Ok so a while back I noticed my clutch started slipping in 5th and 6th gear. I took it to the dealer for an unrelated issue and had them look at it.

First, let me tell you about the "unrelated issue" that started this whole deal. I bought a Harley branded Derby cover for my 12' FLHTK. I installed the derby and it leaked bad. I replaced the filter, used a torque wrench and properly tightened it this time. It still leaked badly, so that is when I took it to the dealer to see WTF was wrong.

The dealer looked at it and replaced the derby cover. It still leaked so they looked closer and found the problem.
The outer primary cover has a little indention "cast mark" where the aftermarket paper filter seals to the cover.

They told me they were not sure if it would be covered under warranty because Harley would say the OEM cover is fine and that is what changed to cause the leak!?!?!?!?!

I would have been more pissed than I was but I was at lunch and did not have time to argue or leave the bike. And, I had a more important issue I needed to have looked at first.
The tranny had been slipping in 5th and 6th under load at high RPM's. They charged me 1/2 hour to adjust the clutch and see if that was the problem. I had already adjusted it my self before I took it there.

Well when I left to go back to work, the tech had the clutch adjusted so close and no slack at all on the clutch lever, that it slipped worse after the adjustment.
So I looped back around and took it back and the tech looked at it again. He determined that the clutch must have slipped enough when I did not know it was slipping, that I either ate up the friction plated or glazed the plates.

I had to get back to work so I took it to My regular HD dealer by the house. In the mean time, me being convinced I smoked my cluthc, I bought a complete Harley Screamin eagle Race clutch hub/6 spring pressure plate kit and a Barnet extra disk Carbon Fiber kit. This cost around $400.

So I get the call from the dealer and he says, "I have good news and I have bad news".
Bad news is, your clutch plates/disk are fine. The slippage is being caused by the "Transmission Door Bearing". And your upgraded clutch while Nice, was not needed.

The good news is what was going to be a 2 hour labor charge is now free!

So here I sit wondering how one dealer did not take the effort to properly diagnose the problem and simple assume the clutch was burnt and the My regular dealer took the time to research it and find that this ( according to the dealer) is a known issue with some of the 103" 6 speed tranny's.

I am pissed at Kingwood Harley for causing me to buy a new clutch. Let me clarify that before the forum nannies jump in. They really only caused me to buy a clutch pack. The upgraded SE clutch was my own choice and not that dealers fault but the disk/plates sure as hell was.

So, what is a "transmission Door Bearing"? I asked that question too and the answer was not very clear. So I took off work today knowing the bike was on the lift at the dealer and had a look my self.
That part is either the entire right side plate(door) or it is a bearing inside that plate.
When I say plate, I do not mean the outer chrome cover. I am talking about the black case that the tranny is attached to and the chrome tranny cover bolts on to.

Here are a couple of pictures I snapped of it in progress. How do ya like this for a simple clutch upgrade turned BS?

 

Oh I left our the results of the outer primary cover!
My dealer said the other dealer showed ignorance in telling me they did not know if it would be covered or not and acted like it probably wasn't.
I knew better at the time but that primary was second fiddle to the main issue that was the clutch.

The outer primary cover is also being replaced under warranty by my HD Dealer.

 

Yes ,the shaft is an inch longer on your bike to fit the wide tire, and those trap door bearings are about half the size of the ones in older bikes,and the inner primary bearing is the same size, not to mention the auto tensioner in your bike can not relieve pressure on the chain so it only gets tighter which causes the bearings to wear out faster, along with compensator, and inner clutch bearings.

 

OK BG which dealer did you take it too? Since you live in Spring, I assume you took it to the Woodlands HD. If so, man have they changed then. My experience with them, I would not take a bicycle in there for repair.

 

Yes it was Woodlands Harley.
Ya know what, I use to have that impression of them too. I use to avoid them at all cost and took it to Conroe or Republic HD back when I worked close to them.

I have nothing but good to say about them since I started doing business with them a year or so ago.
There have been times where things suck no matter what dealer it is, like my ABS issue a while back.But All in the Woodlands gets a score of 8 out of ten for me.

Only reason for the 8 is, it's damn near impossible to get service dept. on the phone. But they have gotten better about returning voice mails.

"EDIT" Oops I meant Republic Harley out in Stafford

 

Now ya see why I have not been able to make it out to the Car show now huh........lol.
Been dealing with this chit for 3 weeks or more I think.

 

Man; there are so many bearing threads going on right now - not all the same mind you but a lot of transmission related bearing issues.

 

The Tech's explanation was this.
That plate that everything bolts to flexes under high rpm at load. He does not really know if the bearing was actually bad or worn.Harley instructed them to replace the plate and I assume the bearing come pressed in already?
I don't know and I do not claim to really understand the physics involved.

But thanks for the info. More to chew on and try to understand how a bearing can cause a clutch to slip.

 

Glad you got it taken care of but you are surprised one dealership could not help you and another did? How long have you been dealing with HD??? Not busting your chops but I know the good ones and the ones to avoid. I understand your convenience issue being closer to work but I am mighty picky about who works on my bike. Ya could have rode it in 4th gear to the one you trust.

 

I don't understand how a bearing can cause a clutch to slip either, I do however firmly believe that if the stock auto tensioner is replaced by a hayden, SE, or Baker unit, most of these failures would happen a lot less often.