Hello, I have been having problems getting my bike in first gear. I have adjusted the clutch ,unhooked the clutch and messed with the linkage. Right now the tranny is sitting on the bench with the top off. I am thinking it is in the shifter pawl assembly but not sure. I am wandering if any one has a picture of what the pawls and cam are supposed to look like new ? Also how tight is the spring supposed to be ? I didn't take a picture of it but it doesn't look stretched out but also doesn't feel to tight.

 

How long have you had the bike... Is this a new problem that just started?

Those trans would never just click into first gear...you pretty much had to stomp on it to get it to go.

 

I've only had the bike a few months. I've just rebuilt the top end as it blew a head gasket . I've tried the stomp bit and it just goes to a dead space. If I pull it up to second then stomp it back down sometimes it will go into first. When down shifting coming to a stop most the time it won't go into first though. It seems like it just started but I've only got about 400 miles total on the bike since I bought it.

 

I've never needed to 'stomp' any of my Harleys, nor other bikes for that matter. Mrs B makes a fuss with the Sporty, but it is always easy to ride when I take it out. Your photos all look fine to my eyes, nothing obviously wrong.

I've just commented on Electric Greaseball's thread about his nice new clutch plates. Have you inspected your plates, especially the odd one in the centre?

 

I agree with this. Check the spring plate in the middle of the clutch pack. When mine started to fail, it was very difficult to shift into 1st gear, then the problems got worse. I also took the top pf the trans apart to see if I could see anything, but everything looked good. Once I pulled the clutch plates, I saw that the brass pieces had come out of the spring plate and had all of the clutch discs jammed up. I put in a screamin eagle clutch with the extra plate (instead of the spring plate). most will point you in the direction of barnett, I've had no issue with the SE clutch and prices were comparable

 

The clutch fibers are new and the steels spec'd out. I set the diaphragm spring within .005 of spec. I have tried just shifting it with the clutch completely off the bike but while I slowly turned the output shaft. I included a picture of the linkage that comes off the tranny because when I try to shift to first the tit/**** bottoms out before it travels far enough to catch first.

 

Interesting. Do you have the factory service manual? Does it give any advice on setting up that linkage?

 

I have two FSM's. Not much said on that particular part .

 

Reassemble your transmission minus the front linkage arm. Using the slotted (female) linkage arm, shift through the gears while spinning the input shaft.

 

Well my guess is you never owned a rotary top 4 speed. The old ratchet top 4 speeds shifted much better...every rotary top I have ever ridden required to be manhandled to shift.