Sorry for the length of this but I'm not very good at short messages. I’m very sad today about the bike I have in Michigan. It is a 2006 HD Softail Heritage.It is nothing that fancy but I’ve done afair amount of work to it to “make it mine” including all braided stainlesscables and lines and running the electrical wires internal in the bars and I really love it. It is not my best bike but it is my favorite bike.I bought the bike used early in the summer of2009 with only about 2000 miles on it and it how has about 35,000 miles so thatis an average of about 4100 miles per year which certainly is not a largenumber but not too shabby given our 6 month at best riding season.I have made several long distance 1-2 weeklong trips on it and never had a problem.

On a couple of recent trips, the battery and check enginelight came on. The trouble codeindicated it was a low voltage to the battery.I load tested the battery and it was fine.I went through the process to check the statorand voltage regulator/rectifier and it appeared the stator was bad.Feeling that accessing the stator was a tinybit beyond my abilities and tools, I took it to a local independent shop forstator replacement.

This shop tested it and agreed it was the stator. They ordered one and began disassembly.Sounds great but this is where the sad partbegins.During disassembly, the mechanicfound that the main nut on the compensating sprocket was loose.He could turn it with his fingers.He was amazed that this was the case and had neverseen this before.I have never touchedthis nut and since I bought the bike with only 2000 miles on it, I doubt theoriginal owner from whom I bought the bike touched it either.My mechanic said I should have heard noisesfrom the engine but I have fairly loud slip on Rusch mufflers and usually ridewith in-the-ear-canal type earbuds playing music so didn’t hear anything.I’m not sure what I would listen for anyway.

The mechanic says that due to the loose nut, the rotorsplines had stripped and the rotor was not spinning properly. This is likely what is causing the lowvoltage, battery problems, and the trouble lights.Soundsokaybut there is more.The loose nutalso caused excess wear on the main crankshaft where it fits into the shaftextension.Now, this shaft extensionwhich should be tight on the shaft is loose.

The mechanic said he recommended putting it all backtogether with a new rotor and tightening the main nut properly. If it holds, everything is fine.If it does not hold – if the shaft extensionslips on the main crankshaft, this is a disaster.This means a new crankshaft is needed which,I believe, can only be purchased for about $1000 as a “flywheel” assembly.Replacing this would also require a hugeamount of labor as this is definitely beyond my abilities as the engine has tobe removed, split, and totally disassembled.Basically a heart transplant on the engine.I can’t even imagine the time and cost ofthis.

So cross your fingers that just tightening the nut will holdthe shaft extension adequately onto the crankshaft.

Three questions for those who have read this far:

• What noises or bike behavior should I be alert forthat would indicate slippage/failure between crankshaft and shaft extension?
• Is checking this compensating sprocket nut partof routine maintenance that I should have been checking?
• Any thoughts on whether the shaft extension on the crankshaft is likely to hold?

Thanks for reading my long sad story and any help you can provide with my questions.


G'day,


Vinish

 

new shaft extension, new rotor and make sure your sator is good. put it back together and ride it.

 

Thanks hardheaded for that advice. My mechanic says that the shaft extension is fine and that it is the splines in the crankshaft that are damaged. It seems odd to me if the engine was designed with softer metal on the crankshaft than the shaft extension since it is easy to change the shaft extension and a nightmare to change the crankshaft.


I will question the mechanic more closely as I think your approach is the better one.


G'day,


Vinish

 

When I bought my bike new, I thought the compensator was loud. I took it to two different Harley dealers. They said it was fine, normal. I decided to remove the primary cover and check the compensator. The nut was not loose, but less than half the spec'd torque. Could turn it easily with a wrench, not fingers. I torqued it to spec, closed it up and have ridden over 40,000 more miles. No noise as soon as I torqued it to spec. This was a brand new bike and had a dealer 800 mile first service, even when I mentioned the primary noise.
Lesson, do it yourself. Two separate factory trained mechanics and the technician that did the first service never checked it or outright dismissed my concern over the noise. Also, on the first service, the dealership added one quart of oil when the spec calls for 38 ounces wet. I added the 6 additional ounces myself and have often wondered if many of the compensator issues posted here were due to technicians adding only 32 ounces. I was specifically told by one, that one quart was all they ever use in the primary.
Good luck and we all pray the nut will torque and all will be right.

 

the dealers are the worst for not doing what they are suppose to do. i never take my bikes to a dealer. learn to spin a wrench yourself.

 

My compensator nut gave me 8 kids. No shaft extension required.

Sorry, I succumb to the Saturday vodka. Lol