When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Alright, I have an 03 fat boy that is driving me nuts! Everything was good up untill the other day I noticed that when I am in nuetral the primary is screaming loud, kind of like a wine. Pull in the clutch and it does not change, soon as you drop it in gear it goes away. When you put it back in nuetral it will stay noise free till you let out the clutch. I pulled the derby and inspection covers last night to check things out. The fluid level was fine, the chain was a little loose, so I adjusted it. Did not change anything. Any help, thought's suggestions, would be greatly appreciated.
I'm not a professional mechanic but would like to input some thoughts .....
1. I imagine you would have seen something mechanically wrong when you had the primary cover off.
2. Since the primary chain runs all the time and noise is not present all the time then it maybe its not in the primary setup.
3. Pulling in the clutch in does not stop the noise.
4. If the clutch does not fully disengage you can still have things turning in the tranny.
5. Shifting into gear does stop the noise. This may also stop some spinning goodies in the transmission.
.....Hummmmm......
6. Since it says quite while in gear and quite when shifting back to neutral it may not be a clutch problem.
7. Releasing the clutch after shifting out of gear could put shafts and cogs back into motion in the transmission.
8. Could be low or worn out tranny fluid or maybe some worn gears or bearings.
I would start by making sure you have good lubricant as well as the proper amount in the tranny.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.