found this article on 6 speed interesting : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

Bigbird07 · 08-31-2010, 10:15 AM

Good information on HD 6 speeds

First of all if your bike is still under warranty this is good thing. “So before your warranty expires” I stress that u take your transmission inspect cover off, one must remove exhaust and muffler on right side, then remove transmission inspect cover (6 Allen head bolts). Once u have done that and if u can’t, it’s about hour labor charge at your dealer (well spent 100.00 dollars). Look in the bottom inside of trans inspect cover for grey slugs and metal particles in this area. Appearance of this, then your transmission needs complete rebuild, all bearings, seals, gaskets need replacement. Inspecting at your oil plug magnet on regular services will not tell u anything, trust me on that one. Now (06 to10 models) any oil leaking from primary or growling sound from primary area is good sign you need to investigate. This grey slug and metal u will see on inspect side got there, because the swirl of the oil throws the entire particles to the inspect cover side. “Maybe this good thing”, that’s where it pools up and stays; these metal particles are caused by failure of mainshaft bearing which is a two piece roller bearing. HD # 8967, which is a *** bearing # 559796. This two piece bearing has three races, two sets of roller bearings. Good inspection of this bearing once transmission is torn down ( 8 hours labor charge or more) u will see on “front wheel side” of the mainshaft bearing largest inner race is galled in this area only, back side of same race looks normal.. This tends to make me believe that there are added forces to this front area of mainshaft bearing. ( Why?) The other two races of this mainshaft bearing are galled completely around both races. I have now rebuilt three HD 6 speeds, One Dyna and two FLH’S. same story for each identically, only different is mileages. Mostly from my experience 15000 miles to 28000 miles trouble starts with this mainshaft bearing. Tomorrow I start my fourth transmission tear down on customer’s transmission. Now little word about your inner primary bearing and clutch hub bearing. Inspect yourself; remove primary cover and two bolts and chain tensioner, then slide out drive sprocket with chain and clutch hub to inspect. Here is heads up on these bearings. Failure of inner primary and clutch hub bearings is caused by your clutch hub splines cracking off. Inspect clutch hub splines to see if chucks are missing inside. These chunks go right into both bearings in time. It’s not the mainshaft splines; it’s the clutch hub splines. So inspect carefully. Failure of both mainshaft bearing and inner primary bearing can occur at anywhere from 15000 mile to 45.000 miles. At this top mileage mentioned, I would most definitely inspect and hope u still under warranty, just remember HD service bulletins and warranties are in house. Its HD’S best kept secret to not having recalls or really letting public information out. Opinion, HD 6 speeds (06 to10 models) are troubled until HD provides updates. I have phoned Baker transmission and they use same bearings and “possibly considering” making redesign on this bearing. But don’t hold your breath. Once U are off HD warranty, there is no update by HD as of yet to transmission problem. So new HD bearings are same old ones pron to failure cause by????. ( Bummer) HD knows there is problem and as usual put hands in the air. Normal for HD. So use that warranty well. Last but least,” run dinosaur oil” in primary and trany. The engine, run what u like for type of oil. Try this, when at traffic stop light and your in neutral, pull in clutch when u see amber light. This give time to slow down motion and u get less chunk in gear. Personally, this saves on splines of clutch hub or first start ups pull in clutch early. Before engaging trans... 4 all who doubt, inspection says all. Catch early save money, nothing wrong with that.

ampster · 08-31-2010, 11:01 AM

good info,
Tks

Dan89FLSTC · 08-31-2010, 05:41 PM

If you are going to publish a long winded article, at least take some time to edit and paragraph it so it will be readable.

Or make your point and link the article.

Very difficult to read...

Eddie Haskell · 08-31-2010, 09:05 PM

One would think we would be hearing a lot more about tranny failure.

Pikeslayer · 08-31-2010, 09:30 PM

One would think that now wouldn't they.

Dan89FLSTC · 09-01-2010, 04:41 AM

The sky is falling...

1550vt · 09-02-2010, 06:30 AM

I gather that Baker makes this gear-set for Harley. I had heard that JIMS made some along the line somewhere. Doesn't matter I suppose. Both companies are certainly capable of turning out a POS....and have done so in the past.

