This is going to be a bit long, but I want to describe the chain of events… End of last riding season my clutch was getting rather sloppy,so I decided I would pull out the service manual and try the adjustment myself. Adjusted the clutch and it seemed OK. 20K maintenance came up and I took my bike into the HD shop and they did the 20K service. About a week after, I was stranded on the side of the road because my clutch was nonexistent… The clutch handle was just free flopping in\out. I called the HD shop (as they had just done the maintenance). They picked up the bike brought it back to the shop, called me the next day and said for “some reason” the clutch was just out of adjustment. They re-adjusted it and it was good to go. I got it back and rode it the rest of the season. But this short period of time before winter the clutch seemed “jerky”…

Well I put my bike away for winter and figured I would just have it looked at next spring. Next spring rolls around and the first thing I did was take the bike to fuelmoto for a 107” big bore. When they completed the work and were going to dyno the bike Jamie said the clutch crapped out. He took it apart to find the throw out bearing was toast and the push rod assembly was “fused” together. Their thought was that, when the clutch went the first time the HD shop readjusted the clutch the distance of the bearing instead of actually looking into it. He figured the clutch was never really disengaging all the way, causing it to heat up and fuse the push rod assembly together. FuelMoto replaced the front part of that push rod assembly and bearing, but not the back end rod. They ground the end of that rod down to remove any burs and such and put it back together..

So now 1700 miles later after my big bore kit, I am out riding and hear this nasty noise coming from the primary again. I dropped the bike off at the HD shop to have them ride it and look at it. They found the noise that I was hearing was the primary bearing and race need to be replaced. But, while looking into it they found that the push rod assembly was fused together again. Now this is only 1700 miles after the big bore at fuelmoto was completed. Now the HD shops theory is that because Fuel Moto only replaced part of the push rod assembly and not the other… (They just ground the end of the rod down) that maybe the heat treat on the end of those rods was ground off and it caused it to heat up enough to fuse it back together.

I’m at a loss and kind of frustrated as all this has happened within about 2K miles. Ya, the bike sat over winter, but that has nothing to do with it. My concern is there is something else going on and I am going to be in the shop again for the same reason sometime in the near future. I have not heard any real explanation as to what is causing the issue, just some theories.. Just a huge bad chain of events??

 

My buddy just pulled his apart and found it broken and fused together as well. He has a stage 4 103. He replaced the cable first and thought it was fixed but just pulled it apart last week and was surprised. At least it all made sense after this.

The rod had broken and basically welded itself back together.

 

Does he have any idea what caused it? I can see once, but 2x in less then 2K miles? I am not riding the bike any different then I did since 09 when I bought it. So I don't know it would be riding habits... The primary bearing... is that common in these bikes around 20K miles... Is the big bore kit effecting my bike in a negative way... So many questions, but no answers. I can't afford to just keep "getting it fixed"...

 

I have no idea what caused, neither does he. But it was good to see that he is not the only that this has happened to.

 

So now besides all that I just originally posted, the HD shop just calls meand says, while we were working on your bike we noticed the front tire isa bit lose and the front wheel bearings should be replaced. It will be $130ishbucks. Do you want us to replace them? I said, well you just replaced the fronttire 2 weeks ago, why was that not replaced then? They said they will replaceit for the cost of the parts and no labor. I said, oh and by the way, when Igot my bike back after you replaced the tire, whoever did the work, did nottighten the core of the valve stem all the way because it went flat on me.

Sorry, just venting on that one wasn't trying to hijack my own post...

 

You might need to try a new dealer. That one sounds a little "iffy".

Or better yet, do the work yourself if you can.

 

I had same issue on my 07 first hd replaced inner primary bearing got little better then it shredded the rod into pieces found out the transmission bearings were also bad and were replaced under ESP and tech recommended synthetic gear oil or stop riding it hard ( he rides with us occasionally) .

 

Well as I mentioned in a previous post, I have ridden the bike the same since I bought it in 09. I don't know how you can put 20K miles on it and have no issues and then all of a sudden in 2K miles have all the issues. Then it be from "riding it hard"... I honestly don't know how you ride an ultra classic "hard" anyway... :-) Maybe with the 107 big bore, I am stressing or torquing things more and not realizing it. I did mention also that maybe the big bore is having a negative affect on my bike. Maybe it has to much toque and I am now "riding it to hard"..?? Possible, but I guess I truly don't know if that is what caused the issues. The first time the rod "fused" was prior to the big bore kit. If I had the choice to do over again, i would not do the big bore kit! I just don't feel it was worth the $$ now that I have had it done and riding it for a few months..

FuelMoto blames the issues on the the HD shop for it happening the first time, and the HD shop blames FuelMoto for it happening the second time. I'm just the guy in the middle paying all the freaking bills...

 

Very simple answer. Clutch should be adjusted cold with proper back off so there is a small amount of play so when ever thing is hot and swells, there is still free play so when clutch lever is not pulled, the throw out bearing does not spin. Yours obviously was not, or it just could have failed. It was spinning all the time along with the three shafts. A roller dropped out and locked it up an then it could only spin at the ball end were the two shafts meet. They friction rubbed, melted and welded together. Your problem came about people doing a lot of different work and not taking the time or felt like they were gitting paid to make sure all was OK since the bearing is on one side and the shaft meets on the other side and finally the adjuster under the derby cover. Even the free play, or lack of it at the clutch lever could have caused it. Since you say things seemed to be erratic, I bet the throw out bearing failed and the little roller was OK then jumped and took all the clearance and then maybe got OK back and forth which would account for that. Is a very dependable system when adjusted correctly. It can live with red light clutch held in stuff a lot better then some bikes. A lot just have one harden steel ball in a cup. Those should be throw in neutral when sitting. I throw mine in neutral at red lights that I know and when the cager behind me is stopped but it is not necessary with a properly maintained Harley. Thanks to HarleyCruiser for the last two attachments

 

RIPSAW... I do appreciate the explanation. It has not been explained to me by anyone like that yet. I guess then my issue is I pay very good money to both the HD shop and FuelMoto to do professional work on my bike. If in fact neither of them did it right and I am out a lot of money because they didn't care enough to make sure it was done right, that to me is very disheartening...! If I wanted to do all the maintenance myself I would, but I chose to take it in to "professionals" to be sure everything is done properly.