HELP! Possible transmission problems on my FXDS
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, NV
HELP! Possible transmission problems on my FXDS
I have a 1996 dyna glide convertable fxds. A while ago I was riding back to Vegas from LA during a pretty heavy rain storm when some jerk slammed his brakes which caused me to lock mine up and almost rear end the guy. I had to swerve off the road to miss hitting the truck. Anyway, in the midst of all that, I must've been instinctually trying to down shift. I had to ride 60+ miles back to Vegas at 50 mph in the break down lane. After I got home I looked at the bike and saw that my shift linkage had just disconnected. It didn't break. So I tried reconnecting it and I can't shift the trans at all. I put the bike up on a motorcycle jack and turned it on. Still can't shift. When I disconnect the linkage I can shift the trans from first to third by hand. Can't seem to get it into fourth gear whether the bike is running or not.
Also, I have mid controls and the linkage interferes with the engine. I'm assuming that's also obviously not supposed to happen. I don't want to take things too far apart in fear of not being able to put them back together. I'm moderately mechanically inclined since I work in an auto shop but transmission problems are out of my realm. Any ideas on what I should try or what could be wrong?
Thanks in advance!
Also, I have mid controls and the linkage interferes with the engine. I'm assuming that's also obviously not supposed to happen. I don't want to take things too far apart in fear of not being able to put them back together. I'm moderately mechanically inclined since I work in an auto shop but transmission problems are out of my realm. Any ideas on what I should try or what could be wrong?
Thanks in advance!
Last edited by AlfaChase; Nov 9, 2014 at 08:04 PM. Reason: spelling
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 722
Likes: 9
From: Williamsport, MD
well that sucks, atleast you made it home, I don't know much about these things myself, even though I have accidently downshifted without clutching a few times on motorcycles and it has never damaged my transmission. the first thing to is obviously re-connect the linkage and then work with it some more to see if you can get it to work..
beyond that try searching the forums for similar problems.
good luck to you, I'm sure someone will over better advice.
beyond that try searching the forums for similar problems.
good luck to you, I'm sure someone will over better advice.
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 98
From: north of the south pole
Those pinch bolts have a tendency to stretch, then the shift arm gets sloppy on the shaft outta the tranny.
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, NV
As in the shaft coming out of the trans may have somehow come loose? What gear should the trans be in when the linkage is reconnected?
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 98
From: north of the south pole
I've had the shift arm come loose, not the shaft, on both my Twin Cam 5 speeds.
The pinch bolts are grade 8, but they still stretch.
Just wiggle it, if it moves side to side, it's loose on the shaft.
It has to be bent or loose to be scraping the engine.
The pinch bolts are grade 8, but they still stretch.
Just wiggle it, if it moves side to side, it's loose on the shaft.
It has to be bent or loose to be scraping the engine.
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I agree that shift rod must be bent, if you can shift with it disconnected. They must be straight and parallel to the bike.
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,953
Likes: 1,168
From: Northern Colorado
I agree with the guys above. This just happened to me last weekend, went to grab an upshift on the onramp and the shifter moved 4 inches but no gear change. Got home by shifting with my heel on the trans arm. I'm in the middle of replacing the shift rod now. Waiting for a new belt too since the entire primary has to come off to do the repair. I'm in Vegas too if you wanna link up and check out the repair you too will be doing too soon lol.
