I am posting this for my son, we both got into harleys in the last year. This summer he bought an 85 FXRS from a dealer, he has put on 2-300 miles in the last week. Last weekend we tried to adjust his shift linkage a little as it seemed you had to lift your foot off the peg and pull to pull far enough to shift to the next gear. We can see some wear in the shifter pivot bushing and some in the front shift rod heim joint, but this thing has to go 3-4 inches to shift to the next gear!

Last night he called and said it has gotten so bad he can barely get into 5th, and has to lift up a long ways on the shifter.... any idea's? Shift drum? I have never had one apart, but I have the tools and not afraid to dive into it, I am an auto mechanic by trade.

He was thinking clutch, as the threaded clutch adjustment is at the bitter end, but that wouldnt make it hard to shift, or lengthen the shift throw. and he didnt say the clutch is slipping.

your expertise is needed...

Thanks

PS hope to pull the top cover off in the next day or 2 to see why it has to move so far to shift

 

I don't know if your set up is like mine, but I had the same problem. Where the shift linkage goes into the tranny, the splines are all shot where the linkage is. My shift lever at my foot had about 4 inches of play. I was able to loosen the linkage arm and find a bite on that shaft that has held for 7 years. When I lose that bite, I'll have to go with the Better Lever, a two piece arm, so I don't have to take the tranny apart.

 

I doubt your problem is with the shifter drum. It sounds like you identified the problem - your shifting linkage.

Access to these parts is tight. As bluharley indicated, if the lever slips, the grooves in the lever can grind down, stopping you from getting a good bite on the shaft.

I've replaced the allen head bolt on my lever with a hex head bolt, so that you can really torque down on it. This tighted up some minor play I had on my 1990 FXRS. My son's 1985 FXRS is set up the same way.

Perhaps with only 300 miles since purchase, the dealer can provide your son some relief.