How to: Replace broken shifter pawl spring.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,139
Likes: 7,653
From: Poolville
Here's their website....
http://www.jirehcycles.com/
877-681-0448
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http://www.jirehcycles.com/
877-681-0448
You cannot PM yet. You do not have enough posts....
Stage I
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1
Likes: 2
From: New Hampshire
shift pawl spring replacement
So your shift pawl spring broke. Don't panic.Don't run out and buy a couple hundred dollars worth of H-D "special tools".Don't pay $1,000 to get it fixed.No it doesn't take all weekend to do.Yes,it's quite a bit of work, but the entire job takes about 6 hours and will cost you $30-$50 ( It cost me $30 because I re-used most of my gaskets,except the trap door gasket).After removing the: Inner and outer primary,oil tank,pipes,top tranny cover etc. I then removed the trap door on my wifes '92 Springer Softail,carefully. I used small wooden wedges and a rubber mallet with soft taps around the door.Remove the shift drum and shift forks (don't be scared they can only go back in one way).Slide the compensating shaft out (the front gear shaft) and remove the shift pawl and replace the spring. Unless the pawl assembly is damaged you can just replace the $3.47 spring available through your local dealer.Put the bike back together and ride it.Be carefull when removing the front shaft not to disturb the outer gear on the tranny mainshaft too much as it rides on a needle bearing.Replace your fluids and any gaskets that are un-reusable along the way.If your bearings,seals and other items in the tranny are not disturbed (because your not pulling the front final drive sprocket or belt) you don't need to replace them. Took me 6 hours with a decent amount of tools (and a few beer breaks).As I said total cost with fluids was $30 and change at my H-D dealer. And I didn't use any "special" Harley tools. Just wanted to get this out there as too many people will tell you all the stuff you can't do.I've been fixing these very basic machines (Harleys) for almost 40 years and I've never let people talk me out of fixing anything or into anything expensive.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 3,615
Likes: 667
From: playing with madness
Disassembly and Re-assembly Harley 5-Speed Transmission Videos
videos on shift pawl spring replacement.
nice post MIKE93SVT!
stoney
nice post MIKE93SVT!
stoney
Last edited by stoneybagger; Jul 15, 2016 at 11:07 AM.
5th Gear
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Central Maine
Great post and now I know what happened to my '92 FXDC at Laconia this year. That $3.50 spring broke, chipped two gears and stuck transmission in third. Nursed it into Laconia HD and they did all the work. Not a cheap fix but all better now!
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
You were really unlucky there. I bought my 1990 Glide new and the darned spring broke only a few years later, fortunately without causing any other damage. The labour cost of getting in there to replace it was quite another thing! I ended up stroking it and a whole lot more..... 
1st Gear
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Near the top of my house :) Maine
I'm in Fryeburg, Maine and would love to find someone to repair my pawl spring problem on a 1998 Road King. 
Just happened a few days ago, Friday 13th no less...
Just happened a few days ago, Friday 13th no less...
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Novice
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: UK
I am doing a similar job on my 1991 Fatboy and have pretty much removed what I need to as per the manual. My problem right now is I cant get the inner primary off. All bolts etc are off and there is nothing that I can see holding it on, except the roller bearing on the main shaft. I have searched everywhere and no one seems to have had that problem, any advice? It looks like the rollers within the roller bearing are sitting behind the lip on the spacer on the main shaft. I obviously dont want to force anything, but for the life of me, I cant figure it out.
Dirt don't hurt
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 21,066
Likes: 4,568
From: Haslet Texas
I am doing a similar job on my 1991 Fatboy and have pretty much removed what I need to as per the manual. My problem right now is I cant get the inner primary off. All bolts etc are off and there is nothing that I can see holding it on, except the roller bearing on the main shaft. I have searched everywhere and no one seems to have had that problem, any advice? It looks like the rollers within the roller bearing are sitting behind the lip on the spacer on the main shaft. I obviously dont want to force anything, but for the life of me, I cant figure it out.
2 Do you have a picture so that we can see what you're seeing?