View Poll Results: Have You Experienced a Compensator Failure?

YES

20.43%

79.57%

Voters: 93. You may not vote on this poll

Compensator Failures? A Poll

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Oct 5, 2010 | 09:10 PM

#11

Steeltoe

Cruiser

Joined: May 2007

Posts: 241

Likes: 0

From: Austin,TX

I replaced mine with the SE comp at about 10,000 miles. It hadn't failed (yet) but it was banging pretty hard at startup and lurched a lot at low speeds in first gear (idling thru the parking lot). When I got the stock one out I could clearly see it was maxing out on the ramps. Local dealer said they couldn't do anything UNTIL it failed. I wasn't going to wait for that....
...and yes, there is a HUGE difference between the two.

Oct 5, 2010 | 09:52 PM

#12

2kids3pets

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 4,473

Likes: 15

From: River City Western Canada

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGeek

Well, I think my buddy has the issue on his 99 FLH. It sure was rattling the other night and he pulled it apart, and can't find anything. I am going over tonight to take a look. One question, how can you tell if it took a crap or not?

You should not be able to move the spring plates in the spring pack, if you can move them by hand its fokked

Oct 5, 2010 | 10:05 PM

#13

joe.1955

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Nov 2007

Posts: 3,364

Likes: 110

From: Mesa, Az.

According to my dealer, all they do to test the compensator is remove it and shake it to hear if the springs are broken.

They said mine was ok (65K miles), but whenever I hit highway speeds I had to stay in 4th gear until 70 mph and couldn't use 6th at all due to the bike shuddering. It also banged pretty hard at startup, I think the spring pack was weak allowing the torque pulses to pass through to the frame.

I replaced it with the SE compensator, which is much heavier, stronger and better built all around - problem went away and I was able to ride 70 mph in 6th gear without seeing double.

Oct 5, 2010 | 10:19 PM

#14

KBFXDLI

Big Kahuna HDF Member

Joined: Feb 2006

Posts: 23,881

Likes: 34

From: USA

Nope...my chain is noisy but thats it.

Oct 5, 2010 | 10:40 PM

#15

wideglidebob

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Aug 2006

Posts: 3,871

Likes: 4

whats a compensator

Oct 6, 2010 | 07:32 AM

#16

skully_68

Tourer

Joined: Mar 2008

Posts: 378

Likes: 1

From: SC

yep tried a solid sprocket for a wile didnt like the feel of that so i just replaced the spring pack been good ever since

Oct 6, 2010 | 10:54 AM

#17

IronAss

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Apr 2008

Posts: 23,053

Likes: 12,327

From: Arkansas

Last time I had one go was in 1969 on my 64 Pan.

Oct 6, 2010 | 10:21 PM

#18

oct1949

Club Member

Joined: May 2007

Posts: 145,895

Likes: 821

From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..

had dealer take out somr timing a zero RPM's on dyno tune when added cams and she hasn't clunked since then on start up...almost thirty K and she's fine on our 07.

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