Hey all.

I was at a stoplight tonight and dropped the clutch with high revs. There was a clunking/grinding sound with some slipping. If I accelerate VERY slowly, the sound goes away. But as soon as I give it any gas it makes the same horrible noise.

I pulled the primary cover and adjusted the clutch and it made no difference. I have fondled motor internals before, but am not so experienced with trannies. Any help would be appreciated! Oh, it's a 2007 softail custom with about 40k miles.

I get the feeling this is going to be a 12-15 beer fix...

 

Not sure, but it almost sounds like compensator bolts have loosened up. Is the noise on the left side?

 

How many times have you done that?

 

trans pulley splines stripping, cutch hub splines stripping or the compensator either loose or really bad. could be the trans main shaft bearing getting bad, when mine went it made a clunk,clunk,clunk noise when taking off and i could feel it. getthe bike up in the air and roll the back wheel to see if you can tell where it's coming from. the more tension i put on my pulley the louder the sound. time for a tear down it sounding like. good luck with it.

 

The ONLY time I do it is when I come to stop lights.

And stop signs.

I recently heard someone say that it is possible to wheelie a stock 96", so perhaps I've been trying a little harder lately.

 

The noise definitely sounds like it is coming from the left side. I pulled the primary cover, and there was a bit of metal on the drain plug, nothing horrific tho. I pulled the compensator, and it looks fine. At least I can't see anything obvious with it.

I will be pulling the clutch shortly... Heading out to get a socket to fit that nut.

 

In all seriousness, I never do it from a stop but I have banged it a few times hitting 2nd and 3rd. If I hit mine with little clutch going to second, it makes a similar noise (maybe probably more like Baaaaak) Mine is a stock 88 TCb but it has no problem winding the 30 degree or so travel of the compensator which ends with the noise. Keep in mind, that is all the cushion you have in the drive train and things will break.

Harley mother ship got tired of all the in warranty major repairs and put the cush rubber drive on the rear drive pulley on the big boys now. Even they drive like being on a Sportbike now.

If it drives and sounds Ok driving it like it was designed to do, nothing is probably broke yet.

If this happens, it could cost you 4K or so....This is CHarley's 4th gear and he swears he only drive like a little old gray hair grandma on Sunday.

 

Unfortunately it doesn't sound and drive ok. If I give it more than about 10% it starts to slip and grind. The sound is like a chainsaw on a steel handrail. That's the only way I can describe it. There were many times when I would hear the KLUNK of the compensator reaching it's limit. But it was always just one klunk. It almost sounds like it is in gear when you are really light on the throttle, but then gears or splines or something is grinding if you give it any throttle at all. It's a diabolical sound. I'm wishing I had recorded it to share.

 

Hope you find it in the clutch. Got my doubts but sounds like you flog it pretty hard. It will be obvious. Soft02 has a tear down on the transmission. Few others on here. I have an extensive directory and I may find the threads if search does not work..

 

So I think that this may be my problem...