Floppy Shift Lever
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 36
From: San Diego, CA
Floppy Shift Lever
God Damnit! About a year I ago I got stranded because my foot lever was flopping around and I couldn't get out of 1st gear. I got towed home, put on a new lever and everything was good.
2 days ago, same ****. Luckily it had barely enough bite to shift my way home. I bolted it down again, used red loctite and I was good yesterday, but today it's coming loose again. WTF is the deal here?
Is there anything like the Better Lever but for the actual shift pedal, not the shift linkage. I'm going insane because this is such an easy fix, but apparently the splines on the shaft aren't so hot or the pedal wears out too fast, I can't deal with this once a year. Any recommendations, let me know...
2 days ago, same ****. Luckily it had barely enough bite to shift my way home. I bolted it down again, used red loctite and I was good yesterday, but today it's coming loose again. WTF is the deal here?
Is there anything like the Better Lever but for the actual shift pedal, not the shift linkage. I'm going insane because this is such an easy fix, but apparently the splines on the shaft aren't so hot or the pedal wears out too fast, I can't deal with this once a year. Any recommendations, let me know...
Are you running a stock steel lever or aluminum?
Aluminum works really well because the soft metal conforms to the spline better. The downside is that the fastener threads can strip easy if you take it on and off a lot. I'm not sure if they make aluminum for mid controls. The HD catalogue has them for forwards.
Aluminum works really well because the soft metal conforms to the spline better. The downside is that the fastener threads can strip easy if you take it on and off a lot. I'm not sure if they make aluminum for mid controls. The HD catalogue has them for forwards.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 583
Likes: 4
From: australia
if they are mid controls replace both parts, use blue lock tight , red is to strong. Another thing is get a longer bolt and put a nyloc nut on the bolt as too stop it loosening,,,, but its not a thing that normally comes loose unless the splindes are damaged
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: MX/AZ/NV
Push outward on the linkage part that controls the splined shaft, that the shift lever attaches to.
By doing that, the shaft will move outward, and allow the lever to slip on further.
I had the very same jiggling lever.....and by doing this, I was able to get a better bite with the shift lever.......problem solved.
By doing that, the shaft will move outward, and allow the lever to slip on further.
I had the very same jiggling lever.....and by doing this, I was able to get a better bite with the shift lever.......problem solved.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 36
From: San Diego, CA
To replace the shaft I have to take the whole damn primary apart right?
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: fl
file the split down some to allow the bolt to tighten farther.
check your rear shifter shaft behind the primary, if it goes out you have to break open the transmission to fix$$$.
stop stomping on the downshifts
check your rear shifter shaft behind the primary, if it goes out you have to break open the transmission to fix$$$.
stop stomping on the downshifts
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,524
Likes: 36
From: San Diego, CA
Why does Harley make such a POS design...it should have much deeper splines and a two-piece clamp for the lever.
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Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 583
Likes: 4
From: australia
in 40 years off fixing bikes ive never seen a 2 piece shifter ,,, tell me who does one,,, might be a pommy /itailan bike but all the one ones ive worked on are this design, and the ones ive seen with stuffed splines are from people not knowing how to install them, or running with the bolt loose.
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Tourer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 365
Likes: 1
From: under a rock in the swamp
Never seen a two peice one either. But hey if you don't want to rip the primary apart to install a new shaft. You may consider forward controls 
That way your shaft wont be used at all.Or if your a mickey mouse kind a guy clamp down best you can using the manner described pushing the shaft out as far as ya can then drill it using a very small split pin. that's a very crappy way to do it but it work awhile and is damned cheap. And a way i certainly never do !!!
That way your shaft wont be used at all.Or if your a mickey mouse kind a guy clamp down best you can using the manner described pushing the shaft out as far as ya can then drill it using a very small split pin. that's a very crappy way to do it but it work awhile and is damned cheap. And a way i certainly never do !!!
Intermediate
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 29
Likes: 2
From: CO
Aft shift shaft-loose
While I have been fighting with my loose shift shaft for some time, it's gotten to the point where it is so loose and floppy I don't feel safe riding the bike with it.
Oh I forgot, this is off a 95 FLHTC. Anyway no amount of tightening the allen would fix this problem. Like most of you I figure its the splines in the shift lever as opposed to the shaft itself being wrecked. I thought I would be sneaky and take the allen out, slip the old lever off the shaft and slip on the aftermarket one I purchased. I knew this would be a gamble as there is no room between the inboard side of the inner primary and the shift lever shaft. I decided to try it anyway.
I was right. I can only slip the lever off half way before it butts up against the inner primary. Of course I will have to take the primaries off in order to change out this lever. It's OK though. I have a tranny output shaft seal or quad seal that might be leaking anyway. So I will have to take the primaries off to fix that. I'd be pissed if everything was oil tight and I still had to take off the inner and outer to fix the lever!
I do know that Baker Drivetrain has developed what they call a truss lever. Here's the link.... http://bakerdrivetrain.com/truss-style-shift-lever I sure would like to find out how much this baby is before I put this other one back on! I will locktite the arm to the shaft and the allen into the arm. I don't want to take off the primary again!
Oh I forgot, this is off a 95 FLHTC. Anyway no amount of tightening the allen would fix this problem. Like most of you I figure its the splines in the shift lever as opposed to the shaft itself being wrecked. I thought I would be sneaky and take the allen out, slip the old lever off the shaft and slip on the aftermarket one I purchased. I knew this would be a gamble as there is no room between the inboard side of the inner primary and the shift lever shaft. I decided to try it anyway.
I was right. I can only slip the lever off half way before it butts up against the inner primary. Of course I will have to take the primaries off in order to change out this lever. It's OK though. I have a tranny output shaft seal or quad seal that might be leaking anyway. So I will have to take the primaries off to fix that. I'd be pissed if everything was oil tight and I still had to take off the inner and outer to fix the lever!
I do know that Baker Drivetrain has developed what they call a truss lever. Here's the link.... http://bakerdrivetrain.com/truss-style-shift-lever I sure would like to find out how much this baby is before I put this other one back on! I will locktite the arm to the shaft and the allen into the arm. I don't want to take off the primary again!
Last edited by kempomark; Feb 15, 2014 at 10:08 AM.