Leaking Primary
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 215
Likes: 77
From: Georgia
I don't know how much the mainshaft seal can leak. It seemed like a lot to me because the primary doesn't have a ton of oil in it. I just couldn't come up with another source.
I am going to get it up on the lift over the weekend and clean everything so I can see better. Maybe I can isolate the source.
It can sit for days and hardly leak at all but after a ride it drips..
I am going to get it up on the lift over the weekend and clean everything so I can see better. Maybe I can isolate the source.
It can sit for days and hardly leak at all but after a ride it drips..
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 215
Likes: 77
From: Georgia
I'm also having to rebuild the front caliper. After the new ss brake hose and rebuilt master cylinder I had great brakes, but after a few good rides the seal blew in the front caliper. Had a hell of a time getting the piston out but finally got it out with air pressure.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 487
Likes: 289
From: Northern MN
I'm having the same problem. It really started leaking bad this past fall after getting the bike running for the first time in years. I can't isolate the leak but I'm pretty sure its the main shaft seal. When it got cold out this fall it really just poured out of there just while sitting in the garage. I mean a lot of oil, enough to make a big puddle. It ain't the tranny. And I don't have a chain in the primary, and the inner primary is bone dry.
I was going to take the inner primary off but I got stuck, literally, trying to get the clutch hub off. I tried all the tricks I know including the clutch hub puller while whacking the transmission shaft or whatever that's called. Got a pry bar behind the clutch hub and whacked the transmission shaft while applying pressure to the pry bar. Any more whacking and I was going to break something. So I decided to put it back together so at least I had a running bike when I put it away for the winter.
This spring I will go back at it with heat on the clutch hub to see if I can get it off the shaft. And if that fails I will probably have to drill into the clutch hub thus wrecking it, to get a prybar into it to loosen it from the shaft. Either way, the inner primary is coming off and I need to fix a leak. When I go about doing this I will post as I go because I know the stuck clutch hub is not uncommon. You all can learn from my mi$ery.
Tom
I was going to take the inner primary off but I got stuck, literally, trying to get the clutch hub off. I tried all the tricks I know including the clutch hub puller while whacking the transmission shaft or whatever that's called. Got a pry bar behind the clutch hub and whacked the transmission shaft while applying pressure to the pry bar. Any more whacking and I was going to break something. So I decided to put it back together so at least I had a running bike when I put it away for the winter.
This spring I will go back at it with heat on the clutch hub to see if I can get it off the shaft. And if that fails I will probably have to drill into the clutch hub thus wrecking it, to get a prybar into it to loosen it from the shaft. Either way, the inner primary is coming off and I need to fix a leak. When I go about doing this I will post as I go because I know the stuck clutch hub is not uncommon. You all can learn from my mi$ery.
Tom
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 215
Likes: 77
From: Georgia
I'm having the same problem. It really started leaking bad this past fall after getting the bike running for the first time in years. I can't isolate the leak but I'm pretty sure its the main shaft seal. When it got cold out this fall it really just poured out of there just while sitting in the garage. I mean a lot of oil, enough to make a big puddle. It ain't the tranny. And I don't have a chain in the primary, and the inner primary is bone dry.
I was going to take the inner primary off but I got stuck, literally, trying to get the clutch hub off. I tried all the tricks I know including the clutch hub puller while whacking the transmission shaft or whatever that's called. Got a pry bar behind the clutch hub and whacked the transmission shaft while applying pressure to the pry bar. Any more whacking and I was going to break something. So I decided to put it back together so at least I had a running bike when I put it away for the winter.
This spring I will go back at it with heat on the clutch hub to see if I can get it off the shaft. And if that fails I will probably have to drill into the clutch hub thus wrecking it, to get a prybar into it to loosen it from the shaft. Either way, the inner primary is coming off and I need to fix a leak. When I go about doing this I will post as I go because I know the stuck clutch hub is not uncommon. You all can learn from my mi$ery.
