OK. After finding out I needed to replace a leaky main drive gear seal, I ended up "loosening" the nut on the main drive gear shaft the wrong way(it sure would be nice if HD had the bit about left-hand threads in SAME section as drive pulley removal) Long story short, I now need to remove the main drive gear.

After a bit if research, I found out I need yet another specialty tool.
I did manage to find a used tool on ebay for $125.00. Why oh why does one need all these specialty tools to do some of these jobs?? I've spent more on these damn tools, than the parts themselves. OK, enough of my ranting.

For those of you that have done this, do you have any tips/tricks I could use to ease the whole process of removal/installation of this gear?

I've tried looking for videos on youtube, with no luck.

Thanks for your help!

 

The link below should take you to Photobucket where I have posted a set of photos from a trans tear down to install the Twist Gear setup which includes some stuff you may not be interested in but also includes the R/R of the main drive gear as well as the tools I used (George's Garage) to R/R the main drive gear. Although there are no photos of the tools in place to R/R the gear, I think you will get the concept when you see the tools. Let me know if the link doesn't work; I also have a .pdf file that I could send via email.

http://s1258.beta.photobucket.com/us...27557964848041

There are no shortcuts but I would suggest that since you are in the trans, you should inspect everything for wear/tear, change the clutch cable to a later cable with the teflon lining if your bike is an older model, replace all the seals on the primary side; shifter shaft, quad seal, mainshaft/5th gear seal, jackshaft seal and inner primary bearing seal. I would take a close look at the inner primary bearing and consider replacing it as well (yeah, another tool). I guess my point is that while not a complicated job, it is tedious, a PITA, messy, time consuming and not something you want to repeat on a regular basis, so while you are at it, eliminate any thing you see that might cause you to do it again in the near future.

Of course, you need the service manual, which you must have. You obviously have learned the lesson to go and read the referenced sections as you follow. It is a PITA to go from one section to another to another to follow a procedure but much less a PITA than replacing a main drive gear.

I hope the photos help. If you have any questions there is help here on the forum and feel free to PM me as well. Good luck.

 

Thank you VERY much, djl! Your photo timeline is awesome!

Clutch cable is a year old.

Did you replace the bearings in the trans side cover as well?

I see the threads on your mainshaft gear were missing in the first couple of pics as well.


Damn! This is an EXPENSIVE lesson I learned.....

 

I have a 98 Lowrider that I need to replace the main drive gear on. The 2 allen head screws that hold the locking plate on the MDG nut broke off letting the nut back off which tore up the threads on the nut as well as the threads on the MDG. What year model bike is yours? Do you have to pull the mainshaft inner bearing race before you can remove the side door and shafts as an assembly? My factory service manual contradic's itself some between the removal steps and the pictures they show. Can anyone tell me how to remove the MDG after you remove the shifter forks and shifter cam assembly. I don't want to make this to long a read but I have lots of questions if anyone has time and patience enough to answer them for me.

 

Yes, you do have to remove the inner primary bearing (IPB) race before you can remove the main shaft/counter shaft/trap door assembly. You can notch the race with a Dremel tool, insert a chisel into the notch, strike the chisel and the race will split; they are very brittle. You have to be careful with the dremel to avoid cutting into the mainshaft. Or, you will need the R/R tool for the IPB.

The MDG requires removal/installation with a push/pull tool. You can buy from George's Garage or perhaps fabricate your own using threaded rod, nuts, washers and PVC. The MDG doesn't require a lot of force to R/R but does require a tool.

Check the link in my post above. You will see the MDG tool which may give you some ideas on how to fab up your own. The pictures should be helpful as well. Bike is an '02 FLHT; trans should be same as you early model.

 

re: I've tried looking for videos on youtube, with no luck.

Try this, Bert Baker of Baker Transmissions does an excellent job explaining how to install their DD6.

 

djl, thanks for answering my question. i don't really have to worry about the MDG because its already ruined which is why i had to tear into it in the first place. this does make me have another and probably stupid question but here goes anyway, lol, the new MDG will not come with the bearings on the inside that my service manual talks about so i will need to buy and install then as well, correct?

 

djl, i miss read your post about using the dremel tool and being careful not to damage the mainshaft. i had a grey/blonde moment which translated into damaging the MDG. once i borrow my buddies dremel tool, i will be very careful not to cut into the mainshaft. i will take a long look at the pics of your MDG tool and see if i can come up with something like yours before i buy the $170 MDG puller i saw on ebay and i think george's garage want $179 or it might have been the other way around. either way i was going to be looking at $170 to $180 for a tool i hopefully will use only one time.

 

Here is what your cut should look something like the below photo but doesn't have to be full width of the race. You will need a chisel with the end shaped wider than the width of the cut so when you strike the chisel, the blow will "spread" the cut and split the race. I would suggest supporting the main shaft from underneath.



You will still need the tool to "push" the new IPB back onto the main shaft. Baker and, I believe, All ***** make a one piece inner primary bearing that replaces the race as the main shaft rides in the bearing bore; check if available for your year/model. Other wise you will need the install tool, which you could also fabricate. It 's just a piece of steel pipe that is used to push the IPB race onto the shaft; finding a piece of pipe the right ID/OD could be a problem; not sure. You could buy the R/R tool. Or cut the IPB race off and if you have a good split puller and can find the piece of pipe shown above, you will have what you need to push the IPB race on. It requires up to 35 ft/lb, so it's a pretty tight interference fit.

The MDG doesn't require a lot of force to R/R. You should be able to fab up something after studying the Georges garage hardware, tools 620060 and 620070.

 

Don`t blame the manual...

It is in the manual, under transmission sprocket removal.

When you posted about this I even told you that the nut was left hand thread, but you argued that it was a standard thread, because it came loose when you cranked it counterclockwise (shearing off the end of the main drive gear).

This was your post:

Originally Posted by prplglide
Yes. It is loose, I think the shaft may have slid back in the case a tad, as I can't even get the nut to thread back on.
And it is not a left hand thread like the manual says it is....

Don`t blame the manual for not spoon feeding you. You also wrecked your transmission case because you failed to follow the service manual.


https://www.hdforums.com/forum/prima...-sprocket.html