Noticed a noise this weekend, only in 3rd gear under a load there is a tick, tick, tick noise sounded like it was coming from the primary. At first I thought maybe the primary chain was loose, but I could not make the same noise in any other gear under the same RPM/load situation.

I can not feel it skip, it just makes this noise. I will be able to inspect the primary chain tension tomorrow.

I am thinking a broken tooth on one of the 3rd gears, I do have a HD shop manual, it does not look like that bad of job to pull out the main shaft and counter shaft and replace the gears. Is it as easy as it looks? Do you have to remove the main drive gear to remove these two shafts?

I have a lot of trips planned this year and need it fixed now.

It's a 2002 FXST with just about 50,000 miles.

 

Primary chain is within specs, must be a gear issue with 3rd.