I own a 2012 Electra Glide Classic with only 7000 miles on it. Since my bike was new I have had all the prescribed maintenance and adjustments done by th eHarley dealership. I have also had to take it in twice between the maintenance intervals to have the clutch readjusted due to slipping. I recently was informed the clutch was worn and had to be replaced at my cost. I had a new Barnett Kevlar and steel cluch pack installed and the day after I got it back the clutch is again slipping only in 5th and 6th gear just like before. The dealership is stumped. I had a 2008 Roadking that I had for two years and 20,000 miles and never had any clutch issues. I am a trained Motor Officer and will not take accept that I burnt a brand new clutch out in 7000 miles and now the new Heavy Duty clutch is also slipping like the stock one was.......Any ideas????

 

Get a heavy clutch spring and go to a non synthetic primary fluid.

 

I have the SE heavy spring and run sync with no problem.
I have however had 5th gear slip on two occaisions after dealer work/inspection in primary which then required they re-adjust the clutch. both times the clutch did not engage until the handle was past the halfway point (let out from bar). Do they have a settup on purpose to slip the clutch to hide the compensator problem?
Each time I went in there and re adjusted so the lever is about 3/4 inch from bar when it starts to engage and no more slippage in 5th.

 

Try a different dealer? They may have a tech who can get to the bottom of the problem. It doesn't sound as if your current dealer is doing you any favours.

 

My '10 FLHTK has been slipping in 5th. As for what I gather the cause is the axial cut gears used for 5th and 6th, the condition is termed axial thrust.
SEE.....
http://bakerdrivetrain.com/street-door
the other part of the problem is the weak diaphram spring used for the touring bikes. Swapping out the spring with the heavy duty SE spring can help overide the axial thrust problem but may not totally cure the slippage.

I will crosspost in the Touring Forum to see if anyone has changed out the trans door and get the results of the change.

 

I had a similar problem with a Bake DD6 tranny.

After two clutches (11,000 & 13,000 miles respectively) I had a THIRD clutch installed and it slipped on the way home from the dealer.

I immediately returned to the dealer.
After trying, a new clutch hub, changing the spring, the dealer and Baker agreed that something was not right with the gear set and Baker warrantied it with a new DD6 unit and all was well!

Like you, I've rode for years, owner many bikes, cars and trucks with a clutch and I had never "burned" a clutch out.
My first clutch (in that same bike) had 40,000 miles on it and was replaced only as preventative maintenence when the new trans was installed, and I had pulled a trailer to, and back from Alaska and also another trip through the Rockies, so I KNEW there had to be a mechanical issue with the tranny.

If you don't get this issue fixed now your clutch issues will continue.

Good luck.

 

You are reading my mind. When the bike was new I remember the odor of burnt clutch or brakes, I couldn't pin point the source so I passed it off as comming from other vehicles around me, I now know it likely was mine.

It is as you said, I want to solve the root cause not just treat the symptom

 

As ZZZCICI described the axial thrust can't cause a symptom we like to call "phantom clutch lever movement" do to the fact that the bearings in the bearing door are retained with beveled snap rings. Quick way to feel it for yourself is this: In third gear pull the clutch handle in about halfway....feel that movement... that is the bearings moving in and out of your trap door.

 

Please excuse my ignorance here, I realize the helical cut 5th gear will result in axial thrust ,which to my understanding will allow the shaft to move .

The part I do not understand is it pressing against the spring pressure or away from the spring ?? It is widely accepted that a stronger spring will prevent the force of the "axial thrust" from weakening the diaphram spring pressure.
Some say the heavy duty spring will solve the slipping and some say it didn't help.

How , if at all does the "Phantom Clutch Lever" play into all of this? What is the detrimental effect of "Phantom Clutch Lever"? Will this condition contribute to the clutch slipping?

Is there any known remedy known to be tried and true to solve 5th gear slip for the factory transmission?

I am certain that I am not the only one that appreciates any knowlege and insight you may have on this issue.

 

What the axial thrust does(and not just the fifth gear) is push the shafts away from each other. In the stock set up with the bearings moving your mainshaft is also allowed to move. The mainshaft is what the clutch rides on so therefore your clutch is moving. By it self. What we did with both are DD7 and our street door is retain the bearings with a steel plate so the bearings can't move. If the bearings can't move then the main shaft can't move therefore your clutch will not move. The heavy clutch spring just makes the handle harder to pull it does nothing to keep the door bearings from moving and that is where the problem is.