Kevin and others has anyone tried the 32 tooth pulley on milwaukee 8 trike?

gfaltersack

50+ Posts
May 23, 2018
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70
Forestville, WI
Name
Greg
Kevin and others has anyone tried the 32 tooth pulley on milwaukee 8 trike?

Back in 2011 Harley went to the 30 tooth primary pulley to give the "beast" more get up and go. However the revs went up at highway speed but that was okay because the triglide from the get go was under powered (pushing a lot of air with a motor engineered for a two wheel cycle) I put on several thousand miles on my 2011 and switched to the 32 tooth as used on the two wheelers in hopes of reducing the revs at highway speed..........boy was that a wrong move and costly!!! Due to the lack of torque and again using a 2 wheel motor to propel a behemoth with lots of wind resistance, I went backwards in gas mileage and real pulling power (running outside the power range) I went back to 2 wheels (Ultra Limiteds for a few years and then back to a Triglide in 2016 and finally the MILWAUKEE 8 CAME OUT!! My wish for a motor to propel a trike without adding tons of upgrades was right in front of me!! I bough a 2017 and immediately noticed a big increase in "get up and go" right out of the show room!! Now I'm wondering if the experiment with a 32 tooth pulley should be tried again??? Any input?
 
Back in 2011 Harley went to the 30 tooth primary pulley to give the "beast" more get up and go. However the revs went up at highway speed but that was okay because the triglide from the get go was under powered (pushing a lot of air with a motor engineered for a two wheel cycle) I put on several thousand miles on my 2011 and switched to the 32 tooth as used on the two wheelers in hopes of reducing the revs at highway speed..........boy was that a wrong move and costly!!! Due to the lack of torque and again using a 2 wheel motor to propel a behemoth with lots of wind resistance, I went backwards in gas mileage and real pulling power (running outside the power range) I went back to 2 wheels (Ultra Limiteds for a few years and then back to a Triglide in 2016 and finally the MILWAUKEE 8 CAME OUT!! My wish for a motor to propel a trike without adding tons of upgrades was right in front of me!! I bough a 2017 and immediately noticed a big increase in "get up and go" right out of the show room!! Now I'm wondering if the experiment with a 32 tooth pulley should be tried again??? Any input?
You may have a point I just switched from the OEM 32 on my 09' Triglide and it really gave me a new machine to ride. I purchased a 30 from member in Ohio that switched to a 31 tooth Andrews pulley he is living in western Ohio, and says it was a great move for him I believe he is riding a 17'. My 32 tooth has 25,250 miles on it I use it for a paper weight now. travel safe Fred
 
I don't know anyone who's done it yet. But it certainly makes sense. The M8's have power down low that the Twin Cam's don't have. So it seems that they could stand to be geared a little higher. Not only less wear on the engine, but also probably better MPG.

Kevin
 
I have a 17 Tri Glide and other than a set of slip on mufflers no mods to engine.The wife and I road to Daytona last year pulling a small trailer.Now we are not the little people we used to be in high school( i prefer to say we are fluffy) and the M8 performed perfect as far as i am concerned.Not having to rev it higher or slip the clutch when leaving from a stop and good pulling power on the highway.My first trike was a 16 Tri Glide and after gutting the head pipe,Stage 1 air cleaner,slip ons and a tune the M8 feels like it still has more power than my 16 did with the mods.Plus when you change the gearing then you have the issue with the speedo being off,my buddies 09 is off about 5 mph,not a huge deal but still something that needs to be addressed.

As many of us I myself have spent untold thousands of dollars for bling and performance upgrades,now its comfort and engine longevity.I feel as thought Harley has gotten closer to making a good touring engine although not perfect but closer.Are there issues,sure,but i am not ready to give up on them yet.My future upgrades will be an oil cooler,already have the love jugs,some heat management upgrades and suspension upgrades.
 
