The hell of it is...I'm going to HAVE to do it myself!
The shop that did the work was kinda my last option - locally, anyway. They are an independent shop that has been around for a LONG time, and has a reputation for building performance bikes. Obviously, I'll not be spending any more money with them and nobody I know will either! The local H-D dealer also has a bad rep. But, because they have never done ME wrong, I'll buy service parts from them, but I WON'T let them work on my bike!

I tossed the idea of that Baker tranny around for a while. Rolling around town, at 25mph - 4th gear is a little too tall, and 3rd gear is a little too short. And, like I said, at 70mph she is screaming! It seems to me, that an extra gear (or 2) might just be the ticket! I REALLY don't like computer controlled anything, so I plan on keeping her for a LONG time... So, in this instance, the money for a Baker will probably be well spent.

 

The 6 into 4...best thing I've ever done to the bike. The trans shifts SO much better than the 4 speed ever could. The closer gear spacing means you can always be in the correct gear, and I could see out of my mirrors at 80 MPH. With the lower first gear I changed the rear sprocket from 51 to 48, and I can cruise 80-85 all day smooth as glass.

 

Those Baker trannies are super nice. Pricey, but if you're gonna keep the bike for a long while they're a good investment. I had a baker 4 speed behind my shovel, and it was smooth as silk. I believe I got it around this time last year direct from baker, they had a memorial day sale going on. If a divorce hadn't happened, I'd still be shifting that bike.
i got the baker for pretty much the same reasons you're thinking of one, coat of new vs rebuild...my ratchet top cracked. Needed new bushings and bearings. I figured between the cost of repair of the case, the tools needed to take the thing apart and put it back together correctly, the baker wasn't much more money. And that ratchet top wasn't original to that bike anyway.

 

I ordered it today (1Jun17) and, according to the salesman, it should be here middle of next week.

Those folks are EASY to work with! As you can see: I ordered a 6into4, and a replacement '4-speed clutch.' The salesman typed in the wrong part number (for a 4-spd clutch AND mainshaft), I called them up and got it straightened out. It's NICE to speak to folk that are native English speakers...

Pixs and commentary when it arrives...and I have the time to install it!

 

Cool you got the splined mainshaft option...didn't have that when I bought mine.

Keep in mind this trans was designed for a swingarm shovel...and is not a 100% "bolt-in" for a 4 speed softail.

If you are running full sized shocks you will need to cut the mounting studs off flush with the nuts... so that the studs don't hit the shocks...not too hard.

 

Tom,you are running a six speed tranny with a tappered shaft ???

 

I am running a Baker six-into-four trans also.
It took a while to save up the coin to get it but I am very pleased with it.
I am running the tapered shaft with a Barnett Scorpion clutch.
If I was where you are at right now I would seriously consider getting the splined shaft which means you would need a different clutch.
I would contact Baker first and find out what they suggest regarding the splined shaft/clutch idea and what other modifications will be required to install the trans into your bike.
Next, I would talk to Twizted Biker, johnjzjz and Spanners39 to get their take on it.
Those guys really know what they are talking about and if they don't know, I believe they would be honest about it. They could point you in the right direction at the least.
It's going to cost you a lot of money so I think you should research your options carefully.

 

Yep..nothing wrong with a tapered shaft...just have to be more careful removing/installing them. The local shovel guru around here has a 200 HP shovel drag bike with 3 stage nitrous...he runs a tapered shaft on it with no problems.

 

Holy crap! Are you friggin serious ? I get paranoid when I decide to get crazy,I thought they went to spline because guys would share the key to often ? I've personally never had a problem,and now it's all new,so I figure should be fine.

 

The Baker order has arrived!



Clutch assembly for a splined mainshaft.



FANCY kicker pedal!



STYMIED!!! Well, for a minute or two... The BOOK says both the clutch hub nut AND the compensating sprocket nut are left-hand thread... The clutch hub nut was, the compensating sprocket nut was not.



FINALLY!!! Inner primary off, and a good point to call it a day. I'm thinking that the easiest way to continue, is to remove the shocks. MOST of those tranny to plate, and plate to frame bolts are obscured by the shocks...



I THINK I sheared the key, trying to break the compensating sprocket nut loose... 3' breaker bar, 10' pipe over said breaker bar, (I reassembled the clutch and drive chain) and the Mrs. standing on the rear brake. But...



Notice the 'wrinkle' to the right of the keyway? I DON'T think I did that with a breaker bar and cheater pipe...



Part of the key, broken off in the clutch hub.


So, all of my pieces parts are here.
Yes, I ordered the tranny with a splined mainshaft. As I was perusing the 'HOLY **** THAT'S OLD' section
I noticed the 4-spd clutch for a splined mainshaft. And while I was perusing the 6into4 tranny section, I noticed they offered a splined mainshaft option. Seemed to me, that splined is a better deal than a 'keyed' option. When I called them, they said yes, it would work with my '84 FXST, so that's what I ordered.

I called it a day at this point. I'm thinking that my best bet is to remove the shocks, for access to all of the tranny/tranny plate mounting bolts before I continue...

Once again, after disassembling the old girl to this point, I am NOT impressed with what that previous shop did. The kicker lever bolt was loose - to the point that I turned it off with my fingers. Some of the inner primary bolts/studs were loose. The two inner primary to engine bolts, that SHOULD be safety wired, weren't.

The old saw says, 'If you want it done right, do it yourself!'

Edit: Forgot to add... Once I had the primary off, I checked the mainshaft. Spins freely - well, a little drag but consistent. Drop the tranny into gear and, after a few turns, it gets tight. Tight to the point that I can barely turn the drive sprocket! Which pretty much reinforces my thought that the problem is in the tranny itself. After I get the Baker in, and she's up and running again, I'm going to pull the old tranny down and see if I can figure out what the problem is.

More pics/commentary as I go...