My 96 Heritage Softail is eating up ring gears and pinion gears like crazy. I got the bike October 2012 and rode it for about 1 month before I started hearing a little grinding sound when I started it. I replaced the starter but it didn't help. It got worse and I heard something else that just didn't sound right so I opened the inspection cover on my primary to find what was left of my chain adjustment shoe. It was destroyed so I replaced it, cleaned up the shredded pieces of the shoe and put it back together. It still wasn't starting right and broke several teeth out of my ring gear and my pinion gear. Pulled it apart again and replaced the ring gear, pinion gear and entire jackshaft. Took the clutch basket to a mechanic, he replaced the bearings and cleaned the pieces of the adjustment shoe out and I put it all back together. It was starting fine and I was riding it all over again for a couple of months. Then the grinding started again and chewed up another ring gear and pinion gear. Pulled it apart again. Found even more of the pieces from the chain adjustment shoe that had been all over the stater (which I didn't open up before). Removed the stater and cleaned it up completely, removed all of the pieces of the shoe from behind the pinion gear, replaced all bushings and made sure everything was working beautifully. Rode it a lot for the next couple of months and while on my trip to Laughlin it started making the small grinding noise again. I removed the derby cover to make sure there were no pieces of the adjustment shoe and it looked fine. I also ran my finger around the ring gear and everything felt smooth and good. I continued on my ride and at our last gas stop, when I started it, it ground up another ring gear and pinion gear. I knew it was gone but still rode home and parked it until I was ready to open up the primary again. Just as I knew the ring gear and pinion gear are destroyed. Although there is no more pieces of the adjustment shoe, which is what I thought might be causing the problem over and over again.
I know this is lengthy but I wanted to give the full story. I need to figure out what is causing this to happen. I have put 6,000 of the 99,000 miles on this bike in just 6 months. I know the history of the bike and this has not been a problem in the past.
I am thinking of going with the 84 tooth ring/pinion gear set but I still think something else is wrong. What am I missing? Any ideas?

 

I found your question just now and wondering if you've resolved the problem? I have the same story as you less the chain adjuster pieces any luck at your end?
Mike

 

Start a new thread, and don`t forget to give the model and year.

 

Got a 96 custom wit 11,000 miles on a 1340 cc wit 10:1 compression and a mild cam.started and ran great at time of sale,trailered it home took for a ride around town came back parked it went to restart to put in garage starter spun but did not engage put new hi tourqe starter in (300 bucks) started awesome for about 20 rides prob 50 or so starts until yesterday it sounded like a blender wit rocks in it on start up , it did start and managed to make it home pulled primary and F%*#!!! 2 teeth missing from pinion gear and a corner of one off the ring .anyone have any ideas wtf could cause this?
i also noticed occasionally I would hit the start switch and nothing no click no turn...nothing during those 20 rides
it would eventuallly kick after I would push button several times checked relay it seems to be working fine
how forgiving is that ring gear think I could get away with new pinion gear not replace ring after I clean the crap out of primary

 

You might need compression releases.. If the battery is low or weak, the motor can eat starters..
You want to check the voes switch if you have one and possibly back off on the ignition timing. Which ignition module are you running?

Relay may be bad, relay socket, hard to tell, Seen both and other issues.

 

thanks relay tested good did pin test through manual
i also tested voltage through relay plug when I hit start button and have 11.6 volts there sounds low but not sure

 

i think I will need another battery this one is 10 years old according to the guy I purchased bike from with the 1.8 pro toque starter i thing may need more juice also noticed my primary chain was adjusted all the way and had about an inch of play maybe contributed to the disaster I tore everything out of the primary to clean and replace new chain new compensator new battery on the way I'll let u know thanks for your help

 

So I changed compensator,primary chain,went to 10/84 ring and pinion gearfrom compufire,lithium ion battery,cleaned the mess out of entire primary case,shimmed starter(which I did not know u had to do it is not in service manual but came with instructions from compufire kit)changed relay and so far so good about 40 or so starts I will keep posted after riding season is over but so far so good thanks for your help