Starter/compensator

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Nov 27, 2011 | 02:40 PM

#21

TUCCI

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Jun 2011

Posts: 10,216

Likes: 224

From: Glendale AZ

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keithhu

You cant swing a dead cat around here without hitting a compensator thread. I think its more common than oil threads (in the touring section anyway.)

Yeah what's up with that....they do a recall on a brake switch and let something like that slide WTF?

Nov 27, 2011 | 04:05 PM

#22

AlCherry

Thread Starter

Road Warrior

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 1,309

Likes: 93

From: Rye, By God, Deep East Texas

Here's what I found. The crank extension, and the sprocket were beat up and burned. The starter, clutch hub and primary chain are ok, no signs of wear and tear. I didn't like what I saw in the compensator basket. I was looking to see a spring like my shovel and Evo, but all that is there is some kind of compression rings rattling around in there. Looking at pictures of the SE compensator, it is a completely different system, using compression wafers outside of a basket. Thanks for the help, ya'll.

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Last edited by AlCherry; Nov 27, 2011 at 04:26 PM.

Nov 27, 2011 | 04:37 PM

#23

davessworks

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 3,341

Likes: 9

From: Woodinville, WA

Quote:

Originally Posted by TUCCI

Yeah what's up with that....they do a recall on a brake switch and let something like that slide WTF?

Simple - one's a safety issue and the other a reliability issue. H-Ds legal exposure and legal obligation is massively different one versus the other.

Last edited by davessworks; Nov 27, 2011 at 04:46 PM.

Nov 27, 2011 | 05:13 PM

#24

BadBagger08

Tourer

Joined: Apr 2010

Posts: 461

Likes: 4

From: Yale, MI

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midgitfire

It should. I couldn't believe the difference my upgrade made. Like has been said a lot on various forums, it'll take care of the starter issue, the clunk of changing gears and give a lot smoother gear change. If you plan on doing it yourself I can PM you a link to a great guide that I followed from another forum. A lot of great tips.

Ya I'm going in there this winter, I also have to pull my gears set and fix a issue with it pooping out of 3rd at 5200rpms (it just dawned on me this is where the tq and hp curve meet) I'm also adding a AIM clutch and switching to a chain drive rather than a belt. Pretty big project this winter.

Nov 27, 2011 | 07:21 PM

#25

Jackie Paper

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Mar 2010

Posts: 38,525

Likes: 6,406

From: Honah Lee

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlCherry

They are belleville cone springs. SE is similar but more of them pushing opposite way but doing save thing. My album gives some more shots. I did not have any fretting like you do on spline and a little in the bore. Its appears yours has been going to full lock and back a lot. This may be a problem but do not believe it's causing starter to kick back. How many miles do you have? Could be the starter solenoid contact washer since this is what causes starter gear to jump out and hold it out. That skinny rod on the second attachment pushes the gear out as the solenoid pull in. The big contact washer you see makes the electrical magnet and turn the starter on. Always have your battery checked out before going to starter.

Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 14, 2018 at 11:24 AM.

Nov 27, 2011 | 07:24 PM

#26

cardboard

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Nov 2006

Posts: 3,909

Likes: 6

From: Livingston, Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69cj

If you go thru the trouble to pull the compensator you might as well replace it with an S.E. compensator and be done with it. I did and don't regret not having that gremlin running around in the back of my head.

2nd that. It has a lock to keep the bolt from coming out. Gits rid of some of the noises and kickback.

Nov 27, 2011 | 08:38 PM

#27

customsoftail200

Road Master

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 1,200

Likes: 3

From: Simpsonville, SC

What about BDL's. Compensator without the spring?

Nov 28, 2011 | 06:53 PM

#28

AlCherry

Thread Starter

Road Warrior

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 1,309

Likes: 93

From: Rye, By God, Deep East Texas

The first thing I did was pull the starter and solinoid. Everything is great. In my past experience (shovels&Evo's) the starter problems originated in the solinoid and the sorry assed starters they used.
The bike has 26,000 miles on it. It has not ever been wrung out. It's been "gran pa" driven. I have another bike that I hotrod. I'll look at it a little closer this weekend before I make a decision. I just don't like what I see in the compensator basket. I should be able to compress the cone springs, but they are flat, no compression.

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Dec 4, 2011 | 09:51 AM

#29

AlCherry

Thread Starter

Road Warrior

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 1,309

Likes: 93

From: Rye, By God, Deep East Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69cj

It's done. I could tell at start-up everything changed. The chaincase noise (rattle and banging) is gone. After a good warm-up, the starter is working like it should, going through the full cycle to start the motor, with no kick-back. About 2 hours total time to change. The most time consuming part of the operation was the kick stand and floorboard mount.
The best tip that I read was to use a drimmel and grind a little off of the inside of the inner primary where the rotor comes out, to keep from pulling the inner primary. There is enough slack in the chain to keep from pulling the clutch. I probably didn't take off more than a 64th of matarial to slide the old rotor out and the new one in.
Thanks for everyones help and opinions. Al

Last edited by AlCherry; Dec 4, 2011 at 09:54 AM.