New(er) Inner Shifter Lever
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 800
From: Colorado
Primary case has to come off, to allow enough room to pull and put the oem one back on from the end of the shaft Inside of primary cover to close to end of shaft). So cover off, clutch/comp/chain off, then can pull primary case to replace shift lever..
As for the oem 33900175, do your self a favor and install a baker truss shift lever, which is made out of a hell of better metal (not the diecast pot metal of the oem unit), will not stretch so fast/will stay tight to the shifter shaft in the first place. Hence the oem one is meant to wear out, so the trans shifter spine shaft are not worn out, but the glitch is the shifter lever stretches at ungodly rate, you have to go back and re-tighten it just too many times to keep it tight to the shaft, and if you let it get/leave it loose, then gets to the point that trans shaft spines wear out and that you have to rip the trans apart to replace that shaft as well.
And truth be told, the whole pot metal for shifter lever, kind of a scam to just promote labor charges, since pulling the primary cover and parts, then having to put is all back together, gets spendy in labor costs. Then shop will advise on changing case bearing and seal, will bank they suggest changing out clutch hub bearing , maybe clutch or comp assembly, and the rabbit hole of suggested parts to replace while they have the primary apart in the first place.
As for the oem 33900175, do your self a favor and install a baker truss shift lever, which is made out of a hell of better metal (not the diecast pot metal of the oem unit), will not stretch so fast/will stay tight to the shifter shaft in the first place. Hence the oem one is meant to wear out, so the trans shifter spine shaft are not worn out, but the glitch is the shifter lever stretches at ungodly rate, you have to go back and re-tighten it just too many times to keep it tight to the shaft, and if you let it get/leave it loose, then gets to the point that trans shaft spines wear out and that you have to rip the trans apart to replace that shaft as well.
And truth be told, the whole pot metal for shifter lever, kind of a scam to just promote labor charges, since pulling the primary cover and parts, then having to put is all back together, gets spendy in labor costs. Then shop will advise on changing case bearing and seal, will bank they suggest changing out clutch hub bearing , maybe clutch or comp assembly, and the rabbit hole of suggested parts to replace while they have the primary apart in the first place.
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,862
Likes: 3,844
From: Cape Cod
I was told MANY TIMES that the rear shift lever on a 07 Twin Cam can come off without taking off the inner primary.
Tried MANY times to do it, but no joy.
Had to take off everything to install the BETTER LEVER.
https://www.betterlever.com/product/better-lever/
And now that that's done.................
(expensive, but never have to worry about it ever again!)
Tried MANY times to do it, but no joy.
Had to take off everything to install the BETTER LEVER.
https://www.betterlever.com/product/better-lever/
And now that that's done.................
(expensive, but never have to worry about it ever again!)
Last edited by MURPHCC1; Dec 18, 2024 at 03:41 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 894
Likes: 55
From: Colorado
I just put one on my 2011 Road king without pulling the primary. I believe that the inner primary was changed with the 103 inch motor making enough room to replace it. If I’m wrong about that I’m sure someone will correct.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 800
From: Colorado
Easy way to tell if primary needs to come off, since need to pull the lever bolt since its sistered into anular groove on spine shaft and lever is not going to move on shaft until the bolt is removed, and if there is enough room to slip it off the shaft or not with primary still in place, going to be pretty easy to tell right away.
As for replacement lever, do not install another HD soft pot metal shifter lever since will just be chasing your tail with having to re-tightening it over and over again as the soft metal stretches way to quickly from just the torque from the shifter pegs at end of throws,.
As for replacement lever, do not install another HD soft pot metal shifter lever since will just be chasing your tail with having to re-tightening it over and over again as the soft metal stretches way to quickly from just the torque from the shifter pegs at end of throws,.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
Mine was loose on my 04. I could see how to cut it off and install that two-piece aftermarket lever. But, since I had some leaking seals, I decided to pull the inner primary cover and do some maintenance.
Anyhow, since I now had clear access, I experimented a little. As I expected, I could not get the lever tight on the shaft with the allen head bolt. A regular hex head bolt pulled the lever up tight and it never gave me any further problems.
So, you may want to try simply installing a conventional hex-head bolt before you do anything else, just to see if it works for you.
Anyhow, since I now had clear access, I experimented a little. As I expected, I could not get the lever tight on the shaft with the allen head bolt. A regular hex head bolt pulled the lever up tight and it never gave me any further problems.
So, you may want to try simply installing a conventional hex-head bolt before you do anything else, just to see if it works for you.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 10,804
Likes: 7,444
From: OH
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,923
Likes: 8,027
From: poway
The biggest problem with the tranny shift arm coming loose is no one ever tightens them. It takes a fair about of torque on the bolt. The 2 TC HDs I bought used both had the arm loose. One at 10K the other at 15K. Sold one bike at 80k, no issues. Other has 124k, no issues. New bikes eventually needed some tightening 5K to 15K. Since the arm is cast steel, it beds into the hardened splines and some loose over time. Check it and keep it tight, you won't have any problem.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 8,010
Likes: 6,907
From: NC
When I have the need to do so, I will take a 1/8 drill bit and drill between the shift lever and the shaft creating a keyway. Lossed the bolt, clean the area well, and use JBWeld to hold in a solid 1/8 pin. Then tighten down the bolt using blue Locktite.
I did this on my 1989 and my 2002 ElectraGlides. As well as many other bikes. Then tranny shift lever never come loose again. Will do so on my 2019 when I need to remove the inner primary for some reason.
I did this on my 1989 and my 2002 ElectraGlides. As well as many other bikes. Then tranny shift lever never come loose again. Will do so on my 2019 when I need to remove the inner primary for some reason.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 420
Likes: 64
From: Southern Bear Flag
I guess I should have included some more "pertinent" info in my original post lol...I replaced the original inner shifter lever on my 07 several years ago when I was in there replacing the leaky shifter shaft seal while I had the outer and inner primary off doing some other upgrades and maintenance as well. I replaced it with a new aftermarket shift lever and lock-tighted everything and it's been rock solid since. No play and the thru-bolt is still tight as ever. No leaking either from the new seal...Happy with the results.
Only reason I ask about the later shift lever version is I've been chasing some neutral finding issues lately and seemingly all of the aftermarket fixes are for the later models with adapters and higher-mounting points on the shifter lever. The newer version is curved whereas the earlier Twin Cam versions are straight. Moreso curiuos if the splines and shifter lever shaft are the same size in the Twin Cam's as the newer M8's?
TIA - Matt
Only reason I ask about the later shift lever version is I've been chasing some neutral finding issues lately and seemingly all of the aftermarket fixes are for the later models with adapters and higher-mounting points on the shifter lever. The newer version is curved whereas the earlier Twin Cam versions are straight. Moreso curiuos if the splines and shifter lever shaft are the same size in the Twin Cam's as the newer M8's?
TIA - Matt