Before purchasing my 2018 TG last September I had a 2017 CVO Limited with the 114" M8 motor. I rode that bike just shy of 10k and I can tell you the 107" M8 in the TG pulls much stronger than did the 114" M8 in the Limited.

Don't have any scientific data to support my contention but my butt dyno tells me going to the 32 tooth on the TG would probably not be a good idea.
 
Back in 2011 Harley went to the 30 tooth primary pulley to give the "beast" more get up and go. However the revs went up at highway speed but that was okay because the triglide from the get go was under powered (pushing a lot of air with a motor engineered for a two wheel cycle) I put on several thousand miles on my 2011 and switched to the 32 tooth as used on the two wheelers in hopes of reducing the revs at highway speed..........boy was that a wrong move and costly!!! Due to the lack of torque and again using a 2 wheel motor to propel a behemoth with lots of wind resistance, I went backwards in gas mileage and real pulling power (running outside the power range) I went back to 2 wheels (Ultra Limiteds for a few years and then back to a Triglide in 2016 and finally the MILWAUKEE 8 CAME OUT!! My wish for a motor to propel a trike without adding tons of upgrades was right in front of me!! I bough a 2017 and immediately noticed a big increase in "get up and go" right out of the show room!! Now I'm wondering if the experiment with a 32 tooth pulley should be tried again??? Any input?

Low gear on my '17 M8 is useless for anything but starting and I usually upshift before crossing an intersection. A taller "low" would be better. This suggests that the 32 tooth is a good idea. Worst that can happen is one would stay in a lower gear more - ie that 6th would be like an overdrive. Anybody know what the change costs?
 
Low gear on my '17 M8 is useless for anything but starting and I usually upshift before crossing an intersection. A taller "low" would be better. This suggests that the 32 tooth is a good idea. Worst that can happen is one would stay in a lower gear more - ie that 6th would be like an overdrive. Anybody know what the change costs?

The sprocket is about $38 and the 140 tooth drive belt is about $250. Labor to make the change is about 5 hours. So I'd imagine the complete job with taxes, gaskets, fluids, etc. would be close to $900 or maybe even a bit higher.

I'd sure be interested to read a review from someone who takes the plunge and does it.
 
The sprocket is about $38 and the 140 tooth drive belt is about $250. Labor to make the change is about 5 hours. So I'd imagine the complete job with taxes, gaskets, fluids, etc. would be close to $900 or maybe even a bit higher.

I'd sure be interested to read a review from someone who takes the plunge and does it.
I would doubt if a new drive belt would be needed. I went from 32 to thirty no belt change just adjusted
 
I would doubt if a new drive belt would be needed. I went from 32 to thirty no belt change just adjusted

I did a 32 tooth to 30 tooth conversion on my 2007 CVO Ultra. That first year of the six speed was terrible - 1st gear was way, way to high and it was tough to get that beast moving. I had to change belts as there wasn't sufficient adjustment. Perhaps there is more with the TGs. If you can do it without a belt change that would save significant labor cost as well as the belt itself.
 
You may have a point I just switched from the OEM 32 on my 09' Triglide and it really gave me a new machine to ride. I purchased a 30 from member in Ohio that switched to a 31 tooth Andrews pulley he is living in western Ohio, and says it was a great move for him I believe he is riding a 17'. My 32 tooth has 25,250 miles on it I use it for a paper weight now. travel safe Fred

My Tri is a 2016. Never regretted the change. Very happy.
 
Changed the front pulley in the primary. Was geared too low for me.
Bill you put on a 31 Andrews correct I love your thirty really helps back here in the hills, Old Shiney is a complete different machine. Thanks again.:good: Fred
 
Bill you put on a 31 Andrews correct I love your thirty really helps back here in the hills, Old Shiney is a complete different machine. Thanks again.:good: Fred[/

Correct ,Fred. It lowered the RPM's on the higher end. Still pulls well enough for me. I was going 2 teeth difference, but my SM, who I trust told me to just do, 1 tooth.
 

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