I realize you guys with the newer bikes from the factory with the 6-speed don't have to many options, but the best feeling I ever had (sort of like selling that boat or getting out of a bad marriage) was yanking out my crappy 6-speed and putting my 5-speed back in. One less gear to whine or blow-up.

garyad · 09-02-2010, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan89FLSTC

If you are going to publish a long winded article, at least take some time to edit and paragraph it so it will be readable.

Or make your point and link the article.

Very difficult to read...

Ditto on the difficult to read.

Coolmaker · 09-02-2010, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1550vt

I gather that Baker makes this gear-set for Harley. I had heard that JIMS made some along the line somewhere. Doesn't matter I suppose. Both companies are certainly capable of turning out a POS....and have done so in the past.

I realize you guys with the newer bikes from the factory with the 6-speed don't have to many options, but the best feeling I ever had (sort of like selling that boat or getting out of a bad marriage) was yanking out my crappy 6-speed and putting my 5-speed back in. One less gear to whine or blow-up.

Baker does not make Harley gear sets. Now about the "POS" remark. You obviously do not know much about transmission manufacturers. What kind of 6 speed did you have and who installed it?

1550vt · 09-02-2010, 09:27 AM

Unfortunately....I was the proud owner of a JIMS POS built under copyright from Baker. So, I guess I had a JIMS/Baker POS. It was installed by an HD dealer. Shifted smooth as silk and never gave me a bit of trouble....except for 6th. gear. 6th. was so noisy from the day it was installed that you could hardly stand it. I tried...it got progressively worse and I actually ran the thing 35,000 miles, just did not use 6th.

JIMS said they would take this POS back and recondition it, but would not guarantee that it still would not be noisy in 6th. gear. I told JIMS that Baker said theirs was not noisy and JIMS told me that was impossible....all 6-speeds are noisy in 6th.

You got me...I admit to not being a transmission expert and have only been into a few. I am sure there are lots of good ones out there. I just got burned by one and will never try another one.

By the way, who does make the Harley transmissions...do they do it in-house?
Just curious.

WEINERDOGBONE · 09-02-2010, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1550vt

I realize you guys with the newer bikes from the factory with the 6-speed don't have to many options, but the best feeling I ever had (sort of like selling that boat or getting out of a bad marriage) was yanking out my crappy 6-speed and putting my 5-speed back in. One less gear to whine or blow-up.

Sorry for your bad luck. I think the 6th speed is the best thing since sliced bread. I only have 5k on my stock 6sp and it whines in 5th gear. Overall, I don't care. I like it.

1550vt · 09-03-2010, 08:31 AM

We all know how most of us Harley guys are...we gripe and moan about problems and continue to own them. I have had around 15-or-so over the past 25 years and would own nothing else. I have paid my Harley taxes.

I had read the article posted by Bigbird07 (as badly written as it was) and had found some of the same things to be true in this older 6-speed I removed as the writer is talking about in the recent models he had disassembled. Made me wonder if anything had been learned or improved.

I am sure there are thousands of 6-speeds out there that are just fine and will last the life of the bike. POS was a strong term to use, but that's what I had. I certainly don't think all the 6-speeds are going to drop-dead tomorrow.

WEINERDOGBONE · 09-05-2010, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1550vt

I am sure there are thousands of 6-speeds out there that are just fine and will last the life of the bike. POS was a strong term to use, but that's what I had. I certainly don't think all the 6-speeds are going to drop-dead tomorrow.

I understand what you are saying. I feel the same way about Chevy trucks after having a bad experience with one. Many folks like them but, I'll never own another.

Nitram_b4 · 09-05-2010, 09:19 PM

As far as I can see, you can't buy a better tranny than a Baker...is there anybody that bilds anything that does not get trashed gezzz
and as far as them using the same main shaft bearing as harley....just because the harley chewed up a main shaft bearing does not mean the bearing was the problem, could be other forces in the tranny putting pressure or heat into the bearing

TheNowhereman · 09-06-2010, 12:10 AM

Gotta Baker 6 in my bar hopper and it is perfection plus.
Snicks into gear like a Ducati and shows no issues.
Gotta an Ultima 6 in my FLSTF, with the exception of a hair like neutral, it works just fine.
A little less precision than the Baker but, a hell of a lot less in cost.
Currently, I'm thinking that we could use a 7 speed box...

1st gear is just a joke and should be higher in any HD box.
5 speeds are just not the ticket for HDs.