Tom
I was going to take the inner primary off but I got stuck, literally, trying to get the clutch hub off. I tried all the tricks I know including the clutch hub puller while whacking the transmission shaft or whatever that's called. Got a pry bar behind the clutch hub and whacked the transmission shaft while applying pressure to the pry bar. Any more whacking and I was going to break something. So I decided to put it back together so at least I had a running bike when I put it away for the winter.
This spring I will go back at it with heat on the clutch hub to see if I can get it off the shaft. And if that fails I will probably have to drill into the clutch hub thus wrecking it, to get a prybar into it to loosen it from the shaft. Either way, the inner primary is coming off and I need to fix a leak. When I go about doing this I will post as I go because I know the stuck clutch hub is not uncommon. You all can learn from my mi$ery.
Tom
I'm going to get mine up in the air today and clean everything underneath and behind the primary to see if I can isolate the leak.
I was reading that you have to remove the bearing race to replace the seal on some models and that requires a special tool. Can anyone confirm this for my model?
I don't want to dig into it if I'm going to need a tool that I don't have
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,495
Likes: 3,705
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
I'm having the same problem. It really started leaking bad this past fall after getting the bike running for the first time in years. I can't isolate the leak but I'm pretty sure its the main shaft seal. When it got cold out this fall it really just poured out of there just while sitting in the garage. I mean a lot of oil, enough to make a big puddle. It ain't the tranny. And I don't have a chain in the primary, and the inner primary is bone dry.
I was going to take the inner primary off but I got stuck, literally, trying to get the clutch hub off. I tried all the tricks I know including the clutch hub puller while whacking the transmission shaft or whatever that's called. Got a pry bar behind the clutch hub and whacked the transmission shaft while applying pressure to the pry bar. Any more whacking and I was going to break something. So I decided to put it back together so at least I had a running bike when I put it away for the winter.
This spring I will go back at it with heat on the clutch hub to see if I can get it off the shaft. And if that fails I will probably have to drill into the clutch hub thus wrecking it, to get a prybar into it to loosen it from the shaft. Either way, the inner primary is coming off and I need to fix a leak. When I go about doing this I will post as I go because I know the stuck clutch hub is not uncommon. You all can learn from my mi$ery.
Tom
I was going to take the inner primary off but I got stuck, literally, trying to get the clutch hub off. I tried all the tricks I know including the clutch hub puller while whacking the transmission shaft or whatever that's called. Got a pry bar behind the clutch hub and whacked the transmission shaft while applying pressure to the pry bar. Any more whacking and I was going to break something. So I decided to put it back together so at least I had a running bike when I put it away for the winter.
This spring I will go back at it with heat on the clutch hub to see if I can get it off the shaft. And if that fails I will probably have to drill into the clutch hub thus wrecking it, to get a prybar into it to loosen it from the shaft. Either way, the inner primary is coming off and I need to fix a leak. When I go about doing this I will post as I go because I know the stuck clutch hub is not uncommon. You all can learn from my mi$ery.
Tom
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 421
Likes: 257
From: Zurich
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 215
Likes: 77
From: Georgia
Nice work. Unfortunately I don't have access to a lathe.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 215
Likes: 77
From: Georgia
I cleaned everything underneath and ran it on the lift until it got pretty warm and no drip. I may have to ride it for the leak to show up as the leaking always seems to be after I have been riding. I tightened the clamps on the primary oil feed and the return line. There was a lot of fresh oil around the primary feed line where it goes into the primary.
I'm not able to ride it right now because I have the front brake apart. That's for another thread though.
I'm not able to ride it right now because I have the front brake apart. That's for another thread though.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 487
Likes: 289
From: Northern MN
Once you have the clutch shell and plates removed the only thing holding the hub assembly in place is a left handed nut and the bend-over tab washer. With that removed and a clutch hub puller, it should free itself. The hub itself has a keyed slot in it. The key sits in a grove on the main shaft. Usually you will hear almost a pop sound as the hub is freed from the mainshaft.
I fired the bike up yesterday for the first time this year. Fired right up. I'll get it into my shop soon and try again. I'll start a thread when I do because I need help on this one.
Tom