Stock tranny on a '95 Heritage.
Last year my tranny started acting up.
What was happening was I would shift into 3rd or 4th (don't really remember now) and I would let out the clutch, twist the throttle and the tranny would act like it was in neutral for a second then slam hard into whatever gear I was shifting into.

At the time I wasn't really worried about it as I had a DD5 Baker sitting in my shed so I just swapped trannys and called it good.

Now I'm kinda board and was gonna look into the OEM tranny to find out what it could have been.

Anybody got any ideas?
Keep in mind I've never opened a tranny up (of any kind) in my life.

Or would it be best to just take it to the shop (I don't have all the tools for a tranny) and let them look at it?

 

Like you, I've never been inside a tranny myself, but I vote for you carefully opening it up and taking a look.

I bet if you took lots of good pics of what you find and showed them here, someone can tell you what the problem is.

You don't have anything to lose, and you can always take it to a shop in the end if you or the guys here can't see anything wrong. I'm guessing you'll learn something about trannys in the process, and probably teach noob guys like me a thing or two along the way.

 

If it has ***** AND ***** it’s a tranny

 

Well the neutral switch does have a nipple on it and there are three ***** in the ramp assembly...does that count??

 

Do your home work by doing the YouTube. Been numerous tear downs on Hot bike. That big nut on the out put side if you do not have a impact and the socket if is tight can be a fit for you. The main output bearing can be remove by a long 5/8 stud, washers and flat bar with hole in it.
Bet your problem is probably only in the top. Shift yoke bent, loose or broke.

Of course you need a service manual. You got to enjoy it or I would leave it alone.

I just rebuild the transfer and AX5 speed in my Jeep. I had it memorized from YouTube before I went in. It's like a 1000 piece puzzle. A Harley is a 100 piece child's play if you cobble up the few tools you need.

 

Mine does the same. False neutrals between 3rd and 4th sometimes if I don't put my weight into shifting. Compared to the 250 the Harley trans is like shifting a bag of rocks.

 

I would think it's either a shift pawl adjustment issue, Not moving the shift drum far enough to engage the next gear a 100% but enough so that the drum detent (spring loaded) is actually finishing the rotation of the drum. You don't need any special tool to tear it apart except for the Main gear removal but there is nothing there that would cause you problem. So go for it. Put the trans in a large vise (get some nuts and thread them up the mount studs and clamp them into the vise) and take the cover off and shift by hand while turning the input shaft.. I Just replaced my 5 speed gear set in the OEM case with a Baker OD6 and was amazed at how easy it was... I even made my own puller for 5th gear install with a 3" piece of black pipe and some extremely large washers and 6" length of threaded rod... There are very good video's out there as well. The only other thing I'm thinking it could be is the shift drum itself does not have free movement in the pillow blocks. Also take a good look at the **** on the shift forks for abnormal wear. That as well can cause a short shift.... Go for it.....

And yea the shift forks have **** and the Clutch ramp has *****..... So yup it's a TRANNY.... LOL....

 

I was messing with the shifter pawl and I noticed that the spring tension isn't equal in both directions.
It's way easier to shift up than it is to shift down.

Is this normal?

I also noticed that it doesn't always want to return to the same place when tension is released but I assumed that the vibration of the bike running would center it.

I tried reading the FSM but I quickly became lost as I have No Flippin' Clue what the hell most of it is talking about!!!

 

You just installed a new motor so I'm sure you have the mechanical skills necessary to work on the transmission. The FSM might make more sense if you're reading it when you have trans right there in front of you. If nothing else, open it up and take a look.

 

It was and I did.

After speaking to a friend he told me there was too much slop between the shift forks and the drum.
Best I can measure there is 0.015 play side to side between the shifter forks nipple and the channel it rides in.
The channels on the drum are sharp which indicates wear according to my friend.