Shift linkage woes
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 154
Likes: 2
From: Denver Co.
Shift linkage woes
I just happened to look down at the shift rod arm that goes on the transmission and noticed that it was wobbling around at idle, as if the pinch bolt was loose. When I got home I grabbed an Allen wrench and tried to tighten it but it seemed tight already. I then used a hex socket, U-joint and a short extension so I could used more torque on it. I tightened as much as I could but it still has a little wiggle in it. This arm looks like it's cast out of a softer material than the shaft that comes out of the tranny. It seems that they didn't cut enough relief in the slot to allow it to grab the splines on the shaft.
A couple of months ago my son and I replaced this same parts on a friend's 95 Evo Dyna and it was a major PITA, the splines on the shaft and the arm were stripped. The inner and outer primary has to come off. The gears have to come out of the tranny if you need to replace the shaft. I hope I caught it soon enough that just a new arm will fix it.
Just wondering if this is a common problem if so it would be nice if we could get HD to do a recall. It sure looks like crappy engineering to me.
A couple of months ago my son and I replaced this same parts on a friend's 95 Evo Dyna and it was a major PITA, the splines on the shaft and the arm were stripped. The inner and outer primary has to come off. The gears have to come out of the tranny if you need to replace the shaft. I hope I caught it soon enough that just a new arm will fix it.
Just wondering if this is a common problem if so it would be nice if we could get HD to do a recall. It sure looks like crappy engineering to me.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,459
Likes: 57,015
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
It's a common problem. There is a product called Better Lever ( betterlever.com ) that addresses the issue, but it's pricey. Many times I've cured your ailement by removing the existing allen bolt, getting a new one and, using some penetrate, use the new bolt to clean out the threads. After running the bolt in and out a couple of times, clean the threads and apply some BLUE Loc-Tie to another new bolt and torque it down. This has been successful for me several times on different scooters. Good Luck
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 421
Likes: 71
From: Hayward Ca
This is pretty common. I have had the same issue on my '08 RK as well as my sons '06. Fixed them pretty much the same as mentioned above. Neither of mine had any damage to the shifter shaft but were still a big PITA to deal with. While you have the inner primary off it would be a good time to change out the shifter shaft seal as well. Murphy's Law says as soon as you get the primary back together it will probably start leaking
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,456
Likes: 2,858
From: Oklahoma
The pinch bolt has the usual factory white lock tite on it making it seem tight when it isn't. This is so common that checking the arm tightness on the shaft should be part of the1000 or 5000 mile check. Mine was loose and I caught it early. It has not needed a second tightening after the first one I did. I don't know if the factory torque setting isn't enough or if ham boot technique causes it to loosen. The manual cautions against using excessive effort when shifting, this might be one of the reasons. The arm is softer than the shaft on which it mounts, perhaps so the arm strips rather than the shaft. Rumor has it that on the newer machines there is an indentation on the primary case allowing the arm to be removed without needing to remove the inner primary. I checked the arm on my son's '11 Road Glide Ultra just before he took it in for other warranty work and his was also loose. The mechanic's sign off was "chased threads, tightened bolt." It has stayed tight after that tightening. If it is kept tight, the arm should last for the life of the machine. What won't last are the ball joints on the ends of the shift rod connecting the front shift arm to the rear shift arm. They begin to come apart at around 25,000 miles. Many folks, myself included, have proactively installed heim joints on the ends of the shift rod. Have never heard of the heim joints failing.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,899
Likes: 3,412
From: OH
It's a common problem. There is a product called Better Lever ( betterlever.com ) that addresses the issue, but it's pricey. Many times I've cured your ailement by removing the existing allen bolt, getting a new one and, using some penetrate, use the new bolt to clean out the threads. After running the bolt in and out a couple of times, clean the threads and apply some BLUE Loc-Tie to another new bolt and torque it down. This has been successful for me several times on different scooters. Good Luck
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 345
Likes: 0
From: Vermont
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 19,980
Likes: 6,107
From: Florida
I watch people shift into first from neutral, and they STOMP the damn thing into gear...whaddaya expect is gonna happen?
I always just "snick" the gear lever into 1st, then shift gently through the gears. No need to kick the crap out of it.
I always just "snick" the gear lever into 1st, then shift gently through the gears. No need to kick the crap out of it.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 154
Likes: 2
From: Denver Co.
It was a relief to find that the primary doesn't have to come off. Sure glad I posted here. I replaced the lever and it is a PITA to get the new one started but I finally got it. So thanks for the tips. The better lever looks good but at 10X the cost of the stock lever I had to pass on that.
Banned
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 11,232
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From: Socialist Republic of the USA
Yikes!!! At $225 it should at least be chrome plated so you don't have to use the chrome cover.