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Honestly I never really fully understood what your situation is.. For some reason I was a little confused... if you're pully and gear set and 5th gear is fine there's no reason why you shouldn't be transferring power to the rear wheel unless that is you blew your clutch basket..
Now that you're into a little bit what exactly is happening.. what exactly what's going on...?
See belt pics and missing teeth cogs. Was grinding like gears were not engaged fully. But I could shift up and down all the way thru. Clutch pull and release seemed to act normally. Did not feel like it was slipping. I know what that feels and smells like. It was engaging so harsh when it did catch it would rip off belt teeth. Fully expected sprocket and main shaft damage.
Measured friction plates again. Minimum thickness says 0.661, I got 0.700-0.701 with the 8 plates stacked. The rest of the clutch components look fine. Nothing obvious.
Shifter pawl has yet to be pulled. But even if that was an issue, and gears weren't being engaged, obvious damage to gears would be present. All I see on everything is normal wear n tear on components with +50k mi on em.
Last edited by DeputyLoud; Apr 9, 2022 at 04:35 PM.
Ok, I understand your situation a little better now.. So you have a 91 with 50K on the clock.. Sounds to me that the clutch is a little out of adjustment and the belt is just too old... Adjust the clutch by the Book and replace the belt and you just might be ok.. I don't think you have greater issues... It sounds like a combination of the clutch out of adjustment and a 30+ year old belt are your only issues...
Ok, I understand your situation a little better now.. So you have a 91 with 50K on the clock.. Sounds to me that the clutch is a little out of adjustment and the belt is just too old... Adjust the clutch by the Book and replace the belt and you just might be ok.. I don't think you have greater issues... It sounds like a combination of the clutch out of adjustment and a 30+ year old belt are your only issues...
Could be possible. Hope it to be that simple. Hate to miss something, but I don't see how much deeper I can dig. Almost quite certain I went thru the clutch adj procedure shortly after I purchased bike. I will go back and review my threads and see if I asked for advice here on that. Definitely used the FSM to perform adj.
Curious why the issue would be so sudden tho. No warning or symptoms. I can say I did a bar upgrade a few years ago which included a longer clutch cable. All that involved was a cable adj. Not sure how that would be related.
Sounds like you're going to have to check the throw out bearing over in the trap door.. It's very possible that you're not getting the disengagement that you think you should be getting therefore causing the harsh shift or engagement.. couple that with an old belt... Do you have the ability to measure the disengagement of the clutch with a dial indicator.. Very commonly they only got around .068 to .072" of disengagement.. If you can get .080" that would be awesome.. When I back off the adjusting screw for the pressure plate I only back it off 1 flat which is a little less than a quarter turn . This way I know I'm getting the maximum amount to pressure plate movement without it being to tight..
Last edited by 98hotrodfatboy; Apr 9, 2022 at 07:42 PM.
Sounds like you're going to have to check the throw out bearing over in the trap door.. It's very possible that you're not getting the disengagement that you think you should be getting therefore causing the harsh shift or engagement.. couple that with an old belt... Do you have the ability to measure the disengagement of the clutch with a dial indicator.. Very commonly they only got around .068 to .072" of disengagement.. If you can get .080" that would be awesome.. When I back off the adjusting screw for the pressure plate I only back it off 1 flat which is a little less than a quarter turn . This way I know I'm getting the maximum amount to pressure plate movement without it being to tight..
Just pulled the whole gear set from trans today. Clutch pack and whole of primary is on the bench. This main issue coupled with a shift issue I decided to get a later model full gear set from a 2004 with under 15k mi on it. That set is coming already assembled in the trap door. Everything included even the shifter cam and prawl. So thats all getting replaced. New sprocket/pulley coming as well. Once that is all built I'll worl my way back out. Pull swing arm and replace belt. Reassemble Primary, adj clutch the easy way, cross fingers and hit the road.
Btw, I did adj the clutch back in 2014. Found a very interesting thread that had some fluid type debates going on. Must have done something right to not have issues for 7yrs? Lol. That thread is here if anyone is interested.
Question: Do I have to pull the original main drive gear? I failed to look ahead and I see a puller is needed for that.
I'll probably answer my own question here as I know I should swap it with the one coming that has less than 15k mi on it. And I would say the most wear I can see on the gear set is on that main gear. See pic.
Just curious I guess if they are the same from the 91 to the 2004 gear sets.
New gear set due to arrive today. Is there another safe way to swap that main gear without the puller? Not sure I want to wait to order one. May have to visit local hd dealer.
Question: Do I have to pull the original main drive gear? I failed to look ahead and I see a puller is needed for that.
I'll probably answer my own question here as I know I should swap it with the one coming that has less than 15k mi on it. And I would say the most wear I can see on the gear set is on that main gear. See pic.
Just curious I guess if they are the same from the 91 to the 2004 gear sets.
New gear set due to arrive today. Is there another safe way to swap that main gear without the puller? Not sure I want to wait to order one. May have to visit local hd dealer.
Just looked to source one online. Only one available is from Jims at a cost of $245? Nope. Gotta be a dif way or more affordable tool available?
Some guys have claimed to knock them out with a wooden block and big hammer. FAR MORE guys have broken the case lip the main bearing sets against by nothaving the correct tool.
Change the main bearing (you need some BIG lock ring pliers) and inner bearings of the main gear also. Change the side shaft bearing (the little one). It drives out from inside and back in from outside, nothing special needed for it or the big main seal.
Clean the nasty stuff off the new main gear with green scotchbrite pad and I'd change the trap door bearing as well. Need a press or a special tool for that also.
Some guys have claimed to knock them out with a wooden block and big hammer. FAR MORE guys have broken the case lip the main bearing sets against by nothaving the correct tool.
Change the main bearing (you need some BIG lock ring pliers) and inner bearings of the main gear also. Change the side shaft bearing (the little one). It drives out from inside and back in from outside, nothing special needed for it or the big main seal.
Clean the nasty stuff off the new main gear with green scotchbrite pad and I'd change the trap door bearing as well. Need a press or a special tool for that also.
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