By chance do you know the part # so it can be sourced localy?

 

Sorry, I don't. Isn't there an HD dealer near you? I checked with a few local shops, and their price was actually the same or higher than the dealership.

 

Yea but napa and a bearing wearhouse are closer. I'm thinking give the new bearing a shot and if that doesn't do it go for a pressure plate.

 

Do you know if the primary chain adjuster bolt needs to be loosed and the nut taken off if I am going to take the primary cover off? I looked in the manual and it claims that the nut must be taken off in order to take the cover off.

The reason I ask is that I tried to take the bearing out given the space behind the derby cover and no go. There didnt seem to be enough room to get the bearing out of that space.

 

The (lock) nut just needs to be loosened, then completely loosen the adjuster bolt. As long as the cover is off, you'll probably want to replace the adjuster shoe.

 

In my case:

It turned out to be the throw out bearing for me afterall. Plus the shaft the bearing is clipped onto had been worn bad.

Bearing = $8 Shaft = $25 + Fluid I already had. Back on the road again!

Now that I dug into it, the throwout is simple to get to and replace.

I can also see how there is only a small distance of travel for the bearing, and no room for slop. On mine, backing off the adjuster 3/4 of a turn to keep from forcing the clutch arm back, and to keep the bearing in it's working zone, but not in contact and spinning until the lever is depressed. When adjusted correctly the lever travel keeps the bearing from being pushed to far and making contact with the main shaft outer bearing, located right there.

The adjustment is critical, to the point that having it out of adjustment not only gives you slip and burns up your clutch, but too far one way or the other and the bearing rubs against things it shouldn't and becomes destroyed.

 

Yep a 9 dollar bearing fixed his issue so far. You sporty guys are a wealth of knowledge!!!

 

First things first, keep it simple, replace the cable, if this continues look into the clutch parts.

 

A long while later and only $10 for a bearing it seems the problem is fixed.

I pulled the inspection cover off and spun the bearing but only at a 90 degree angle. This is probably why originally I didn't see any drag or play in the bearing (I was wrong, it was the bearing).

Here are the steps that I took to backtrack and find my mistake:

1. I pulled the inspection cover off and loosened the tension on the clutch by turning adjustment screw clockwise (its reverse-threaded) and taking the lock-nut (has a hex top and threads on adjustment screw into the inner part of the ramp setup) out so I could take the inner/outer ramp out.

2. Once the clutch is loose enough and inner/outer ramp was removed, I removed the internal snap ring that holds the bearing and housing in the clutch pack. At this point take out the adjustment screw and bearing still assembled together (easier to get it out and put back in later the same way). There is another snap ring (external) on the adjustment screw; careful not to bend, it is a small snap ring.
3. Drive the bearing out of the housing and replace with a 6200 measured bearing. These usually come with the metal/rubber shields on the side but these are easily removed, this is probably a good idea because then the oil in the primary can lube the bearing as time goes on.
The lip on the inner shield of the bearing was almost able to be pushed through and was spinning independent of the *****.
4. Put it back the way you found it and it should be all good.

Hopefully this can help you if you have similar symptoms as what was described before.

Thanks for all the help to those who chimed in.

 

I don't think I would do that. Centrifugal force would spin any oil away, and the basket is always spinning when the engine is on. Proper oil level is near the bottom of the basket, so even with engine off odds are that bearing might not get lube. The shields keep the permanent lube inside the bearing.

I could be wrong, but I'm just sayin'