Softail Models Standard, Custom, Night Train, Deuce, Springer, Heritage, Fatboy, Deluxe, Rocker and Cross Bones.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Noisy compensator?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 6, 2019 | 01:14 PM
  #11  
mshred's Avatar
mshred
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 546
Likes: 54
From: Toronto
Default

So just an update, got the primary cover off today to inspect everything inside. Tensioner shoe is good and chain within adjustment spec, oil was clean, compensator is in beautiful shape, as is clutch hub assembly. Compensator did feel easy backing off nut, hoping that's all it was. Gonna grab a new gasket and some fluid since it was due for a change anyways and get it buttoned back up.

Hopefully the noise was just the loose nut, but if I assemble and it still does it, I'm going to assume all is well since everything checked out ok
 
Reply
Old Aug 6, 2019 | 01:23 PM
  #12  
Jackie Paper's Avatar
Jackie Paper
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Liked
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,771
Likes: 6,507
From: Honah Lee
Default

Originally Posted by mshred
So just an update, got the primary cover off today to inspect everything inside. Tensioner shoe is good and chain within adjustment spec, oil was clean, compensator is in beautiful shape, as is clutch hub assembly. Compensator did feel easy backing off nut, hoping that's all it was. Gonna grab a new gasket and some fluid since it was due for a change anyways and get it buttoned back up.

Hopefully the noise was just the loose nut, but if I assemble and it still does it, I'm going to assume all is well since everything checked out ok

You did not clean up threads, prime proper primer, and apply permanent grade red Loctite? Need to cleck alternator rotor spline.
 
Reply
Old Aug 6, 2019 | 01:57 PM
  #13  
mshred's Avatar
mshred
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 546
Likes: 54
From: Toronto
Default

Originally Posted by RIPSAW
You did not clean up threads, prime proper primer, and apply permanent grade red Loctite? Need to cleck alternator rotor spline.
Huh? It's not reassembled yet if that's what you are referring to. I have a service manual, and I'm quite good at digging into primaries with the experience I had on my ultra classic.

Alternator rotor spline would be where the compensator rides in front of stator? Those splines are good. Everything that I checked was in like new shape
 
Reply
Old Aug 6, 2019 | 02:36 PM
  #14  
Jackie Paper's Avatar
Jackie Paper
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Liked
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,771
Likes: 6,507
From: Honah Lee
Default

Not talking about shaft and I mistakenly called them splines and ment serations on new Harleys. The thin area where the serations of the alternator rotor with the glued in magnets will shuck off if the compensator is loose. Then if you tighten it up, it will slill slip soon wearing a groove in face of rotor. This will let the sprockets off set.
 

Last edited by Jackie Paper; Aug 6, 2019 at 02:39 PM.
Reply
Old Aug 7, 2019 | 11:50 AM
  #15  
mshred's Avatar
mshred
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 546
Likes: 54
From: Toronto
Default

Originally Posted by hattitude
Just in case you have a loose compensator nut......




I am just realizing something right now as I'm looking at my fsm for assembly. Torque spec originally was 150-165ftlbs, and now it's down to 75 with the extra degrees? Seems like an awful lot less torque....almost makes me leery of using the new bulletin, almost 100ftlbs less then original
 
Reply
Old Aug 7, 2019 | 12:28 PM
  #16  
Jackie Paper's Avatar
Jackie Paper
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Liked
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,771
Likes: 6,507
From: Honah Lee
Default

Its the same with the degree added. Just another engineering way.
 
Reply
Old Aug 7, 2019 | 12:40 PM
  #17  
hattitude's Avatar
hattitude
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 10
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,253
Likes: 11,374
From: San Diego, CA
Default

Originally Posted by mshred
I am just realizing something right now as I'm looking at my fsm for assembly. Torque spec originally was 150-165ftlbs, and now it's down to 75 with the extra degrees? Seems like an awful lot less torque....almost makes me leery of using the new bulletin, almost 100ftlbs less then original

It could in fact be a stronger hold.... The torque reading is influenced by many things. How many people use a new bolt, chase the old threads, and clean them prior to reassembly... even if you do that, then you have the accuracy of the torque wrench values to consider.

In high torques applications, many manufacturers require a medium torque value, to be followed by moving the bolt a certain number of degrees, for final tightening. There are many engines that use torque plus degrees for head bolts and other high torque applications. This isn't new...


Some think, torque plus degrees of movement, is a more repeatable and accurate way to tighten a fastener.
 
Reply
Old Aug 7, 2019 | 10:21 PM
  #18  
mshred's Avatar
mshred
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 546
Likes: 54
From: Toronto
Default

All back together, followed the service bulletin procedure, primary is back to sounding how it should...weird, but I'm ok with it. Gonna chalk it up to the compensator nut possibly coming loose....it did feel easy to break loose when I took it apart but then again if it was worked on before I got to it following the same bulletin, 75ftlbs isnt hard to back off.

Either way I'll keep an ear on it and see how it goes. So far, so good.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

10 Most Awkward-Looking Motorcycles Ever Built

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-8

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Aug 8, 2019 | 05:09 AM
  #19  
Gas Smasher's Avatar
Gas Smasher
Road Master
Veteran: Army
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 814
Likes: 1,154
From: West Texas
Default

Originally Posted by mshred
All back together, followed the service bulletin procedure, primary is back to sounding how it should...weird, but I'm ok with it. Gonna chalk it up to the compensator nut possibly coming loose....it did feel easy to break loose when I took it apart but then again if it was worked on before I got to it following the same bulletin, 75ftlbs isnt hard to back off.

Either way I'll keep an ear on it and see how it goes. So far, so good.
75 foot pounds plus the 45 degrees is likely tighter than the original 150 -165 ft lbs spec. Like hattitude posted, torque turn is the most common way of torquing large or higher torque stuff and many factors can play a role in how accurate the torque reading by the wrench is. Torque turn is more accurate. As much as 45% of the torque value read by the torque wrench is friction of the bottom side of the fastener against the surface being torqued and the friction of the threads. Obviously, the higher the torque value, the higher the friction between the parts. That is why is is more accurate to use a lower torque value and then achieve the final tightening with adding degrees of movement.
 
Reply
Old Aug 8, 2019 | 06:20 AM
  #20  
Jackie Paper's Avatar
Jackie Paper
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Liked
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,771
Likes: 6,507
From: Honah Lee
Default

75 ft lbs? I love how some of these threads come to a happy ending...
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
vkern83
Touring Models
90
May 9, 2020 01:05 PM
Drangus
Sportster Models
4
Jul 20, 2015 11:32 PM
JerseyDevil
Softail Models
12
May 22, 2015 09:16 PM
RPBrant
Shovelhead
1
Mar 22, 2014 07:17 PM
scubaharley
Primary/Transmission/Driveline/Clutch
4
Jun 17, 2011 08:02 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:07 PM.

story-0
10 Most Awkward-Looking Motorcycles Ever Built

Slideshow: Not every motorcycle can be a design icon, and these machines prove that bold styling doesn't always age gracefully.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-18 10:29:31


VIEW MORE
story-1
Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs

Slideshow: Jason Momoa's latest restoration project blends 1920s Harley-Davidsons with modern electric technology, creating some of the most unusual hybrid motorcycles ever built.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-10 17:18:58


VIEW MORE
story-2
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom

Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 18:28:05


VIEW MORE
story-3
6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

Slideshow: From military-inspired singles to scooters and three-wheel utility vehicles, these Harleys took the company far outside its comfort zone.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-02 18:34:10


VIEW MORE
story-4
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-5
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-6
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-8
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-9
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE