[High Center]

Hey gents, This is High Center (aka Chuck Gruby) from Laporte, Texas, here.

Mine is not a new problem, but I have not heard of any fixes. It has to do with the shifter arm on the transmission loosening up after a short period of time. I've had to address his problem three different times at a price from $350 to $430 a try. As you know, it order to get the arm off the shifter shaft, it requires that the entire primary be disassembled. If you replace the shaft, the transmission must be disassemble to boot. At $55 to $65 per hour, you can see it can get expensive.

I have not undertook to disassemble down to that level yet, but I'm about there. Has anyone any advise as to what not, or what to do for this project?

Has anyone found a way to tighten the shifter arm on the shaft without dissasembling the whole bike? (I don't mean just tightening it with an allen wrench, but installing a shim between the arm and shaft etc.)

Has anyone tried drilling the arm and shaft and installing a "roll pin"? (.... while still on the bike?)

Oh BTW, the bike is a 1987 Electra Glide Classic.

Thanks,

 

[airmanjwt]

there is a device that makes this a lot easier. not necessary to dismantle the primary. look around the biker magazines.

 

[BigPeet]

http://betterlever.com/

----------------------

Is this what you're looking for?

~Pete

 

[airmanjwt]

search for "Better Lever". Web page say $225.00. One hour install.

 

[Road King Cole]

Is someone trying to win "Zombie Thread of the Month"?

wow, 2001!

rkc

 

[RogerDodger]

Right on...I'll bet he's fixed the issue and even has a different bike by now.
2001 was three bikes ago for me, even more for others.

Newby gets a pass this time.

 

[lumpy38]

It only took you guys 14 years to answer the poor bastage .... he's probably riding a Honda now. :redrolf:

 

[rhd47]

MAYBE he was in the big shoot-out at the " O.K. Corral " last week....!

 

[berserker]

search for "Better Lever". Web page say $225.00. One hour install.

What they hell are the selling for $225?

On both my FLHs I replaced the shift shaft with upgraded Harley one. Heim joints. One hour install, and around $50.

Other people have ordered parts from hardware suppliers.

Semis a little common for them to fail, atleast people talk about. For me the rubber rotted away.

 

[BigPeet]

What they hell are the selling for $225?

On both my FLHs I replaced the shift shaft with upgraded Harley one. Heim joints. One hour install, and around $50.

Other people have ordered parts from hardware suppliers.

Semis a little common for them to fail, atleast people talk about. For me the rubber rotted away.

Did you go on the link to see what they're selling? There is no rubber on the shift lever. The lever attaches to the splined shaft coming out of the trasmisission with a pinch bolt.

~Pete

 

[berserker]

I went on the site, but didn't look at video. The replacement shifter linkages with heim joints do not have rubber bushings either. I just replaced the rod, not the part that attaches to the splined shaft. Not sure how common it is to have an issue with the shaft.

 

[Road King Cole]

I think he was only talking about the shifter arm that connects to the transmission splined shaft.The arm is held tight by an allen bolt and it can work its way loose where you can't tighten it up good. Besides of reading about it often here, I know someone that had the issue.

A preventative fix is to replace that allen bolt with a grade 8 hex bolt, which I did the last time I was in there.

rkc

 

[BigPeet]

I went on the site, but didn't look at video. The replacement shifter linkages with heim joints do not have rubber bushings either. I just replaced the rod, not the part that attaches to the splined shaft. Not sure how common it is to have an issue with the shaft.

It's not common. The shaft if hardened steel, the lever is softer metal. The lever gets loose, wallows the splines (on the lever) until you can't tighten it any more.

The lever on the other hand needing replacement is a very common problem.

The bitch is having to take off the primary just to change the lever since HD didn't leave enough room to get it off.

~Pete

 

[berserker]

When tightening the bolt that squeezes spline I find it helps to put antiseize on the bolt to lube it. You will get more turns with less force on bolt.

 

[BigPeet]

The problem I've seen is the gap, indicated by the arrows, closes up when the splines get worn. No amount of anti-seize or grade 8 bolts will let you tighten it any more.

~Pete

 

[Thermodyne]

It's not common. The shaft if hardened steel, the lever is softer metal. The lever gets loose, wallows the splines (on the lever) until you can't tighten it any more.

The lever on the other hand needing replacement is a very common problem.

The bitch is having to take off the primary just to change the lever since HD didn't leave enough room to get it off.

~Pete

And pulling the primary takes how long? It's a two beer job. well, maybe 16 if the Clown is doing the drinking. But it's not a really big job.

 

[BigPeet]

And pulling the primary takes how long? It's a two beer job. well, maybe 16 if the Clown is doing the drinking. But it's not a really big job.

So how long a job is 2 beers, the cost of gaskets and new fluid?

I'm comparing that to something the engineers could have fixed many years ago. I'm comparing it to a job that would take less then 2 minutes if they designed it with room to get it off.

I've helped do 3 of them and the FXR needs one now. No, it's not rocket surgery, but if you don't do much wrenching, or don't enjoy it as much as you used to, it's aggravating when it should have been much easier (and yes I know we always think something should have been designed different).

~Pete

 

[Thermodyne]

In terms of an FXRS, 45 min tear down, 15 min to replace the lever and the seal behind it. About an hour to put the primary back together. If the gaskets are old and evil, or if it has a gasket between the trans and primary, (almost always evil to get off) add another 1/2 hour.

Round number, $50 for parts/fluid plus the lever. Beer, $19 case.

 

[BigPeet]

In terms of an FXRS, 45 min tear down, 15 min to replace the lever and the seal behind it. About an hour to put the primary back together. If the gaskets are old and evil, or if it has a gasket between the trans and primary, (almost always evil to get off) add another 1/2 hour.

Round number, $50 for parts/fluid plus the lever. Beer, $19 case.

Exactly. That's my point. And what kind of beer, and is $19 the sale price?

~Pete

 

[Thermodyne]

Exactly. That's my point. And what kind of beer, and is $19 the sale price?

~Pete

It's what I paid for Yuengling light lager the other day, 24 pack. This is PA, beer is always on sale.