"CLUNK" When Shifting Into First Gear?
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 817
Likes: 4
From: Memphis. Tn
This works, but who gives a clunk, clunk eliminators have been deemed detrimental to that which is Harley and will void warranty. Other companies have put untold amounts of funds into R&D to duplicate that clunk, it's iconic, get rid of the CLUNK, unthinkable
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 10,135
Likes: 4,780
From: Sandpoint, Idaho
Try delaying putting it into gear after pulling the clutch. That will give the clutch plates more time to seperate and give the gears time to quit spinning before you engage the gears.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 745
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento
+1.......
Intermediate
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Desert Hell
How fast are you stil rollin as well?? I am not talkin lock on downshift speed, but even if you're hittin the low ratio just a bit too early, you may be feelin it....I am retarded though, so don't listen much to me!
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 4
From: Annemasse (border of Geneva-Switzerland) facing Mt-Blanc.
The clunk going into first gear goes away as my clutch gets warm.
I climb a 20 yard ramp to leave my garage, then I stop on the road to close the fence; as I re-engage into first gear the clunk is gone.
If you use a thinner (JASO-MA) oil it will be easier to separate the cold clutch plates but you impose a greater threat on the compensator. I haven't tried 10W40 yet in the primary, I'm still running 20W50 adapted for wet clutches.
I climb a 20 yard ramp to leave my garage, then I stop on the road to close the fence; as I re-engage into first gear the clunk is gone.
If you use a thinner (JASO-MA) oil it will be easier to separate the cold clutch plates but you impose a greater threat on the compensator. I haven't tried 10W40 yet in the primary, I'm still running 20W50 adapted for wet clutches.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 462
Likes: 1
From: n.e. ohio
Nothing to worry about they all do it. Like said pull the clutch in waut a few then engage that will reduce it a tiny bit. You will have to realize no matter what you do it will always be a '' clunker''
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,544
Likes: 6,419
From: Honah Lee
Hurts nothing. The oil windage between the driven and drive plates spins the transmission gears. The actual gear teeth in the transmission are always meshed. what you are hearing is when the square drive dogs on the side of the gear drops into the side of it the gear beside it linking it to the lower gear. The clunk is it as it stops the other freewheeling spin. Never ever try to quieten it by putting too thick oil in transmission or too thin in primary. Numerous way to help. None will work all the time. Try this. Upon start up as it warms up a few minutes, pull in clutch leaver and hit throttle 3 times bippin it to about 1500 rpm. The third time as it drops to 1100 stab it in gear. About 40% of the time you will hear nothing. However 60% will be clunks. The people who say theirs click us the word click for what you and I call clunk
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 14, 2018 at 11:24 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 80
From: currently an Okie
Clunk
Hurts nothing. The oil windage between the driven and drive plates spins the transmission gears. The actual gear teeth in the transmission are always meshed. what you are hearing is when the square drive dogs on the side of the gear drops into the side of it the gear beside it linking it to the lower gear. The clunk is it as it stops the other freewheeling spin. Never ever try to quieten it by putting too thick oil in transmission or too thin in primary. Numerous way to help. None will work all the time. Try this. Upon start up as it warms up a few minutes, pull in clutch leaver and hit throttle 3 times bippin it to about 1500 rpm. The third time as it drops to 1100 stab it in gear. About 40% of the time you will hear nothing. However 60% will be clunks. The people who say theirs click us the word click for what you and I call clunk