Another one here. IDS solved my clatter glide problems. I have been happy ever since I installed it.

 

Is it the bolt toward the front of the chain or the nut at the back ???


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I have an 07 flhp and am new to Harleys. What is this clatter? Are you referring to primary chain clatter? Educate me, Please.

 

Clatter is actually the slapping back and forth of the engine crankshaft compensator sprocket. It is supposed to eliminate the crankshaft pulses from the stroke of the motor to soften things up down the drivetrain. If left unattended to or not upgraded it will in time lead to crankshaft failure as it will bang enought to allow the crankshaft pin and flywheel to get the oiling hole off center and will slowly but surely quit oiling the crankshaft bearings.
With the production of the 96" engine in 2007 this became a problem across the board. The compensator was not satisfactory enough to handle the longer stroke of the new 96" crankshaft. Harley came out with the IDS in the 08 production year (bandaid fix) to help eliminate all the complaints from customers during the 07 year, and offered it to them for just over 300 plus labor. The clatter is usually only heard around 2300 rpm's and below, worse when hot. The noise is the comp banging back and forth on the crankshaft sprocket, and down the drivetrain. Harley also came out with a brand new design compensator that is now on every single 2011 touring model. And they offer it as well as a upgrade to the older models back to 07 for the price of 250 plus quite a bit of labor. These items should have been part of the original package for all Touring Bikes starting in 07 or else they should have not introduced the 96" engine with the longer stroke crankshaft until they had worked out the problems that it caused. Their wasn't enough prototype testing done at the HD test facilities or else like most companys the top brass just never listened to the issues presented by the testing facility employees. Now the Talladega Testing Facility has even been closed permantly by the MoCo.

 

I have the problem quite bad on my 07 Dyna. Going to swap to the SE unit as soon as possible. When did Harley start using compensators as opposed to plain sprockets? My neighbor has an 04 Road King SE with the 103 engine. He has no problems yet he has a bigger engine. How long has the 103 engine been out, and why didn't they have the problem before 2007 with the 96 engine???

My son just bought an 09 Crossbones (Soft tail). He does not have the IDS on the rear wheel, yet he does not have the clatter problem like I do. Did they use the SE compensator in the 09s ???


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I have an 07, no IDS, no clatter.

Should I ask for a buy back?

 

You ain't gona get HD to do a buyback ever!!! LOL! You can hardly even get warrany work covered at most dealers! Its more like pulling teeth or worse! Some comp springs could handle the clatter banging better than others. Try running about 2100 or 2200 rpms in 5th gear at a steady throttle..somewhere near 45 mph. You'll hear it unless you have a exceptionally stronger, than most, Compensator Spring. I had a HD tech tell me that he has seen comps come out that had actually jumped around to the other side. (180) and were so beat and banged up it was pitiful.
The reason the earlier models 06 and earlier didn't do it was because the comp gear and the clutch gearing was quite different. Wasn't near as high a gear ratio in the 06 and earlier models. The gearing change, that also went in to the 07 bikes, played a big part in this issue. See the 07 was the first year for the 6 speed and the 96 engine together. Big problems and not enough testing before they released to the public. The gearing on the Touring Models is different than the others. "higher geared" Thats why the clatter is really only present in the Touring bikes, along with things like weight of the bike. Fairings and large Road kIng windshields also reflect back the clatter sound. Best thing to do if you have a 07 is to add the Screamin Eagle Comp and IDS to the driveline. Gona cost you but its better than a CrankShaft problem down the road. 2011 Was the first year all Touring Models had this new SE Engine Compensator as standard OEM equipment. Also starting in 09 they all have a Compensator Hub built into the left side wheel hub where the rear belt sprocket mounts, this took the place of the IDS or Isolated Drive System(sprocket) which was only offered in the HD catalog for the 07 touring bikes, get this "As a Upgrade" Wonder why that was? LOL! They offered it in late July of 07, when the 08 models hit the dealerships, because it now was standard oem equipment on all 08 touring bikes. Thats our beloved Milwaukee Executives!
Heres the way its set up:
2011 models have new style SE Engine Comp and rear wheel hub Comp.
2010 Trikes have the new style SE Engine Comp ( not sure about the rear belt pully)
2010 and 2009 models have old engine comp and new rear wheel hub comp.
2008 has the old comp and IDS attached to the rear wheel.
2007 models have no improved drivetrain parts, But they are offered as upgrades.
2006 models had the older style engine comp but it was not a issue at all, and the rear wheel comp was not needed either.

 

LOL only Harley would charge for a fix to a problem they invented and should have been resolved before the bike hit the market. I want to be a Harley engineers. Probably the only place an engineeer can screw up and they will just say will fix it next year?????

 

Since my bike is an ex-police bike with 38,000 miles and no clatter would it be safe to assume that the upgrade was done? If not is there an easy way to tell?

 

ED, I would have your Dyna at least checked and retorqued, the Dyna shouldn't be that noticeable. But you would be safer in the long run to go ahead and do the SE Comp. 40274-08 on page 496 in the 2011 Assy catalog. 09's as far as I know did not have the SE comp. your son may just have a real good one and like he said your dyna may have worked a little loose. The tech that told me about them flipping around said this. Remove the outer part of the Engine Comp and clean everything real well, if it doesn't look beat up then torque it back down and use a little loctite. He said torque it to 185 foot pounds minimum. You don't even have to remove the primary chain to do this just the outer cover and big bolt. Just gotta have a big torque wrench and a primary locking tool. Hope this helps and maybe you can get the dealer to do it for not to much! I don't think a extended warranty would help but you could try. Never know??