If you've seen my additional thread: I've got a friend coming down next weekend to help me run through the wiring issues with the bike. But now I've run into a new issue - my shifter broke off!

I know it's not that big of an issue, I've already found an OEM replacement that I'm about to order. But before I do, I wanted to ask if anyone knows of a better shifter available?

As it stands now the shifter peg sits parallel to my foot peg, so I felt like I was pushing forward on it more than up. Aside from that it's very mushy (this is a 75 Ironhead with the left side shifter that was run under the bike frame) and I felt like it was going to be an issue right off the bat.

Ideally I would like a shifter that sits about 2 inches higher than my foot peg (or I'm thinking of just taking the foot peg off since the bike has highway pegs). Anybody know of a suitable substitue to the OEM shifter? Aside from me changing it back to the right side shift?

 

I am not familiar with the shifter parts on a 1975 and 1976 with the crossover. Is the shift shaft grooved or plain?

Here is my experience with shift levers for the left side shift.

Here are pics with first a stock IronHead shift lever and then with an Evo shift lever, both cut and drilled, and installed with forward controls ...





The Evo lever is superior for these reasons ...

First the 1/4" bolt actually goes thru the groove in the shifter shaft so the lever cannot fall off. With the IronHead lever the bolt does not go thru the groove; the install relies on friction.

Second the lever has a better shape for rotating the shaft rather than pulling at it; better shifting and less likely to wear out the oil seal on the shaft.

Third, if you do need to trim the length as i did for this application, the Evo lever is thicker and easier to drill thru.

 

Thanks Mick!

I've ordered a stock 75 shifter as a back-up since I was only able to locate a couple.

The 75 shift shaft is grooved and does have a hole for the bolt to go through. The Evo shifters that are not forward controls seem to leave me with the same problem due to the placement of the left foot peg. I'll try to attach some pictures after work to better show the issue.

The bike has highway pegs on it, so I was actually thinking of just removing the stock foot peg on the left side and just use the highway pegs (or rest my foot on the primary since it isn't open).

 

i would think that riding with out that foot peg would be very dangerous !! i wear a size 12 wide and have no trouble shifting maybe you just need to move the shifter up a little ??

 

Thanks for the photos Mick. I thought something looked a little odd with the way my shifter was setup....

I ordered a stock shifter and just got it in. When I went to install it I found the differences (and perhaps why the original shifter broke). Looks like the grooves on the shaft were worn out, or at least it slips when I put the new shifter on.

The previous owner must have run into the problem also and drilled a hole through the shifter and the shift shaft. I figure I have 3 options:

1. drill a hole through the replacement shifter and keep on truckin'
2. replace the shift shaft
3. and most drastic - move the shifter back to the right side - which is probably out of my league.

Thoughts? Pics below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67696148@N04/6243947158/http://www.flickr.com/photos/67696148@N04/6243947158/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/67696148@N04/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67696148@N04/6243947278/http://www.flickr.com/photos/67696148@N04/6243947278/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/67696148@N04/, on Flickr

 

Converting 75/76 to right side shift has been done many times. If you want to consider that option it is a matter of finding someone who has done it before. There may be someone on this forum or on one of the other popular forums such as xlforum.net.

The part number for the shifter cross shaft is 42548-75; in case you want to replace it.

What i have done is to squish a shim into the shift lever or onto the cross shaft before meshing the two parts together. Make the shim from pop can metal. Use as much as you can stuff in. When the two bolts are tightened the shim material will be forced into the splines; and it just might hold very well. Worth a try.

Let us know how this works out.

 

Since I already had the left shift peg I went ahead and drilled whole through it and put it back the way it was before. Shifter works now, but there is about half an inch worth of play when I am shifting.

Now I need to remove the foot peg because it stops the shifter from shifting up due to the amount of play. So this is a band-aid fix.

What do you guys think about putting a jockey shift on this bike?

Perhaps that would be easier (or cheaper) than changing the bike back to right-side shift and moving the brake over?

 

I have no experience with jocky shifts. I would not arbitrarily install a jockey shift, or install one to solve this problem. If a jockey shift is something that you really do want personally, and if it fits in with the style of the bike, then perhaps OK.

I would expect it to be an inconvenience so you would have to really want it.

Changing to right side shift, IMO, would be a better choice. It has been done lots of times and there are guys who highly recommend it.