Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Shifter issues

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 6, 2021 | 04:45 PM
  #1  
68camaro's Avatar
68camaro
Thread Starter
|
Novice
10 Year Member
Liked
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 4
From: Minnesota
Default Shifter issues

Please move this if it's in the wrong place. 99 FLHTPI, and this could be a brain fart on my end or a quick "happened to me too" type of thing...

Long story short I had to take the outer/inner primary off to get to the shift shaft because of the splines slipping. This entailed taking the shift linkage apart too. I didn't mess with anything transmission related other than pulling the clutch off.

After putting everything back together and a drive to the mailbox and back, I can only shift from first to neutral and back and it doesn't seem to want to shift up with a hand either.. Would it be completely in the linkage adjustment, something in the primary, or ??. I still need to get it back on the lift to try things when the back wheel is up but I figured it should move either way.
Thanks in advance.
 
Reply
Old May 6, 2021 | 08:40 PM
  #2  
cncmike's Avatar
cncmike
Road Master
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Liked
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 264
From: Fresno Ca
Default

Maybe a stupid question, but if you have a heel shifter is it out of adjustment and hitting the floorboard? This would keep you from engaging second.Try shifting with your hand while it is on the lift and look for any part of the linkage hitting anywhere. Other than that, the only thing I can think of is the clutch adjustment being off and not wanting to shift. But that would only matter when the bike is running.
 
Reply
Old May 6, 2021 | 08:56 PM
  #3  
chopper_man's Avatar
chopper_man
Stellar HDF Member
Veteran: Army
10 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 3,316
Likes: 2,111
From: Masshole
Default

On line of stupid questions, are you sure you put the shifter arm on the right way? It will go on both ways but backwards will make it hit.
 
Reply
Old May 7, 2021 | 01:27 PM
  #4  
68camaro's Avatar
68camaro
Thread Starter
|
Novice
10 Year Member
Liked
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 4
From: Minnesota
Default

Thanks for the responses!
No heal shifter, it's on correctly and nothing is hitting anywhere. I know getting the initial primary adjustment set was an adventure (it was difficult to determine where it was hitting resistance vs bottoming out, it seemed that range was about 3/4 turn so it left a lot of room for error). Then, once we found what we thought was the right spot it was a lot of tightening and loosening the clutch cable to try it again and again.

I'm guessing it has to be within the clutch/primary set.
 
Reply
Old May 7, 2021 | 06:51 PM
  #5  
86glider's Avatar
86glider
Road Warrior
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,528
Likes: 933
From: Long Island
Default

First off, do you have an official FSM? If you do I would proceed by popping off the top cover of the tranny.Your problem is transmission related not the primary.You need to inspect the shifter drum and shifter pawl and related parts.That’s where I’d start.
 
Reply
Old May 8, 2021 | 01:33 PM
  #6  
Dieselss's Avatar
Dieselss
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 119
Likes: 23
From: Nwi
Default

Did you try and take the linkage off at the Trans arm, and move the shifter @ the Trans?
 
Reply
Old May 8, 2021 | 03:31 PM
  #7  
Oaviking06's Avatar
Oaviking06
2nd Gear
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 6
Likes: 2
From: Houston
Default

Yea i saw a video where they marked with a sharpie the linkage at transmission before removing, to make sure it went back to exact same spot, if its off a couple splines it could cause shifter adjustment issues..
 
Reply
Old May 8, 2021 | 07:08 PM
  #8  
68camaro's Avatar
68camaro
Thread Starter
|
Novice
10 Year Member
Liked
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 4
From: Minnesota
Default

Things have come to a halt as I now have this covid crap. When I feel better I'll tackle it again. This sucks.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

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

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

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

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old May 8, 2021 | 07:58 PM
  #9  
seniorsuperglideE8's Avatar
seniorsuperglideE8
Supporter
Veteran: Navy
15 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
Likes: 5,622
From: along the shore of Mishigami
Supporter
Default

Google for a video on shifter pawl adjustment, I'm almost sure I saw one last month.
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Crashone
EVO
11
Jul 3, 2015 10:06 PM
Hoblick
Touring Models
9
Aug 29, 2011 09:32 AM
Ragnar Danneskjöld
Sportster Models
8
Apr 11, 2011 08:25 PM
sporty87
Touring Models
6
Aug 11, 2009 01:29 AM
DanDman
Primary/Transmission/Driveline/Clutch
3
Sep 16, 2008 10:53 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:49 PM.

story-0
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-1
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-2
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-3
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-4
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-5
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
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE