So I'm tooling down the highway........

[emskee]

So I'm tooling down the highway Tuesday. The overhead sign reads "AIR QUALITY ALERT AVOID IDLING." Suddenly four lanes of traffic come to a halt.

I know, RIGHT?

Anyhow, it's 1st gear, 2nd gear, stop, 1st gear, stop..........

20 minutes worth.

Down shifting again from second when the toe shifter goes all the way down to the floorboard and I am stuck in neutral.

I am able to coast between two cars to my left (barely avoiding getting pasted) and onto the median, up against the concrete barrier.

The forward pawl on the shaft from the shifter is loose and the splines are not engaging.

Okay, I pull out my Snap-on multi tool (with a great selection of allen and torx bits BTW) and try to wedge it between the frame and the pinch bolt. Doesn't quite fit. I get maybe 45 degrees of turn. Not enough to turn and reinsert the tool. Not quite enough pinch to bite the splines.

Traffic is now back up to speed. Like 3 feet from me.

I sorta get the tool in there on a bad angle and get enough bite that I figure I may be able to run gears if I play gentle footsie with the shifter.

This all takes like 30 minutes and 300 burns on my knuckles.

Start bike. Clunk. Okay, pick my spot and tear across 4 lanes to get to the exit to my right, get back on the highway and head home.

Take it all apart. Splines are all looking good, bolt is pristine. Put it back together and torque the $hit out of the bolt and all is good.

It must have been rocky for some time, I suppose, but I didn't feel it through my clunky boot.

You'd think that after spending all those years on Urals I'd be better at checking fasteners.

BUT, I got 3 years maintenance as part of the deal when I bought the bike so I assumed that the "check all fasteners" phrase in the work order meant check all fasteners.

Live and learn. I have a ratchet set in the trunk now. Glad I didn't get pasted..........

 

[RcSuD]

Glad I didn't get pasted..........

Us too

 

[Keystone]

I learned the "check our work" lesson in 2011......Shouldn't have to.

Just glad that you escaped without any harm.

 

[Sunman]

Have had to tighten mine up a couple of times on my FW. I carry extra tools, duct tape, tie wraps, electrical tape, fix-a-flat and air compressor in the trunk all the time. Never know when I might need it.

Sunman

 

[HDB0B]

WELL KNOWN POINT OF FAILURE!

No lock washers, no loctite from factory. Inside bolt is the worst offender ... as you have found out.
Once the splines are worn the whole $40 shaft must be replaced.

Bob

 

[emskee]

Us too

Appreciated.

- - - Updated - - -

I learned the "check our work" lesson in 2011......Shouldn't have to.

Just glad that you escaped without any harm.

Thanks.

How you been?

- - - Updated - - -

Have had to tighten mine up a couple of times on my FW. I carry extra tools, duct tape, tie wraps, electrical tape, fix-a-flat and air compressor in the trunk all the time. Never know when I might need it.

Sunman

I carry wrenches, screwdrivers, allen and torx drivers (my multi tool), etc. etc.

Just didn't have an allen that fit in the spot.

Go figure......

- - - Updated - - -

WELL KNOWN POINT OF FAILURE!

No lock washers, no loctite from factory. Inside bolt is the worst offender ... as you have found out.
Once the splines are worn the whole $40 shaft must be replaced.

Bob

Ah, yes, "they all do that."

Maybe when H-D becomes a more established company, ignorant $hit like this won't happen.

No...wait...

 

[Larry Sobczak]

Emskee, if you find a heel shifter along the road in Ohio it's mine, lost it 2 years ago.
I had the shifter rod come apart while on the road in Wisconsin. Lucky the exit had a Best Western Hotel and a Harley Dealer, used wire and duct tape to get to the dealer.

 

[rhino 2]

I had that bolt[allen] loosen, And my dealer caught it, Had it loosen again...So i 86th the bolt and got a new one... Some times the threads loose a little of their sharpness and wont grip the groove on the shaft properly ...
Very common on ATC's shifters... I changed out many of them...

 

[emskee]

Emskee, if you find a heel shifter along the road in Ohio it's mine, lost it 2 years ago.
I had the shifter rod come apart while on the road in Wisconsin. Lucky the exit had a Best Western Hotel and a Harley Dealer, used wire and duct tape to get to the dealer.

I'll keep an eye out. You have my word.

- - - Updated - - -

I had that bolt[allen] loosen, And my dealer caught it, Had it loosen again...So i 86th the bolt and got a new one... Some times the threads loose a little of their sharpness and wont grip the groove on the shaft properly ...
Very common on ATC's shifters... I changed out many of them...

I'm 0.5 tempted to drill and tap a hole through the pawl, dimple the shaft and drop a set screw in there as a second level of redundancy.

Reality is I probably won't........

 

[rhino 2]

I'm 0.5 tempted to drill and tap a hole through the pawl, dimple the shaft and drop a set screw in there as a second level of redundancy.

Reality is I probably won't........

You won't be able to get a drill bit down in there to drill the shaft...Also the shaft is hardened steel, But the shifter rod leaver is softer medal... i.e.; Sacrificial so as not to rune the shaft' or the trans would have to be torn down to replace the shaft...

 

[emskee]

You won't be able to get a drill bit down in there to drill the shaft...Also the shaft is hardened steel, But the shifter rod leaver is softer medal... i.e.; Sacrificial so as not to rune the shaft' or the trans would have to be torn down to replace the shaft...

I'd remove the lever/pawl/whatever it's called and drill a hole through it at about the 1 o'clock position as she sits on the bike. Reassemble and pass a marker through the hole to mark the shaft. Disassemble, tap the hole because I forgot to do that after drilling out the hole. Look for the set screw which I had set aside earlier but somehow lost while doing all of this. Get another one. This is how I work......

Any way, remove the shaft.

Take to drill press and chuck her up. Use a masonry bit and some gear oil, a slow speed and make a dimple on the shaft at the mark.

That not working, I'd take it to work and have Trevor have a go, he having punched out hardened steel for us before.

But like I said, I most probably won't.

 

[rhino 2]

I'd remove the lever/pawl/whatever it's called and drill a hole through it at about the 1 o'clock position as she sits on the bike. Reassemble and pass a marker through the hole to mark the shaft. Disassemble, tap the hole because I forgot to do that after drilling out the hole. Look for the set screw which I had set aside earlier but somehow lost while doing all of this. Get another one. This is how I work......

Any way, remove the shaft.

Take to drill press and chuck her up. Use a masonry bit and some gear oil, a slow speed and make a dimple on the shaft at the mark.

That not working, I'd take it to work and have Trevor have a go, he having punched out hardened steel for us before.

But like I said, I most probably won't.

Sounds like you have a good working plan going on there!....But you forgot the Lock-Tite...:laugh:

 

[emskee]

Sounds like you have a good working plan going on there!....But you forgot the Lock-Tite...:laugh:

Yer right, I could work at HARLEY!!