike on dyno again,reading what ECM was seeing during and prior to this noise,what effect it had on primary when it happened.Was told that indeed noise was coming from engine-front cylinder.This shock was being transferred from motor,thru primary and yes into trans.The trans was the end of the whip,the last item left for this sound to travel.They have swapped out known noisey owners trannys in know quiet bikes and noise didnt always follow.The vice versa has also been tried.The motor is the starting point for this noise,the shock starts there and yes many owners have had engine failures.I was told up front by HD that the problem may or may not be able to be fixed-it wasnt!What was the main reason behind the SB903?To remove the shock these lwr ends are seeing.Yes some of the heat issues were also fixed.My bike had this download prior to the testing and I told them that it made my noise worse.AI recently ran a series on just this trans noise,with Hd engineer,Baker and S&S replying.What they reported is good info but is not what I was told.The cause of noise is at oppsite end of what I was told or heard myself.Whos right?Maybe both,again this may be alittle different depending on machine.

hjdistl · 06-22-2007, 08:10 PM

My 06 Dyna ate the main bearing in it 6speed @6800 miles. All together different trans than the 07's. Traded the Dyna in for a 07 FLHTCU. No 5th gear noise out of it. It is quieter that the 06 Dyna was and shifts smooth. Maybe I had a bad 06 and now have a extremely good 07.

VIP · 06-22-2007, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pittguy

Lets leave out the 5th gear whine for this,my bike does have this clatter,has been dynoed early in fall just for this noise.The noise was actually coming from engine.Witnessed by me and dealer,area rep heard it too.HD engineers along w/dealer got involved,tested bike on dyno again,reading what ECM was seeing during and prior to this noise,what effect it had on primary when it happened.Was told that indeed noise was coming from engine-front cylinder.This shock was being transferred from motor,thru primary and yes into trans..

This does not sound right to me. I realize how the sound can be felt or heard all over the engine and attached parts.
My jeep cherokee had a sound in the lower end that sounded like a rod knocking, the mechanics even said that was coming from the engine, but I took the inspection plate off behind the flywheel and all five bolts were loose on the flywheel and one had backed out till it was hitting a bracket every time it came around. It echoed all over the place down there.

If the sound was coming from the front cyclinder, I would think you could duplicate it in other gears than just 5th gear, by varying the amount of throttle pressure while in 4th or 6th gear.

I am pretty sure that Harley company owns up to the sound being there in 5th gear and even blames it on the straight cut gears used only in the 5th gear position but claims it is not a problem to worry about which as my point of asking if one had ever failed.

claydbal · 06-23-2007, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hjdistl

My 06 Dyna ate the main bearing in it 6speed @6800 miles. All together different trans than the 07's. Traded the Dyna in for a 07 FLHTCU. No 5th gear noise out of it. It is quieter that the 06 Dyna was and shifts smooth. Maybe I had a bad 06 and now have a extremely good 07.

how is the 06 dyna and the 07 trans different, i was led to believe htey are the same?

Markfatboy05 · 06-23-2007, 05:48 AM

I took out a new Road king demo out at americade from the harley factory demo guys....same thing, 5th geaar clanging,,,real bad,,,all other gears quiet and smooth....when i brought it back,,,told the guy guy,,,he was like oww really....would look into it.....think I will stick with my 05 fatboy and reliable 5spd:>)

hjdistl · 06-23-2007, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by claydbal

how is the 06 dyna and the 07 trans different, i was led to believe htey are the same?

I cannot remember where, but it was in some Harley literature somewhere. They changed the cut on the 5th gear cluster and changed a couple of other things to supposedly improve on the 06 Dyna. The change on the 5th gear cluster is why there is the complaint of the noise. I have not heard of a 06 Dyna owner ever complain of 5th gear noise.

claydbal · 06-24-2007, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hjdistl

I cannot remember where, but it was in some Harley literature somewhere. They changed the cut on the 5th gear cluster and changed a couple of other things to supposedly improve on the 06 Dyna. The change on the 5th gear cluster is why there is the complaint of the noise. I have not heard of a 06 Dyna owner ever complain of 5th gear noise.

thanks for the reply.

chriscalabro · 06-24-2007, 06:40 AM

American Iron Magazine has a great article on the 6 speed this month. Deals with this issue in detail

bbrowncods · 06-24-2007, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chriscalabro

American Iron Magazine has a great article on the 6 speed this month. Deals with this issue in detail

Yep, Basically live with it or spend some more $$$ on a F6F kit from Baker to fix it.

pittguy · 06-24-2007, 03:26 PM

The ones that I have heard that failed were due to dip sticks breaking off and getting trapped in all the movement.Other yrs have done this also,its rare.

Warhawk · 06-24-2007, 08:28 PM

I ran into a guy last night who was telling me that I made a big mistake by buying an '07 (He rides an '06 Ultra). He says lots of 6 speed trannies are blowing up and lots of rear cylinders are burning up.

I participate in several online forums and this was the first I've heard of either one.

I think I'll keep riding and enjoying my '07 <G>

chriscalabro · 06-24-2007, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warhawk

I ran into a guy last night who was telling me that I made a big mistake by buying an '07 (He rides an '06 Ultra). He says lots of 6 speed trannies are blowing up and lots of rear cylinders are burning up.

I participate in several online forums and this was the first I've heard of either one.

I think I'll keep riding and enjoying my '07 <G>

I have not heard of a single transmission coming apart and a few 110's with rear cylinder problems early on. Hardly an epidemic