Primary Chain Slack - Advice Please
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Primary Chain Slack - Advice Please
Hey Everyone,
I have a 2010 Ultra Limited with 8k miles on it, so that means I am 2k away from my next service. I just got off a 1,000 mile road trip this weekend and it seems that my primary chain has a lot of "slack" in it. Each time I take off and shift through the gears, I have to ease into the throttle, otherwise I will feel the lag between engine throttle and applied power. Is my assumption correct? Will I hurt it to drive it this way?
If so, given that I am not a wrench, is tightening the chain tension fairly easy? If so, can someone give me some pointers and give me any specs I might need. I don't currently have a service manual for the bike yet, however I do have one for my old 2005 Road King Classic.
Thanks,
Matthew
I have a 2010 Ultra Limited with 8k miles on it, so that means I am 2k away from my next service. I just got off a 1,000 mile road trip this weekend and it seems that my primary chain has a lot of "slack" in it. Each time I take off and shift through the gears, I have to ease into the throttle, otherwise I will feel the lag between engine throttle and applied power. Is my assumption correct? Will I hurt it to drive it this way?
If so, given that I am not a wrench, is tightening the chain tension fairly easy? If so, can someone give me some pointers and give me any specs I might need. I don't currently have a service manual for the bike yet, however I do have one for my old 2005 Road King Classic.
Thanks,
Matthew
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 131
Likes: 4
From: so. Wisconsin
Hey Everyone,
I have a 2010 Ultra Limited with 8k miles on it, so that means I am 2k away from my next service. I just got off a 1,000 mile road trip this weekend and it seems that my primary chain has a lot of "slack" in it. Each time I take off and shift through the gears, I have to ease into the throttle, otherwise I will feel the lag between engine throttle and applied power. Is my assumption correct? Will I hurt it to drive it this way?
If so, given that I am not a wrench, is tightening the chain tension fairly easy? If so, can someone give me some pointers and give me any specs I might need. I don't currently have a service manual for the bike yet, however I do have one for my old 2005 Road King Classic.
Thanks,
Matthew
I have a 2010 Ultra Limited with 8k miles on it, so that means I am 2k away from my next service. I just got off a 1,000 mile road trip this weekend and it seems that my primary chain has a lot of "slack" in it. Each time I take off and shift through the gears, I have to ease into the throttle, otherwise I will feel the lag between engine throttle and applied power. Is my assumption correct? Will I hurt it to drive it this way?
If so, given that I am not a wrench, is tightening the chain tension fairly easy? If so, can someone give me some pointers and give me any specs I might need. I don't currently have a service manual for the bike yet, however I do have one for my old 2005 Road King Classic.
Thanks,
Matthew
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Matthew
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From: Woodinville, WA
Are you still rinning a stock compensator? If so and you have done any performance work on your bike . . . well you know what's coming next. Also consider upgrading your clutch spring.
Last edited by davessworks; Apr 4, 2011 at 02:50 PM.
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From: Western Illinois, land of bad roads, and corrupt politicians
If you have slack in your primary, you will feel a lurch if you ease off of the throttle and then apply power.
I agree with cooper.... it could be the isolator that you are just not used to. It makes your newer bike have a luxury feeling drive train, instead of a Ford.
Link to the part
http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/g...bmLocale=en_US
I agree with cooper.... it could be the isolator that you are just not used to. It makes your newer bike have a luxury feeling drive train, instead of a Ford.
Link to the part
http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/g...bmLocale=en_US
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I have the upgraded S/E compensator as of about 1,500 miles ago.
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If you have slack in your primary, you will feel a lurch if you ease off of the throttle and then apply power.
I agree with cooper.... it could be the isolator that you are just not used to. It makes your newer bike have a luxury feeling drive train, instead of a Ford.
Link to the part
http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/g...bmLocale=en_US
I agree with cooper.... it could be the isolator that you are just not used to. It makes your newer bike have a luxury feeling drive train, instead of a Ford.
Link to the part
http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/g...bmLocale=en_US
Any additional thoughts?
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From: Woodinville, WA
Yes, if I ease off the throttle and then apply throttle again, it will lurch and you can hear the slack in the primary. The dealer tells me that the primary chain has a tensioner and does not need manual adjustments. So, not real sure what the issue is, but I know for sure there is a lot of slack between power being applied and feeling the pull. Perhaps my primary chain does have slack in it, who knows. I will probably take it back to the dealer that installed the SE compensator.
Any additional thoughts?
Any additional thoughts?
well if it really is your chain then the tensioner may be broken. If not then the compensator may be broken. Either way, and I did like the rear wheel isolator idea for a bit there, it isn't the isolator.
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,590
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From: Western Illinois, land of bad roads, and corrupt politicians
Yes, if I ease off the throttle and then apply throttle again, it will lurch and you can hear the slack in the primary. The dealer tells me that the primary chain has a tensioner and does not need manual adjustments. So, not real sure what the issue is, but I know for sure there is a lot of slack between power being applied and feeling the pull. Perhaps my primary chain does have slack in it, who knows. I will probably take it back to the dealer that installed the SE compensator.
Any additional thoughts?
Any additional thoughts?
I just read the part about the compensator upgrade.... the tech probably dorked up your chain adjuster when he had the primary apart.