Transmission question

bobscogin · #1 08-03-2005, 12:15 AM

Big Twin with 3 speed and reverse transmission. -- Can it be converted to a 4 speed?

Bob

pococj · #2 08-03-2005, 12:28 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: bobscogin

Big Twin with 3 speed and reverse transmission. -- Can it be converted to a 4 speed?

Bob

Nope. And don't even think about ruining that transmission that way! My '78 FLH had one. They are rarer than hen's teeth. I saw one go for about $2500 about 5 years ago. If you want a 4 speed there are plenty available, including some that have 5 or 6 speeds in the 4 speed case.

71 shovelhead · #3 08-07-2005, 12:46 AM

pococj, are you sure about that? I always understood that the standard 4speed had a different ratio with 3 fwd gears and reverse when it was used in a servicar

pococj · #4 08-07-2005, 01:46 AM

The Servicar was powered by a 45 inch flathead engine, not an OHV Big Twin. The Servicar had a completely different tranny than the FL series.

In 1981 I traded my Dad (that's him in my avatar on an Indian 741 in 1943) a '77 Ford van for his '78 FLH 3 speed w/reverse. It had only 900 miles on it as he preferred to ride his '73 Sporty. If I am remembering correctly, according to what was in the service manual, and the info I got from others over the 200,000 miles I had it, the tranny cases of the 3 and 4 speeds were different, and not interchangeable. But that was some time ago, and it wouldn't be the first time I might be disremembering!

'78 was the last year model the 3 speed was offered with the Big Twin engine, and the last one was actually produced in 1977. My bike was special ordered and delivered in December 1977. When my Dad went to pick it up another gentleman saw it and had the HD shop in Brunswick, OH order one. The story told me was the MoCo said, "OK, but this is the last one." Don't know if that is true or not, but it wasn't an available option in the actual year 1978. I was told it had to do with the cost of having the engine/tranny combo certified by the EPA. Not enough 3 speed w/reverse models sold to make it economically feasible. Again, this is what was told to me, and I haven't verified it, except for knowing when my Dad got his bike.

I put 200,000 miles on this bike with one top end rebuild at 125,000 miles. The tranny was never rebuilt. I sold the bike in 1999 and it was completely redone, including a complete overhaul of the engine, but the tranny only needed a new mainshaft seal. It's still on the road today.

71 shovelhead · #5 08-07-2005, 10:03 AM

sorry, I was using servicar as a generic term for a trike, I know they weren't making flatties in '78

71 shovelhead · #6 08-15-2005, 10:32 PM

Hey Skip, the more I think about it you must be right that trans case has to have a provision for a reverse idler gear and I'm pretty sure you can't fit one in a 4 spd case[&:]

pococj · #7 08-15-2005, 11:37 PM

I still can't remember where I read the info. Might've been in the service manual that I let go with the bike when I sold it.