First Major Disappointment...
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,335
Likes: 5
From: CT
Yes sir. I agree 110%!
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 10,216
Likes: 224
From: Glendale AZ
Damn, another faith in a dealership gone south story and many have been there. Your just getting your eyes opened, its time you learn to do the maintenance youself. Its painful at first but growth is like that. Once you experience the satisfaction of taking care of your 'baby' yourself it will be most gratifying.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
The service manual says it must be adjusted cold. There is no spec for a hot adjustment. If they adjust it hot they are just guessing. Do it yourself after letting bike sit overnight, follow the procedure in the manual and it WILL be right. Edit: I checked mine at 5k. There was no gap in the pack. They will never do it again.
Back to the OPs problem... Assuming the adjustment is correct and you have at least a minimum of freeplay in the lever and in the clutch hub, then the most likely cause of slippage is that the spring has relaxed a little and lost some of it's force. The spring on late model bikes with the easy-pull clutches is only marginally adequate to begin with. If it loses any force at all over time and miles it is fairly likely the clutch will begin to slip.
I had this problem on my 2011 FLHTK. I completely disassembled the clutch to inspect the clutch discs and they were all fine, even with the slippage I was experiencing. I put it back together re-using the original discs and a new SE spring and it has been fine ever since.
Obviously, without seeing and inspecting your bike's clutch there is no way I could diagnose your issue with absolute certainty, but the spring is a likely candidate to be the cause of your problem.
Last edited by 2black1s; Sep 8, 2013 at 06:20 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,075
Likes: 20
From: Florida / Colorado
Am I reading this right - you rode 7k miles with a slipping clutch and its already cooked? And it felt like slipping on ice? Maybe a second opinion from another shop was in order. I hope your next 7k are more enjoyable.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,335
Likes: 5
From: CT
If you ever need to adjust the clutch hot (or warm) in an emergency situation, simply give it a little extra clearance when adjusting the clutch pack, i.e., instead of 1/2 to 1 full turn of clearance, give it an extra 1/4 to 1/2 turn, up to 1 1/2 turns. That will compensate for the reduction in freeplay that normally occurs as the bike warms up.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,672
Likes: 17
From: Orange, VA,
I don't even want to start with my local HD dealer, nightmare, they gave me my bike back with almost no oil pressure and told me it was my gauge, after I replaced my gauge and still no oil pressure I tore into them, took it to a local indy that found their screw up and fixed it right, if I need work done to it, it goes to my indy, they are usually better mechanics that rely on service work, not sales of new bikes, find a good indy.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,382
Likes: 404
From: Illinois
I wouldn't let a dealer change a light bulb on my bike.
First off, did they inspect the plates? Or are they telling you it needs new plates without inspection...
Did they even open up the inspection cover and adjust the clutch properly, or did they merely adjust at the cable adjuster?
First off, did they inspect the plates? Or are they telling you it needs new plates without inspection...
Did they even open up the inspection cover and adjust the clutch properly, or did they merely adjust at the cable adjuster?
Getting it right
I always think the dealerships should get a lot of things right they drop the ball on! T used to think they should be Harley experts. Wrong! A maintaince manual with corasponding parts catalog will get you a long way. On to my main point.
How in world can you ride with confidence a bike that losses a clutch at 7K?
An I sure would not be feeling beholding to them for getting it in with no APPT to adjust your clutch.
There was a thread about how many miles are too many on a used bike purchase. This is why I like to buy bikes, cars, trucks etc with miles on them. I'm getting too old for those "Shake down cruises".
How in world can you ride with confidence a bike that losses a clutch at 7K?
An I sure would not be feeling beholding to them for getting it in with no APPT to adjust your clutch.
There was a thread about how many miles are too many on a used bike purchase. This is why I like to buy bikes, cars, trucks etc with miles on them. I'm getting too old for those "Shake down cruises".
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: East Tn Foot of The Dragon
