Tightening shift linkage
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Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Phoenix
Tightening shift linkage
Last night my shift linkage came loose - on the freeway, of course, in 6th gear. :-/
I was able to get it on enough in a parking lot to downshift to 3rd or 4th and limp home, and today I went to tighten it again, but damn that bolt is hard to reach!! I can't reach it with a socket, and once I get a t-handled wrench on it there's no room to turn it. Are there any tricks for this other than removing the primary cover?
Bonus question: once I get it tightened, how do I keep this from happening a *third* time??
I was able to get it on enough in a parking lot to downshift to 3rd or 4th and limp home, and today I went to tighten it again, but damn that bolt is hard to reach!! I can't reach it with a socket, and once I get a t-handled wrench on it there's no room to turn it. Are there any tricks for this other than removing the primary cover?
Bonus question: once I get it tightened, how do I keep this from happening a *third* time??
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Vermont
Assume it is the rear lever behind the inner primary? Check out better lever https://betterlever.com/better-lever-p-1.html
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: OH
^^That is what i do. My indy took mine out and cleaned the threads off of the crap HD uses on that bolt. I have done it to two more of my bikes since. I check it from time but never had it loosen up me.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Oklahoma
A tight fitting Allen bit is hard to get in the bolt head. It requires an Allen bit in a socket wrench driver which can be turned with a ratchet handle or breaker bar. An "L" shaped, or "T" handle wrench won't provide the leverage to do the job. Unscrew it a couple of turns, or better, remove the bolt, apply some blue locktite and re-tighten with a bit more force than it took to break loose. Some guys have removed the bolt and replaced it with a grade 8 hex head and seriously tightened it, again with the blue locktite. The Better Lever is good equipment but is expensive, tightening the bolt is more or less free. Then if the lever strips out, you still have the expensive option remaining. All of those levers, front and back, are good items to check on every service interval. I tightened mine as described above at 5000 miles and it has never come loose again but I still check all 3 at every oil change.
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From:
Last night my shift linkage came loose - on the freeway, of course, in 6th gear. :-/
I was able to get it on enough in a parking lot to downshift to 3rd or 4th and limp home, and today I went to tighten it again, but damn that bolt is hard to reach!! I can't reach it with a socket, and once I get a t-handled wrench on it there's no room to turn it. Are there any tricks for this other than removing the primary cover?
Bonus question: once I get it tightened, how do I keep this from happening a *third* time??
I was able to get it on enough in a parking lot to downshift to 3rd or 4th and limp home, and today I went to tighten it again, but damn that bolt is hard to reach!! I can't reach it with a socket, and once I get a t-handled wrench on it there's no room to turn it. Are there any tricks for this other than removing the primary cover?
Bonus question: once I get it tightened, how do I keep this from happening a *third* time??
Here is a link for a parts finder that might help you better explain the part:
http://partsfinder.onlinemicrofiche.....asp?make=hdmc
It kinda/sorta reads like the lever at the transmission shaft is loose, but i would be guessing from description.
It would seem like you might be trying to remove and then tighten the allen/hex bolt at that lever on transmission shaft.
That allen/hex at rear transmission shaft lever requires the use of a long extension with an allen/hex socket.
If you have a six speed, there is an indentation on the rear of the primary that will allow the removal of that lever by sliding lever out at an angle.
It might be worth your time to mark lever angle position before removing for evaluation.
Take a close look at teeth on the lever...are they ground a bit?
The transmission shaft is harder than the lever BUT if you abuse the situation then the shaft can get damaged by a stripped lever and it becomes a more difficult problem.
After review of lever then evaluate if you need a new lever and use some thread locker on the allen/hex bolt.
Remember to mark lever position before removal of lever or the shift angle of lever will be OFF and you will have to adjust rod length.
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From: Phoenix
Thanks for the feedback - the last time this happened I replaced the bolt and used loctite, but I guess I didn't get it quite tight enough, because here we are again. I got a hex socket, but my 6" extension is too long, so I need to look into maybe a 4"
The teeth on the transmission spindle don't look abused, so I think that should be okay. I am careful about its angle, but it wiggled all the way off, so I can't mark it & have to eyeball it.
That BetterLever looks pretty cool, but holy smokes! $225 does seem kinda steep for what it is. I suppose it would be worth it to me to never worry about this problem recurring, but dayum!
The teeth on the transmission spindle don't look abused, so I think that should be okay. I am careful about its angle, but it wiggled all the way off, so I can't mark it & have to eyeball it.
That BetterLever looks pretty cool, but holy smokes! $225 does seem kinda steep for what it is. I suppose it would be worth it to me to never worry about this problem recurring, but dayum!
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Idaho Panhandle
You need a hardened bolt, ones from a store will stretch. I use the long shank 1/4" Allen wrench with a 1/4 long socket on a shaft to tighten the short end of the Allen wrench. Lost mine on the way to Sturgis, fortunately I had a 1/4 long Allen and rode in third to the nearest town and found a ACE hardware. STD steel Allen, but lasted until I could pick up a hardened bolt at Harley for about a $1.00. The hardened bolt is a one time change, at least for 50,000 miles. I check it by feel before long trips, still nice a tight.
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Joe Kucinski
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From: poway
Some of this has already been said..
1. new socket-head cap screw.
2. LT Blue on the threads
3. Molybdenum sulfide grease on the cap screw shoulder. Regular will work if all you got.
4. You need to feel the bolt as it clamps. The torque will get tighter then feel like it's slipping and not getting significantly tighter. Keep tightening until starts to get a little bit tighter. go a little more and you are done.
The reason for #4 is that the bolt seats but the clamp needs to flex to grab the shaft splines. The clamps are cast really thick and need a lot of pressure to flex. You need to work against that springing before the clamp actually grabs the splines.
This works for me. Shift arm slack always checked at service when oiling the links. If you end up striping the bolt out then the arm probably needs to be replaced anyway.. Plan accordingly.
1. new socket-head cap screw.
2. LT Blue on the threads
3. Molybdenum sulfide grease on the cap screw shoulder. Regular will work if all you got.
4. You need to feel the bolt as it clamps. The torque will get tighter then feel like it's slipping and not getting significantly tighter. Keep tightening until starts to get a little bit tighter. go a little more and you are done.
The reason for #4 is that the bolt seats but the clamp needs to flex to grab the shaft splines. The clamps are cast really thick and need a lot of pressure to flex. You need to work against that springing before the clamp actually grabs the splines.
This works for me. Shift arm slack always checked at service when oiling the links. If you end up striping the bolt out then the arm probably needs to be replaced anyway.. Plan accordingly.
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sporty87
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Aug 11, 2009 01:29 AM