Loose shifter

Harley Davidson Forum

Sponsors

Harley Davidson History

Loose shifter

Printable Version

Harley Davidson Forums >> Harley Davidson Motorcycles >> Classic >> Ironhead >> Loose shifter

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Loose shifter - 5/13/2008 7:53:48 AM

75sporty

Posts: 19
Joined: 5/13/2008
Status: offline

Just bought my 75 sportster and of course I have to modify it before I ride it. Ebay has been my friend lately...

My left side shifter is loose, there is about an inch of play on the forward control before it shifts. I can hold the shifter arm on the right side near the front sprocked and feel the play in the shifter lever. Anyone have any ideas, or a good picture of the linkage?

Thanks

_____________________________

It's a 75, same year I was built...

Post #: 1

RE: Loose shifter - 5/13/2008 8:03:38 AM

NumberingRavens

Posts: 53
Joined: 9/15/2007
Status: offline

Do you have any pictures of your '75, how much did you pick it up for?

_____________________________

2001 Sportser XL1200C
SE II Slip-Ons
Hyper Charger

Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but gets you no where.

(in reply to 75sporty)

Post #: 2

RE: Loose shifter - 5/13/2008 8:52:01 AM

pitbull1

Posts: 83
Joined: 8/16/2006
Status: offline

check your shaft bushings and pivot end adjustment.

Thumbnail Image

Attachment (1)

_____________________________

75 Ironhead..Ride hard..You can rest when you die.

(in reply to 75sporty)

Post #: 3

RE: Loose shifter - 5/14/2008 7:10:45 AM

supr2nr

Posts: 249
Joined: 12/26/2007
From: West Tennessee
Status: offline

Welcome to the half-assed job that HD did to accomodate the gov. in mid 75. I have a 76 with the same setup and I have the same problem. I have worked and worked and worked on that to try and resolve the free play with it and it's still there.

Part of the problem is the crappy design of the conversion from the right side to the left. No matter how much you adjust the pivot end there will still be some free play because of how the shifter link and lever match up. Look at parts 13 and 6 in the above picure. The other problem is the design of the faulty forward controls for the 75 and 76's. The shift arm that is on the left side that sticks up by the primary has not splines on it, they are all flat on the inside. So because of that they don't actually catch with the splines of the cross shaft arm. I had to drill a small hole through the shift arm and the cross shaft and put a bolt through it to hold it in place which severly limited the amount of freeplay but there is still some there.

_____________________________

- Randy

The bike.

(in reply to pitbull1)

Post #: 4

RE: Loose shifter - 5/14/2008 8:19:59 AM

pitbull1

Posts: 83
Joined: 8/16/2006
Status: offline

I had the same prob.After I changed the shaft bushings it made a world of diff. although there is still some slop but very little.Another thing.Make sure that the crossover shaft is pushed all the way left.Hold leftward pressure from the right as you push your shifter arm on.If you don't it by itself will create a 1/4 in of slop.Also had the same prob with the forward control shifter arm not being splined.What I did was cut off the stock hd shifter arm drilled a hole in it for the linkage bracket and machined it flat and on the top where I cut it off I machined it to a round radius.Works perfect..

Thumbnail Image

Thumbnail Image

Attachment (2)

_____________________________

75 Ironhead..Ride hard..You can rest when you die.

(in reply to supr2nr)

Post #: 5

RE: Loose shifter - 5/14/2008 4:36:44 PM

supr2nr

Posts: 249
Joined: 12/26/2007
From: West Tennessee
Status: offline

Thats a damn good idea right there. I may have to pick up a couple stock shift arms and do that myself. Seems like I remember finding a guy on ebay that sells them for around 10 dollars.

_____________________________

- Randy

The bike.

(in reply to pitbull1)

Post #: 6

RE: Loose shifter - 5/14/2008 5:26:18 PM

pitbull1

Posts: 83
Joined: 8/16/2006
Status: offline

If you do make sure you drill your hole the exact size as the hardware.Also the length of the lever is very important.

_____________________________

75 Ironhead..Ride hard..You can rest when you die.

(in reply to supr2nr)

Post #: 7

RE: Loose shifter - 5/14/2008 6:12:27 PM

supr2nr

Posts: 249
Joined: 12/26/2007
From: West Tennessee
Status: offline

whats the approximate length of your shift lever?

_____________________________

- Randy

The bike.

(in reply to pitbull1)

Post #: 8

RE: Loose shifter - 5/14/2008 7:36:00 PM

pitbull1

Posts: 83
Joined: 8/16/2006
Status: offline